The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1827-06-27
-, =. H., York .Doily .qdpertiser.

From The .Ntie York Daily .aduertlSer.
STnpM At SEA. The packet ship New
York. Capt. Bennett, was twice struck by
l;rrbtn;ng on her passage to Liverpool.
~ folTowiny account of the circumstan-
80, ,,,b;cb are very remarkable, we take
:, = varv abridged form, from an interest
- la,tsr written bv an intelligent passen-
, O.er and nnblished in the Liverpool Chron-
icre of May l2th:-. -, ~.
LIGHTNING on her present voyage from new
Vorl On the 10th of April, our third
dav ont. about half past five in the morn
ina. being in our births, we were reused
Inv q sound like the report of heavy can
non close to our ears. The rain poured
down in torrents, mingled with hailstones
as large as filberts, which lay upon the
| deck fully an inch thick. Overhead blaz-
ed the lightning on all sides, accompanied
/ v reports almost simultaneously, thus
/ eyineing its nearness. The sea ran noun
tains high, and the ship was tossed from
one sea to another with incredible rapidity.
In all directions might be seen water
spouts. Some parts of the ship and spars
were for moment on fire, but were quick
/ ly extinguished by the rain. The light
ming, having struck the main royal-mast
head, shattered the mast head, and, de-
scending thence, penetrated the deck into
one of the store rooms, the bulkheads and
fittings of which are completely demolish-
ed. Then separating, one part was con
Quoted by leaden tube to the side of the
i shin through which 4 P0esoa out between
wind and water, starting the ends of three
5 inch planks. Another portion from the
f.-@> In
shiyered to atoms the plate of large mir
ror. Thence it passed through the whole
length of the after cabin and out at the
stern windows. Fortunately we were al
in our births at the moment
"The operation of the second shock wa:
very different from the former, and is NOR,
deserving of attention, as furnishing ;
new instance in proof of the efficacy o
lightning rods as protection at sea. w
had chain conductor on board, but
was not up at the time. We, had reasol
!, to expect more lightning the .conducto
was prepared, and Captain Bennett order
ed 1t to be raised to the main-royahnas
head. 1t consisted of an IRON chain, fas
tened to a rod of iron, half aa. inch thicl
, and four feet in length, with point wei
: polished and tapered.
: At two o'clock we were astounded b
another shock like that in the morning, tn
flash and sound Simultaneous | happen
ed TO be IN the cabin with another passen
ger; ball of fire seemed to dart dow
before us at the same moment the glas
IN the round house came rafting down be
: low. Those on deck agreed that tn
, whole ship appeared to be in blaze, fror
the vividness of the principal flash, whic
they distinctly saw darting down the cor
ductor, and agitating the water. All part
of the ship, as before, were filed wit
smoke, smelling of sulphur. The conduct
or had been rent to pieces by the di:
charge, and scattered to the winds snia
fragments of it were found on deck; i
saving the ship it had literally yielde
itself to the fury of the blast. The point
ed rod was found to be fused and shorten
ed several inches, and covered over with
dark coating some of the links had bee
snapped off and others melted.
Mr.. Ross, the second officer, was pros
trated and three of the men struck, bl
none much Injured Ito en.s4ssl.s1p + II R,rb~f
vary from the true point and betwee
each other. They gradually assumed
bearing, by which we have steered, thong
still three points out as we have Just dis
covered. The Captains chronometer wa
very materially affected it usually eros
es the Atlantic without varying three sec
onas; it has now proved to be out as man,
degrees"
FEMALE HEROTsJ Kaiolani n fan,al