Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1856-12-26

chips by a flash of lightning, the sea be-
ing streWn with fragments as if the car
penters had been sweeping their shayings
overheard. Sometimes in striking tree
or mast, the electric fluid will slice It into
shreds or filaments, so that il will appear
like huge broom or bundle Of laths.
Lightning bolts will occasionally dash
through resisting objects by tearing great
openings. as in a Cornish church, where
apertures are made in the solid wall of
the belfry fourteen inches deep, and as
truly regular as if cut out by art.
HOLES DRILLED BY THUNDER STORMS.
In other instances small holes are
drilled, which are surprising for the per-
feet circularity of form. Window panes
have been frequently pierced in this fash
ion, without affecting the rest of the
glass. In forming these apertures, a
burr or projection is left upon the edges.
Juvenile electricians are in the habit Of
making holes in a card by passing dis
charges through them, when a bur or
projection will be observed on both sides
Of the oriice. Sometimes a single dis
charge will procure two holes in a card,
each puncture marked by single burr,
one on the upper and the other on the
under side of the card. In some instan-
ces the results are such as TO suggest
that fash may be split up into several
fiery flaments before it strikes an object.
In 1877 weather cock of timed copper
was hurled by thunderbolt from the
top of church in Cremonia, and upon
inspection. was found to be pierced with
eighteen holes in nine of them the b urr
was conspicuous on one side, and in nine
it was equally prominent on the other,
while the slope of the burr was identical
in all.
GLASS TUBES MADE DT LIGHTNING STROKE.
Among the curiosities of lightning are
what is termed fulgurites." or tubes,
which the lightning constructs when it
falls upon siliceous spot by fusing the
sand. They may be called casts of thun-
der bolts. In some hillocks of land in
Cumberland, England, these hollow tubes
have been found from one fifth to two
inches in diameter, tapering perhaps to
mere point. The entire extent of the
tubes may be thirty feet, but they usually
separate into numerous branches. and
have the appearance of the skeleton of an
inverted tree. They are lined with glass.
as smooth and perfect as if it had been
made in glass house.
MELTING METALS BY IT.
lightning will also verify the surface
of rocks and fuse metals. In 1887 seve-
raj links of the iron cable of an American
packet ship were melted. and the glowing
drops falling upon the deck, set fire to
everything it touched 1t would seem,
too. that lightning can liquify metals
without hi rmihgs even singing more
fragile materials connected with them
Aristotle says copper has been melted off
shield without injuring the wood, and
hence afirms that money has been fused
in purse without burning the latter. 1t
is capricious meteror, and the pranks it
plays are sometimes perfectly inexplica-
BILE. A man in Cornwall was once struck
by blot, which burned the sleeve Of his
shirt and also Of his coat to cinder, with
out frizzling or even damaging the out>
side of the coat in the least. Balls OF
electrical matter. capable of firing COM
bustible objects, have been seen to issue
from the sea,;o to drop into sheets of
water, without producing any Kissing
sound, or occasioning any symptoms OF
ebulition.
l. MAGNETIC EFFECT OF 1T.
AS illustrative of the power of lightning
to magnetic metals, it is related by Arago
that the tools Of shoemaker in Swabia
were thus treated, and he had constantly
to be freeing his hammer, pinchers, and
knife from the nails, needles. and avis.
which were constantly getting caugh by
them as they lay upon the bench. Near
ly two centuries ago couple of English
ships were sailing from London to Barba-
does. One Of them was struck with light
ming and suddenly the captain of the sui
fering ship was observed to alter his
course and his brow, as if making for
England again. His consort inquired the
reason, but found the whole crew were
still proceeding to Barbados. as they
firmly believed a. careful inspection
showed that the poles. of the comPassHes
had been completely reversed by the
lightning.
TERRA DEL FUEGO.
An officer in the United States Navy,
. Io.,or r,;yaS the foIloWiup deScriD-