^ On Artesian Wells, 



In confirmation of these views, and as a familiar practical 

 illustration, I may be permitted to mention, that when the 

 present basin was being constructed in Portsmouth dockyard in 

 1796 or 1797, the piles first driven were 15 feet in length. From 

 their length, these passed entirely through the bed of clay, 

 into sand containing water. The consequence was, that the 

 w^ater squirted up in all directions from the subjacent reservoir, 

 and as it was uncertain to what extent the piles would sink 

 before they reached any solid stratum, it was resolved to 

 shorten the piles, so that they might not pass through the clay 

 at all ; and the old holes were with some difiiculty plugged up. 

 Some years afterwards, the dockheads of one of the principal 

 docks gave way, and sunk considerably ; nor could any of the 

 officers of the yard account for the occurrence. It happened 

 at this very time, that, with the late Commissioner Sir George 

 Grey, I was examining the docks ; and recollecting the cir- 

 cumstance which rendered it necessary to cause the piles to 

 be shortened, namely, their having penetrated into the sand 

 containing water, it occurred to me to ask Sir George if any 

 wells were at the time being sunk in the neighbourhood ? His re- 

 ply immediately was, that ^'certainly workmen were then sinking 

 for water near the officers' houses." Upon which I remarked, 

 that if the sinking of the well was not stopped, other parts of 

 the masonry of the docks would most assuredly give way ; and 

 that no wells should be allowed to be sunk near the dockyard, 

 as, by giving vent to the water in the sand under the clay, 

 the foundations of the buildings must necessarily be affected. 

 This hint was, I believe, attended to, and the sinking of the 

 well was stopped. In situations such as these, the insertion of 

 a pipe through the clay would afford the supply of water with 

 much more safety, the drain being less, and much more gradual. 



Indeed, I can perceive no difficulty adhering to the theory 

 of artesian wells now propounded, which does not, with equal 

 force, adhere to the other ; and it is free from many objections 

 to which it is liable. When we read in Dr Buckland (p. 5G0) 

 when treating of this subject, that, " by similar wells, it is 

 probable that water may be raised to the surface of many 

 parts of the sandy deserts of Africa and Asia,'' we may be well 



