water-mains  are  within  reach,  it  is  desirable  to  connect  the
ground  terminal  with  them  by  means  of  good  solder,  as  from
the  large  mass  of  metal  they  generally  form  very  good
''  earths.'

In  giving  directions,  or  rather  suggestions,  about  the
design  and  application  of  conductors,  and,  what  is  most
important  in  regard  to  them,  their  connection  with  the
subterranean  mass  of  waters,  the  idea  that  persons  may
construct  their  own  conductors  is  left  aside  altogether  as
absurd.  It  is  a  good  old  proverb  which  says  that  a  man


THE  EARTH  CONNECTION.  217

who  is  his  own  lawyer  is  certain  to  lose  his  cause ;
another  has  it  that  a  man  who  is  his  own  doctor  is
sure  to  succumb  to  his  illness.  With  regard  to  the  setting-
up  of  lightning  conductors,  it  is  precisely  the  same.  Simple
enough  as  is  the  theory  of  '  drawing  lightning '  from  the
clouds,  the  practical  execution  of  it  is,  as  mentioned  more
than  once,  not  a  little  complicated.  The  formation  of  the
underground  connection,  in  particular,  is  a  matter  requiring
very  great,  experience,  and  very  frequently  one  of  the
utmost  difficulty.  Vast  sums  of  money  are  often  thrown
away  needlessly  in  making  a  connection  which  in  the  end
proves  useless,  while,  on  the  other  hand,  a  trifling  addition
to  the  expenditure  in  setting-up  a  conductor  would  procure
its  efficiency,  not  attained  simply  from  want  of  '  good  earth.'
A  recent  writer  on  lightning  conductors  whimsically,  yet
with  much  truth,  expresses  it  by  remarking  that  '  people
spend  money  upon  gilded  points  on  the  top  of  the  house,
while  they  ought  rather  to  sink  it  in  water  at  the  bottom.'
Undoubtedly,  the  efficiency  of  conductors  lies,  even  more
than  at  the  top,  on  '  the  bottom.'  The  earth  connection  may
be  called  '  the  alpha  and  omega '  of  lightning  protection.
