From Louis Simon
als: American Philosophical Society
<Marseilles, February 14, 1777, in English: Some local merchants
are sending me to the East Indies in a new ship that I
am to outfit. An inquiry in England about how to equip her
with an electric conductor produced the surprising answer that
the British navy has not yet adopted such conductors. You are
the best person to help me on that aspect of your discoveries.
I should be particularly grateful for help because I was in a
thunderstorm off Africa, for some twenty days without interruption,
when I often saw St. Elmo’s fire on the masthead and
sparks on the ship’s iron rods, and knew the danger I was in.
The translator of this letter will also translate your reply.>
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