New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1853-08-09
A SIMPLE MODE TO AVOID THE EFFECTe
OF ELECTRICITY ON SHIPS.

To the EdaO, If The Ner- York T,tbune
SIR: You publish in this mornings Tribune statistics
of Marine Memoranda Of Lightning furnished by Mr..
f. Merriam Perhaps the following extract from tho
minutes oi philosophical transactions and the addition OF
electric statistics affecting the Royal Navy % Great
Britain may not be unscceptAble-in ns scientific phase
10 you and your naval readers.
April 49, 1850 Capt. John Arrowsmh read before the
London Electric Society paper " On the use OF black
paint in dvertiDg the effects OF lightning on ships see
Philosophical TraDsacions vol NVii, In which will b
found relation Of ghtnr passing the parts Of the
painted with lamp black and OIL without the LEASE
injury while shvereo the uncosed parts tearing out large
pneTs So render the mssts comparatively useless
The experience Of thirty voyages during which, on refe-
renee To- his ournss the vessel he Commanded had been
at ninety eight different periods within the vortex OF the
electric currents and always escaped the effects Of me
electric fluid without having been once struck
The results have confirmed Capt Arrowsmth In the be.
belief Of the efficacy OF the precautions adopted BY him e
the commenceme Of these voy ages Capt Arrowsmi'h
WAS struck with this idea reading the singular facts
related Of piebd cattle horses &c struck by lightning
The repellant powers Of certain colO rather the a.
fDty Othe fluid 10 those parts OF the streaks IN the AMI
mails which white being very remarkable, led him TO
adj pit the Of black paint on ths mast heads AfdcaPs
and trucks and to take in fur the upper and light sails.
whenever Ork lightning approached the vessel ne COM
manded Capt AIrowsmh gives It as his experience mag
any p0rt Of Jody c0osed Of rood sufficiently eoakd
Win black or lamp black and OIL Possesses property
resistr the destructive effects OF the electric fluid"
The subject Of electricity Is Of deep nautical interest is
phenomena effects It's and is preventive.
The topic al sssmen and indeed moet othsr
sublunary vitality since the presence Of thundes.
storm Will Always cOuim@nd atten1Ou III - NOT ny
province IN a newspaper communicative, TO define the
physiological definition Of lightning, or even % give the
few observations have made this occult principle Of
Meteorology recognized lightning electricity &c, &c,
&c The local pecusrtes u electricity remarksbls
Rio Jsnsiro frequently visited With TREMENDOUS charges
Of electricity Whit Lima knows neither thunder nor light
ming In Magellan Straits the squalls known a. Wliwsss
exceedingly whilst lightning and n under arc
rarely known NJ Arrago says there is twice As much
lightning at New Orleans at Paris and thres unes AZ
much ST Jamaica in the neighboring Islands. Had I
sDace remarkable phenomena could be shown There
fore 10 our marine subject Of ~ cases 90 Of them tho
damage h. not stated bot Of 81 line obstle chips, ~
fr1atss briz and cutter there were struck BY light
niDg-
o. .6s On the boxsrrt
On tie % the fore and main
On be mLeraas, o. tie main AID mzsn
Now as the Royal Navy, these parts Of their ts.
are generally painted white, they support Capt Arrow
smith observations affinity Of this color In relation To
electric fluid In about 100 OF the above there
% sesnsn killed and IL wounded In the case OF
the Resistance - gun rgAfe Of $50 only four were
saved. No doubt many vessels reported missing may
have shared the fate Of the Resistance
OF the spars damaged BY electricity IN the hoya navy
q nzl4nd the following