The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1844-11-03

MoND, ON THE READING hAlLWAf.-h veiy inee-
resting report has Just been published, containing
the result Of DR.. Lardner's investigation into the
circumstances Of the terrific explosion, the Read
ing Railway, on the End September last. He
ascribes the terrible occurrence to the combined
agency of atmospheric electricity and steam. His
remarks are very interesting, and we accordingly
annex thsm;--
The observation and searches of meteorologists
have informed US In considerable detail Of the vari
GUS effects, mechanical, chemical and physical,
produced on objects by atmospheric eieclncity'-e
L., however, matter of regret, that the result OF
tneir labors have been limited to the mere history
OF these effects. The mode in which they are
brought about by electrical agency has not been
conclusvely established. Among the effects the
most prominent are those produced upon the
temperature OF bodies; that lightning fuses me-
tails by raising their temperature. is proved by the
fact, that metal fused by lightning has fallen in
liquid drops upon wooden floor, and upon the
decks Of vessels in which they have burnt holes
These effects have not been confined to masses OF
metal OF limited dimension, nor have they been
merely superficial; considerable masses have been
on various occasions melted When the lightning
has not produced fusion, the iron has been rem
dered incandescent and soft, and reduced to the
state necessary for welding Il; IN word, metals
have been raised suddenly by atmospheric cleo
tricty TO all conditions of temperature up TO and
including their points of fusion. Examples OF
these effects might be multiplied without end. In
April, 1897, lightning passed along large iron
chain in Lancashire, in England, and SO softened
the links that by their ewn weight they were
welded together, and the chain was converted into
a rod of iron. The same effect was produced at
different tmesin different places. In March, l!72,
bar of iron, four inches by half an inch thick,
connected with water pipe on the dome OF ST.
Paul's Cathedral, was rendered red hot
The mechanical effects of lightning consist in
piercing solid bodies with holes, splitting them in
pieces, bending and twisting them in various Ca
PRECIOUS forms, and in projecting their fragments,
.wtt H.
Buildings stricken by lightning, have produced
shock felt in their ne:ghborhood like that Of an
earthquake; the heaviest blocks composing
their walls being scattered IN all directions,
hundred feet. church was stricken in
Cornwall from the roof of which, stone weigh
ing nearly 200 pounds was projected to distance,
60 yards, another fragment being thrown to dis
land, mass Of rock, % feet long, feet wide, and
5 feet thick, was raised in the air and projected
over an eminence to a distance Of fifty yards
Similar examples might easily be multiplied.
strong influence in attracting lightning, and this
influence appears to be great in proportion to
its weight. Thus lightning passing outside the
wan boeq wthn oees some nrousn
chain pier or bridge in England was destroy
cd during violent storm, and although from
its nature it was continued into the earth, il
was broken to fragments. its heaviest parts were
bent, doubled twisted and knotted in most capri
clous forms, although no signs OF fusion appeared
upon it.
| have given these particulars in order to inform
those not familiar with meteorological inquiries
what are the actual effects which have been pro-
dnced by the agency of atmospheric electricity;
the question now is, whether this agency has been
operative in the catastrophe before US.
1t appears by the general evidence OF the entire
population around the vicinity OF the catastrophe,
as we'll as by the special evidence of the individuals
who have been personally examined, that, at the
time OF this occurrence, terrific storm of thunder
and lightning ragged; two of the men upon the train,
who survived, prove that the flashes of lightning
were incessant, both before and after the explo-
sion, and that the lightning was of the species
called "zig-gag shtning" 1t is proper here to OBJ
this is the kind BY which terrestrial objects are
generally stricken this species never, (or if ever,
very rarely passes between cloud and cloud, but
always between cloud and the earth
There seems to be then present all the conditions
necessary for the production of such phenomenon;
the lightning is in continual play; il is Of the kind
necessary to produce the efect ID tons of iron in
to attract it, there are abundance Of distinctions
in this machinery, at least as decided as between
the links Of a heavy chain, by which CON
dnction may be. sufficiently broken to give full
effect to the heating power OF the electricity final
ly this mass is broken to pieces, its parts being
scattered about in all directions, broken, bent,
and twisted, and projected in considerable masses
to distances analogous to those recorded in
that lightning struck the boiler how may be asked
can the explosion be explained for that an explo-
sion did take place seems extremely probably,lt not
morally certain The character and loudness of the
report land the appearance of the remains of the fire
box, are sufficiently ind cative OF this. We an
swer that an explosion in the present case with the
cylinders in full operation, and the two safety
valves free, could only be caused by an al
most instantaneous evolution of great volume oil
highly elastic fluid in the boier-so great a vo.
lume that, compared with IT, the steam escaping
through the cylinder, and valves would be as no.
thing. Such an effect would undoubtedly be pro.
duced by sudden access OF heat impaired to any
part of the boiler. in contact with water, or still
more ehectually if impaired Immediately to the
water itself, II, then, the electricity thus
night a se hss
from the metal fast enough to prevent the latter
from being fused, or rendered incandescent,
the entire catastrophe, with all its concomi-
tant circumstances, would be explained. The
absence of marks Of fusion or incandescence, the
terrific violence of the explosion, the projection OF
a mass OF ten tons TO a. distance OF eighty yards,
the fracture and scattering about OF all the working
parts, the bending and twisting Of them in every
conceivable variety Of form, would all follow as
the natural and usual effects of such agency. The
freedom observed upon the bodies ofthe killed. from
the effects OF the lightning would be explained
by the superior conducting power Of the matter
Of the boilor, which according to its habit the
lightning will seize by preference.
| pass over Intentionally a superstition which
might be made to the effect that the water in the
boiler might have been decomposed, and the cutas-
trophe produced by its explosive constituents The
explanation we have given renders it unnecessary
to resort to this extreme superstition, which GER
tanly could not be supported by any reasoning
which would enttle it to any degree OF confident
acceptation, if indeed it be tenable at all.
Under all circumstances of the case,
am therefore of the opinion, that the last
which is adequate to the full explanation Of this
catastrophe. | do not forget that il may be urged
that the boiler and its appcndages were in metallic
communication with the earth, and that dur
ing heavy rain, the soil itself was in favorable
condition for the escape OF the electricity but
know that in the structure Of the boiler and
its appendages, there were interruptions of the me-
tallic continuity greater both IN number and de-
gree, than between the links OF chain, and other
cases, in which it is proved that masses of iron
have been rendered incandescent by lightning.