. Mr. W. J. Jenks, in a recent lecture on "The Protection of
Electric Light Stations from Lightning," treats the subject very
exhaustively, and shows that where the ability to locate electrical or
magnetic attraction is vested in an individual the results are
absolutely reliable. He instances the case of two gentlemen of
Merrimac, Massachusetts, named Prescott, who for several years have
given displays of this rare faculty. As an illustration of the
certainty with which the Prescott brothers could indicate the location
of electrical attraction, Mr. Jenks gives a well-authenticated
incident which took place at Amesbury not long ago. Several old
citizens were sceptical as to the accuracy of the conclusions supposed
to have been reached, and determined on a severe test. Taking twenty
or more citizens as witnesses, they requested the Prescott brothers to
accompany them, and indicating a stretch of highway before them, some
forty or fifty rods in length, stated that some years previous
lightning had struck on that road, and wished to be informed as to the
exact spot. Proceeding several rods, two cross currents were marked
out; both extending for some distance in the travelled pathway and
crossed by another at right angles. Testing carefully the roads in
both directions, this electrical centre was pointed out as the
greatest danger in the vicinity. The party was then invited to examine
an ancient volume of official records, where it was chronicled that on
the 7th of October, 1802, a man who was driving two yoke of cattle was
struck by lightning in that exact spot and, with all his animals, was
instantly killed. The occurrence had been deemed at the time so
remarkable that the circumstance, with a minute description of the
locality, had been recorded, though long forgotten by all but perhaps
a few of the oldest citizens.

* * * * *

THE DANGERS OF ELECTRICITY.--The rapid spread of electric lighting
in America has not been accomplished without very considerable loss
of life. From a list compiled by Mr. Harold P. Brown, of New York,
we learn that eighty-seven persons have been killed up to the
commencement of this year. This is a very serious total, and if
there were any likelihood of the rate being maintained, it would
supply ample reason for very stringent legislative control being
exercised over all electric installations. Happily many of the
accidents may be attributed to the want of knowledg