PEI AEA 
335 
On some Deep-Well Borings in Somerset and elsewhere. By H. H. 
WINwoop, F.G.S. 
(Read 1st February, 1893.) 
The question of the water supply to our large towns is a very 
important one, becoming more and more serious every year as 
the population increases and as the demand becomes greater and 
greater. The various schemes lately considered in our own city 
for an increased quantity of this necessary element indicates how 
much it concerns ourselves. It therefore seemed to me that a 
record of a deep well boring in our city would be useful in the 
pages of our Proceedings, together with an account of several 
others in our County furnished me by Mr. Whitaker of the 
Geological Survey. You may have noticed that I said “ deep- 
well borings,” the surface springs and shallow wells upon which 
our supply formerly depended are now found insufficient for 
many reasons ; in the first place, owing to the cultivation and 
consequent drainage of our soil, together with the deforesting of 
our lands, the rain fall which formerly percolated gradually 
down to some water bearing stratum is now carried off rapidly 
to our rivers and onwards to the seas; flooding the local 
plains by its sudden rush and overflow, carrying with it the 
surface soil and often leaving bare rock behind. The rain, too, 
of late years seems to have fallen at the wrong time of the year, 
when the sun is at its greatest height and the vegetation most 
luxuriant, so that the larger portion of the moisture is quickly 
evaporated, only a comparative small quantity going to supply the 
springs, our autumn and spring rains being markedly deficient. 
Then again the very fact of the manuring of the lands, rendered 
necessary to meet the growing wants of an increasing and dense 
population, causes contamination in our shallow wells and forces 
us to sink deeper and deeper for a purer supply. Hence the 
Vou. VIL, No. 4. 
