VI. Extract of a letter from Mr. Ebenezer Kinnersley to Benjamin Franklin, LL. D. F. R. S. on some electrical experiments made with charcoal


V I. E x tr a #  o f a Letter fro m  M r. Ebe-
nezer Kinnerfley to Benjamin Franklin, 
L L .  D . F. R. S. on fame eleElrical E x -

remarkable. I have found oak, beech, and maple, 
to conduct very w ell; but tried feveral pieces of pine 
coal, without finding one that would conduct at all; 
perhaps they were made in a fire not hot enough, 
or not continued in it long enough. A ftrong line 
drawn on paper with a black lead pencil, will conduct 
an electrical {hock pretty readily; but this, perhaps, 
may not be new to you.

On the 12th of laft July, three houfes in this city, 
and a (loop at one of the wharfs, were, in lefs than 
an hour’s time, all ftruck with lightning. T he floop, 
with two of the houfes, were confiderably damaged; 
the other was the dwelling-houfe of Mr. joieph 
Moulde, in Lombard-fireet, which was provided

ferm ents made with CharcoaL

Received Auguft 16, 1772.

■Read Dec. 10, 
1772.

P h ila d e lp h ia , Oaober 1 3 , i j p .

H E  conducing quality of fome 
forts of charcoal is indeed very

with

 D
ow

nl
oa

de
d 

fr
om

 h
tt

ps
:/

/r
oy

al
so

ci
et

yp
ub

li
sh

in
g.

or
g/

 o
n 

05
 A

pr
il

 2
02

1 



with a round iron conductor, h alf an inch thick, its 
feveral lengths fcrewed together, fo as to make very 
good joints, and the lower end five or fix feet under 
ground; the lightning, leaving every thing elfe, pur­
sued its way through that, melted off fix inches and 
a half o f the flendereft part of a brafs wire fixed on 
the top, and did no further damage within doors, 
or without. Captain Falconer, w ho brings you this, 
was in the houfe at the time of the ftroke, and fays i t  
was- an aftonifhing loud, one..

[ 39 ]

VII.- Account

 D
ow

nl
oa

de
d 

fr
om

 h
tt

ps
:/

/r
oy

al
so

ci
et

yp
ub

li
sh

in
g.

or
g/

 o
n 

05
 A

pr
il

 2
02

1