Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1828-06-30
rRISTEu AED PUBGIsaID,
DAILY,
From the Boston Patriot.

Tar lat fcuurnt occurrence oil thuhuef
STORMS, md the yer / recent deaths IN boston
al, vicini =, h. effect OF Tightening; nave
c,u,ed nnu ,u.l sppre'sfnSIon o. danger among
=, = ~. no. the nerCous a0ne, but also the
s.r;,ns and renectios. That security from
d,,,er should be an object Of search 10 the
n,iio>oph,r IS laudabe and ra'i"nal; nut that
oer,ons Of aey roHS Temperament shouio' %! SOM.
,,,an, ard for heir owh happiness, De P'd'eu
bryord the reach If appreht nsion, or al ieas'
IN Imaginary s"Cu ", must De 10 lhe P",a"
tb~,ni,, an object ul greet lmp"i rance r'r
-, dea,hs bv tightening are Usry teD, person
alarms aud distressing anxiety curing l'in,
~, SONS, pervaie thousands, and cause
-,,,s ;u,,o;,o,y more dreadful than the real
,mr rsaec,,ons and calculations upon these
,ieo Is viii not be- I'll timed, and may be use>
IN and interesting.
rbe proximity of danger from lightning IS
ras,ly Giscoverabic, by observing The length OF
time which passes between It's f.sh and me re-
mort Of hundsr-for lightning and thunder al
wars accompany each Other, and al tie place
of the shock ere simultaneous; but 't dis'
lance, the lightning Is perceived aicoSt lns'ah'
,anerasiy, light passing at he rate OF 12,42o
leapues in So ord, while he thunder, Ike The
report of a c snuon, passes mnch more Slowly
through toe atmosph, re. The time taken up oy
sounds, in passing through common air, mas
ben accurately >1e"laint d - be al The rate oil
II42 feet in secoGd, aud that without any ap-
parent fferenoc being caused by The airet uoh
Of he wind OF tempcra urt OF The atmosphere.
HENCE ave en- e,s,ly calculate the distance,
f,om ,hs.ph, ever. OF shock of hghtning; for
q mill iSSSso !teu, and therefore sound passes,
in 4 90 scsbnds, mile: equal 80 1850 yards. or
1856 g.ometrical PAGES, or $50 Ia hons. / ne
tuIc'thEb is 10 observe carCiully The iSpse OF
SsF''~'>-----c-Is .rinSr The Hash and he irlnS
The report, aid the POSITION VII Or tnus. as
so: % . NIL :; so toe given lime: - distance
required. Or YOU may come near the truth
by OBSERVING the pull atIons al YOUR wrist, Tor,
If person he in 5000 health and regular habit
Of body, and tree from hurry or Hnuer OF spi-
rits the pul,apous are found 10 be IS earh
minute. Hence, in six bets ofthe pulsr, sound
aics about u mue. The correctness of this
promo -iior can essiiv be PROVED by any ONT,
who viii take the trouble to place himself on an
eminencr wnos, distance is known, in sigh Of
cannon on fort o. parade, while it's hired,
aud placing his hng"J upon his wrist, count the
number If pulsations between the Instant OF
seeing the hash and hearing the Export.
While thunder is heard al the distance OF
four pulsations from the flash, Two thirds OF a
mile, no immediate danger TO the nearer need
be unprecedented. No harm can Come TO one
from shu K, he thunder OF which ne has al
ready heard: for light proceeds sound, and the
lightning always executes Its commission be-
fore the thunder can report Its progress. No
man ever heard the shock by which he was kill
ed During a thunder Storm, this rcfitcuo'
will often calm the nerves OF an tgitated aud
trembling observer,
OfimportanCe, however, it is for the wise TO
consider, and with The timid to practise, ssmr
a ~~xl,,, ..NEE
ming which have been devised and proved, TO
remove anxiety and insure saiety. viii emu.
merate the most tb,jous. A lightning rod OF
some of the conducting metals whose 'rtlativc
perfection is in the following order, viz: gold,
silver. plalina BRASS IRON, Tin, quIcksil'er, lead
&c. well pointed at TOP and bottom CONTINUOUS
10 the earth, and Of sufficient thickness to cons
duct the shock without melting, is the most
common and approved safeguard; and il with
in few yards of 4 person, affords to him the
most perfect security; but al the distance Of
several rods. affords little security. A bed Of
feathers, or mattress oil hair, affords great
rity, especially if the bed be placed near the
middle Of tive room, and at distance from
conducting substances: the middle of deep
cellar is safe position, If empty OF those sub
stances. So far as the nature and operation OF
lightning, or electricity has been developed,
Inc most absolute pcrSnhai seCuFlt! Hom It's
effect, hitherto devised, is an insulated bed,
couch, chai!, or s,ool. Any of these articles
can be easily insu'a'ed, " placing their posts
or legs upon glass. This may be done by Dor
ing holes into the bottom of all the posts or
legs, say OF one and halfinch diameter, and
three or four inches deep, and inserting into
these holes solid glass cylinders, made for he
purpose, Of the same diameter and twice the
length Of the holes, 50 that the cylinders will
extend about three inches below the bottom OF
the posts or legs, and upon these cylinders the
whole must be made 10 rest on the floor, caus-
ing a perfect electrical insulation from all con
due ting substances. Placed in one Of these
a man, without danger from the shock, may
have house shisered about him BY lightning.
Another way of Insulating these articles offu
niture may be more easily praciised.-Take
four common wine or cider bottles, break off
their tops, leaving only the bottoms and part
or the sides, place each post Of your bed, SIC.
into one of these, so that they may rest wholly !