The Litchfield County post., 1827-07-05

rally the instant accumulate large repletiOn of the fluid, which by the violence of its ac- 1 ton, burst the hoops asunder, and shattered the mast head and cap. Into the cabin store room it seems to have been conducted by a leaden pipe near the main mast under the deck.-The quicksilver on the back of the mirror was sufficient to attract it thither, when l it would be ditfused over the whole surface of ] the glass, which being the most perfect non conductor known, was thus shattered into countless pieces. The atmosphere being ve- ry moist, the dampness of the cabin floor for : want of better conductor, might probably aid in carrying it to the windows.
 "Being all in our births, enveloped in beds and bedding ofnon conducting materials, we reposed in comparative safety, while the deathly bolt careered around us with fierce & restless energy. Doubtless, feather bed is the most safe retreat in such cases. Had it been later in the day, and the passengers a. bout the cabin, the chances are, that it would have been fatal to many of US.
 1.-The operation ofthe second shock was very different from the former, and is more deserving ofattention as furnishing new in- stance of the efficacy of lghtning-rods as a protection at sea. We had chain conduc- tor on board; but it not being the season to expect much lightning, and the first shock coming on quite suddenly, it was not up at the time. The morning squall was over ; it continued, however, to blow fresh all the day and about noon, heavy clouds began to gather on every side, rolling their volumes apparently among the rigging. We had req son to expect more lightning the conductor was prepared, and Capt. Bennett ordered it l to be raised to the main royal mast ,{ol ahuSv. having links one fourth of an inch thick, and two feet long, turned in hooks at each end & { connected by rings of the same thickness, ,and of one inch annular diameter. This chain was fastened to rod of iron, half an inch thick and four feet in length,with point well 1 polished and tapered, in order to receive the l fluid with facility; it was secured to the main royal mast, the rod extending two feet above ! the mast head, thence it was brought down l over the quarter and repelled by an oar,pro- truding, say ten feet from the ships side, and sinking few feet below the surface of the water.
 "Dr. Franklin was of an opinion that a rod of this size would sustain without injury the severest shock of lightning. have been thus minute in stating the dimensions of the chain for the double purpose of conveying some l. dea of the force of the shock, and suppress sing the necessity of pro,i idng larger conduc- 1 tors The chain, however, in this instance performed its office and it was in happy time 1 to avert blow that, in the opinion of all on board must have sent this staunch vessel in an instant to the bottom.
 "Soon after P. M. we saw lightning ] little before 2 o'clock observed very smart flash; looking at my watch which marks seconds, counted four, when the report fol- lowed l felt no alarm, however having fre- quent!y known it to approach nearer without any injury. At two o'clock we were aston 1 ished by another shock like that in the morn 1 ing; the flash was simultaneous. I happen 1 ed to be in the cabin with another passenger: a ball of fire seemed 10 dart down before us 7: at the same time the glass in the round-house came rattllng down below.e Those on deck agreed that the whole ship appeared to be in blaze, from the viyidness of the principal flash, which they distinctly saw darting down the conductor, and agitatiug the water. All parts of the ship, as before, were filled with smoke smelling strongly of sulphur.
 ''The ship was again thoroughly examined. The conductor had been rent to pieces by the discharge and scattered to the winds :: small fragments of it were found on deck in saving the ship it had literally yielded itselfto the fury of the blast. The pointed rod was l found to be fused and shortened several inch es, and covered with dark coating some of the links snapped off and others melted.-The whole operation was sngularly striking, and affords another of those rare cases where the conductor yielded to the violence of the shock, while it effectually averted the holt from the object it was designed to protect. " MT. Ross, the second officer, was pros trated and three of the men struck, but none much injured. It affected the polarity of all the compasses, causing them to vary from from the true point and between each other. They gradually assumed bearing, by which we have steered though still three points out as we have just discovered. The cap tain's chronometer, was very materially affected; it usually crosses the Atlantic without varying three seconds; it has now proved to be out as many degrees and 8 lever gold watches, belonging to three gen. tlemen passenger in the ship, contracted the magnetic power to such a degree as actually to require the principal part of the steel work to be renewed.''
 SANDWICH ISLANDS.
 From the Boston Advertiser
 SIR-The Rev. c. S. Stewart. late mis- sionary at the Sandwich Islands, now in Bos- ton this morniug received circular letter, issued from the mission press at those islands, and distributed freely among foreigners resi- dent there, and occasional visitors. send