I have received the excellent work, _Upon the Utility of electrical
Conductors_, which you had the goodness to send me. I read it with
great pleasure, and beg you to accept my sincere thanks for it.
Upon my return to this country, I found the number of conductors much
increased, many proofs of their efficacy in preserving buildings from
lightning having demonstrated their utility. Among other instances,
my own house was one day attacked by lightning, which occasioned the
neighbours to run in to give assistance, in case of its being on
fire. But no damage was done, and my family was only found a good
deal frightened with the violence of the explosion.
Last year, my house being enlarged, the conductor was obliged to be
taken down. I found, upon examination, that the pointed termination
of copper, which was originally nine inches long, and about one third
of an inch in diameter in its thickest part, had been almost entirely
melted; and that its connection with the rod of iron below was very
slight. Thus, in the course of time, this invention has proved of use
to the author of it, and has added this personal advantage to the
pleasure he before received, from having been useful to others.
Mr. Rittenhouse, our astronomer, has informed me, that having
observed with his excellent telescope, many conductors that are
within the field of his view, he has remarked in various instances,
that the points were melted in like manner. There is no example of
a house, provided with a perfect conductor, which has suffered any
considerable damage; and even those which are without them have
suffered little, since conductors have come common in this city.