WBT BO SPEnVGS AXD WELLS OVERFLOW? 81 



every point of the inside surface of the supposed rock-prison. The in- 

 tensity of this resultant will be represented by the aggregation of all 

 the resultants of all the particles of water. Now, suppose a small open- 

 ing to be made in this rock-prison. Immediately, the water will be 

 forced out with a velocity equal to the influence of these aggregated 

 resultants modified by the laws of friction, and this velocity will not 

 be at all influenced by the direction of the original impulses given to 

 the water-particles. Although the direction of the resultant itself is 

 say 45° from the direction of the force of gravity, its transmitted force 

 will be unimpaired should the opening lead in a direction opposed to 

 gravity, or in fact in any direction, since the tendency of water expansion 

 or reaction under pressure is uniform in all directions. Moreover, since 

 the resultant has been shown to be greater under all circumstances 

 than gravity, certainly the vast aggregations must also be greater than 

 the aggregated gravity, and will be able to overcome it under the con- 

 ditions stated. 



Hence, if fissures exist in rocks that lead to imprisoned waters it 

 would happen that through these outlets the waters must certainly 

 flow ; and, if by any artificial means, as by boring, an opening should 

 be made between a body of confined water and the surface of the earth, 

 a flowing well would result. 



But, of course, it must be understood that this would not happen 

 if the body of water supposed were an isolated one and completely un- 

 connected with other bodies of water through channels and intercom- 

 munications known to exist in the various ramifications of the earth's 

 surface. The subterranean water circulation which interpenetrates the 

 crust of the earth is clearly caused by the centrijoetal and centrifugal 

 forces of nature, reenforced no doubt often by differences in tempera- 

 ture and other minor causes. And it also might and probably does 

 occur that the overflowing of a well or spring is due to the fact that 

 the water flows from a higher to a lower level, but this will be found 

 to be too rare to form a rule. 



The intensity of the centi'ifugal force will increase with the dis- 

 tance from the center of the earth, while gravity will decrease ; the 

 resultant will also increase. Thus, we find the strongest and most 

 abundant overflows at the tops of mountains or on high plateaus. But 

 suppose it had been fully proved that a particular overflowing spring 

 was caused by hydrostatic pressure, it would still remain to be ac- 

 counted for how the water got to that higher point. This can best be 

 done by the force demonstrated, which is always acting upon the 

 partially confined water-beds and water-channels forming the inter- 

 nal water-structure of the earth's crust. The conditions necessary to 

 the realization of the best results are that these water-deposits shall be 

 more or less imprisoned and the outlets comparatively limited. The 

 overflow will be continued and upward until the resultant is overcome 

 by friction. The lengthening of the channel of overflow, as in the 



TOL. XTI. — 6 



