The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1828-08-28

4
eonvrnirnccs the elrsance., and The domestic
refine menis OF social life.
From thr ra,,sa ra,fp,
+. ON LIGHTNING AND VELOCITY d
SOUND.
| The late frequent occurrence ri Thunder
sipirs. anI several recent drnihs - Rasfan sp1
+ is vicinity thr effect Of lighnirg, have caused
unnsnal apprehension OF danger amone the ciii'
zens not the NERVOUS alone hut also the serious
aud rejecting. That security from danger
should be nm object Of search iothe plilosophrr.
IS lanhable aud rational but TINT persons oi mr..
r0M temperament should. by some means, ami
Tor their own happiness, be placed beysnd thr
reach of apprehension, or Al least In imngnnry
security. must be 10 the philaoihropisl object
nj greater importance. For while deaths by
lightning are very few, personal alarms and dis.
hsssing anxiety, during thunder storms. rervnde
Thousands, aud cause deaths Imagining NOR
dreadful than the Tfdi. Some feneotirns and
celebrations upon these subjects will not be
ill-limed, and may be useful and interesting.
The pfox in,ity of danger from lightning - en-
silly disroyernhe by observing the leng ol iirnf
which passes between its fash and tire report Of
ihundef--tor lightning and thunder always ac-
company each oaser. and nj the place Of The
shock simultaneous, but M a ds'nnre, The
lightning is perceived almost insianlnneouslg
light passing At the rnte of ~ 400 leagues I'M Sc
cond. while the thunder. like The report of cans
non. passrs much more slow through the ~,
,oosphere. The time ,nken up nv sounds ia
passing through common air, has been accurate.
ly ascet,aned 10 be M the rate ol 1872 feet in
second AID that without any apparent hifrf.
enee being CAUSED by the direction of the winh
or temperature Of The atmosphere. ~--tIeneo we
cnn easily calculate the distance, from The ehger-
yer. OF u shock ol lightning Tor nuiilel. 629b
leei, md therefore sound passes. III lie 81,
conds, mile equal Ia 1900 yard, or 1908
geomrirlcal PAGES or Ssn inthoms 1he ruln
hen l.. 10 observe carefully the lense ol time
hefueen FIRST seeing lhe flash nnd herring the
renort, and the position viii be thus as 4,
u ton mile so the given time IL distance
required Or YOU may come nepr tie truth
by observing the pnsntione AZ our wrst, for.
II n person be IN good health and regnlnr hal.
il OF body. md free from hurry or dnrer e
spirits the puIaatiops are found 20 hr % zach
minute. Hence, IN 81 btdiy NJ The pAise.
sound flies about MIR. The CDffrrtnrss oC
This proposition can easily hr proved ~ any
one, who viii take the trouble 10 rlHte hn's
sell on nm eminenee those Distance n known
IN sight of cannon on tort or parade white
i IS tired, placing his fogrr upon his wr,st.
count the number of pulsati"ns helweeu lie
instant uf seeing the Hash aud hcbr,ng The re
port.
" hiln thunder is heard n, the distance Of
four pnlsaions from the nnsh, two birds OF ii
mile, 10 immrihie danger 10 the hrarer need
he unprecedented. NJ harm csn come 10 one
nom shock, the thunder al y hirh lie has al
rrndy heard ios light precedc' soand, ant
the lightning alwhys fs.eul"1 40 cornmlss'nn
before the thunder TIM report It, pro"ress. NO
man ever heard the Hhnok BY which he ans
killed. During athundrr fs ~, tlns rehefitnn
will often calm the NERVES ~, an agttaied and
trembling observer.
OF importance. however, II ~ 10 The "lse
10 oaoa,der ma viii 'hs umd Ia preeler,
some ri the means nj srrnilty from sborks ot
lightning. which hnPe bern d,yised and pro
ri. 10 remove an slely md insure sniely. I
VIII pnun"lHio the mosi ohViruq. bght-
ntng rod OF sunta OF the couduclipR mttais
y bnse relative pctireiinn u ~ lhc following
order, VIZ goid, sitfes plating, bras'. irpn,
I'm gntrkairtr, tead, Dc Ncii pointed nj top
md boff0pi, continuous 10 tho earth, md u
sufficient thickness Ia eoudnt the shock WITH
p,i mpiliug, Is the uto,i common mud appfov-
we'd safeguard aud II within Irn yards OF
person, nttords TO him III. most perfect seGu.
, rily bni NJ the distance ui several rods, At
| lords hill scpttty. a hrd ol Jfahfrs, or ma
trass OF mir, etlords great security, especially
! IL thr hed be placed ular iue m,ddle OF She
room, mud nj distancs trom conducting sub
| snures the middle OF deep cellar Is safe
position, ii empty ri lhnse substances. So far
! ns Tire nnlure and operation ut lightning. or =
| lerlf,eity has been developed, Tho most alb
solnip prrsoual security ron is effect, hn1
elto devised, is an unlimited bed, conch, chair.
or siusl.---Any Of ihrse articles ehn be ehsilv
insulated, hv rlariir iheir posts ar legs ppon
| glass. This mey he dune BY boring holes in
| 10 tue buisum 81 hll The pots or ltRs, cry Of
! one and a halt inch diameter, and iii.e ~
! fonr inches deep, nnd iutcrling Into these
! holes solid glass cylinders, made Tor the sht'
! rose, II The same dnmrirr aud Twice he
length III the hulpa, 50 TINT the cylintlprs Htil
rrtend about three inches hrlow ihs bottom
nt the posts or legs, md npnn these cY,ihtiri =
| Tire whole must be mnde ~ rest 81 the door.
causing perfect elrtlflchi Irsulhlton tfoib all
enpducting substances, Placed ~ one OF
ii1rse,n man, without dnntcr from lie shoFs
may have a hnuse shIscled nhoui him by
lightning. ArnIher va, oi in&pihilnP lhese
aaicles oi furniture ma5 he more ,asi.y prsc-
iisrd Take four common VINE or cider Dot,
llea, break uii their t,s1s, wing ooly the bot
tom and part oi the sides, Isct eneh post ot
i , our bed, DC. into onr al lhesp. 81 that ihry
nay resi- holly On ihr gl,,-, mud The atlicis
! viii then br insulated t. rhaps The noes,
thus hfukon oii from The bottles, brIng lnsrI-
/ ted aud fitted dfmly into the h"ics III lne bed
+ posts, NC might Will sobssrve HE p0fpofe OF
/ the glass cylinders mentioned ~ Inc pttcr-
ling mode al Insulating. | be bed S-c. While
j IN use, should not touch lh' sue Il The rontn.
nor should The leet of IL occupant Touch the
1nor: To pteVeni which. ~ suihs, ehnlls, ~.
! insulated, joo' board amy BE- uade 10 int
ont in front, wnhoui touching the lnor, Tor
the support oi the ieti, ,ont" bal IL The man
ner oi the foot bpard vi IA coach driver. 4
bed insulated none 81 these "aye, dnringihr
sesern Of thnnder storms. shouId he IN eom.
mon new III the ennllons and iind.
Moid -'mosIhefe, and moist substances
generally, are bPlirr conductors than dry.
Hence lightning Is more frequent aud intense
AT the commencement, than during the prop.
ress q ssorm ; tor the moistehtd atmosphere
soon restores the equilibrium ct the eleeirIci-
! ". Hence too he lightning Is conducted
| h,, he 4. 10 9pg StI