have long been used in Italy, in the duchy of Modena; they have also been successfully applied in Holland, China,[1] and N. America. By means of similar wells, it is probable that water may be raised to the surface of many parts of the sandy deserts of Africa and Asia, and it has been in contemplation to construct a series of these wells along the main road which crosses the Isthmus of Suez.
I have felt it important thus to enter into the theory of Artesian Wells, because their more frequent adoption will add to the facilities of supplying fresh Water in many regions of the Earth, particularly in low and level districts, where this prime necessary of Life is inaccessible by any other means; and because the theory of their mode of operation explains one of the most important and most common contrivances in the subterraneous economy of the Globe, for the production of natural springs.
By these compound results of the original disposition of the strata and their subsequent disturbances, the entire Crust of the Earth has become one grand and connected Apparatus
- ↑ An economical and easy method of sinking Artesian Wells and boring for coal, &c, has recently been practised near Saarbrück, by M. Sellow. Instead of the tardy and costly process of boring' with a number of Iron Rods screwed to each other, one heavy Bar of cast Iron about six feet long and four inches in diameter, armed at its lower end with a cutting Chisel, and surrounded by a hollow chamber, to receive through valves, and bring, up the detritus of the perforated stratum, is suspended from the end of a strong rope, which passes over a wheel or pulley fixed above the spot in which the hole is made. As this rope is raised up and down over the wheel, its tortion gives to the Bar of Iron a circular motion, sufficient to vary the place of the cutting Chisel at each descent. When the chamber is full, the whole apparatus is raised quickly to the surface to be unloaded, and is again let down by the action of the same wheel. This process has been long practised in China, from whence the report of its use has been brought to Europe. The Chinese are said to have bored in this manner to the depth of 1000 feet. M. Sellow has with this instrument lately made perforations 18 inches in diameter, and several hundred feet deep, for the purpose of ventilating coal mines at Saarbrïck. The general substitution of this method for the costly process of boring with rods of iron, may be of much public importance, especially where water can only be obtained from great depths.
