PETERSFIELD.
Agent—Mr. G. DUPLOCK
SINGULAR ELECTRICAL PHENOMENON.—On Monday last several storms passed over and around this town, and in the course of one of these, which occurred about 4.10 p.m., the following singular incident happened at the residence of R. G. P. Minty, Esq., in the Spain:—A loud report was heard by the domestics like the discharge of a gun, which appeared to proceed from the upper part of the house, and on examination a large swing glass, which was lying on its face upon a bed in the nursery, was found shivered in atoms and portions of it scattered about the room. The electric fluid appeared to have entered at the window, which was partly open, and to have been attracted by the quicksilver at the back of the glass, from which, having no means of escape, owing to the non-conductive properties of the glass and of the feathers within the bed, a violent explosion took place, by which the plate of glass (something more than quarter of an inch in thickness) was shattered to pieces, after which the fluid probably seized upon the metallic substances connected with the fire-place, which is near the bed, and finding from thence a continuous line of conducting matter, passed silently and harmlessly to the earth. Fortunately the children were from home at the time; had they been playing in the room the consequences might have been serious.