Lightning Rod Conference. Various
PREFACE.
Although France and other nations have taken active steps to give official sanction to the best known means of protection from the ill effects of atmospheric electricity, nothing in this way has ever been done in England for the public generally.
The enquiries by householders and public bodies for advice and instruction were so numerous, the absence of authorized or well-matured directions was so marked, the practice in vogue so varied and anomalous, that it occurred to the Meteorological Society to take some action in the matter.
Accordingly, at a Meeting of the Council of the Meteorological Society, held on 15th of May, 1878, it was resolved—
‘That the House Committee be instructed to address the following Societies:—
The Royal Institute of British Architects,
The Physical Society,
The Society of Telegraph Engineers,
asking them to name delegates to co-operate in considering the desirability or otherwise of issuing a code of rules for the erection of lightning conductors, and to proceed in preparing a code if it is thought desirable.’
In accordance with this resolution the following letter was addressed to the Secretaries of the above Societies:—
The Meteorological Society,
30, Great George Street, Westminster,
June 14, 1878.
Sir,
The Council of the Meteorological Society have had under their consideration for some time the possibility of formulating the existing knowledge on the subject of the protection of property from damage by electricity, and the advisability of preparing and issuing a general code of rules for the erection of lightning conductors.
They are of opinion that this would best be done by a joint committee of representative members of those Societies before which such subjects most naturally come;