28 EIGHTH REPORT — 1838. 



winds ; but, in part at least, on the humidity of the neighbouring re- 

 gions. The westerly winds, before they reach London, pass over a great 

 extent of high and dry land ; and, consequently, there'is, at the level of 

 the chalk hills (600 to 800 feet high), a dry atmosphere over London. 

 Bristol, having 5"2 inches less rain than Liverpool, and nearly seven 

 inches less than Manchester, is surrounded by high and dry hills of 

 limestone ; and Chatsworth, having 4 inches less than Bristol, is also, 

 except on the eastern side, surrounded by very high and dry hills. Dr. 

 Smith illustrated this part of his argument by reference to other places. 

 Manchester, having S6*l inches, is not far west of the high and damp 

 hills of millstone grit, which here form the summit ridge of England ; 

 but about Lancaster, the width of wet-topped hills increases, so that 

 vapour from these, the southern swampy shore, and of the tides and 

 sands of Morecambe bay, may account for 39*7 at Lancaster. Townly, 

 high, and in the vicinity of bog-topped hills, has 41 "5; Grisdale, West- 

 morland, 5'-2'3 ; and Kendal 5?>'9 ; the latter, perhaps, partly from the 

 hills, and partly from Lancaster sands and adjacent marshes ; but Kes- 

 wick averages 67 inches. This, perhaps, is the greatest quantity of rain 

 which falls at any one place in England, and is perhaps to be accounted 

 for by the peculiar situation of Keswick, at the meeting of four valleys, 

 which intei'sect a group of very high mountains, and near to swampy 

 ground, and large pieces of water, on whicli the winds have great in- 

 fluence in raising vapour, which the cold sides of the mountains rapidly 

 condense. Tliese hill tops, as well as those of millstone gi-it, have a 

 covering of peat, which holds water like a sponge. 



Notice of a Brine Sj)ring emitting Carhonic Acid Gas. By Professor 

 Forbes, F.R.S. (In a Letter to Prof . Phillips.) 



The letter of Prof. Forbes noticed a rem-arkable spring, about a mile 

 from Kissingen, Bavaria, Avhich had occupied much of his attention, and 

 of which he will proljably at a future time draw up a more detailed ac- 

 count *. It is a hrine spring, having 3 per cent, of salt, rising in a bore, 

 325 Bavarian feet deep, in red sandstone ; but the author understands 

 that the water flows at about 200 feet in depth. Its temperature is never 

 less than 65° ; the mean temperature of springs near being only 50° to 

 52°. It discharges carbonic acid gas in volumes almost unexampled, 

 keeping the water, in a shaft eight feet diameter, in a state resembling 

 . turbulent ebullition. The enormous supply of gas has led to its use in 

 gas baths, for which purpose it is carried off by a tube connected with 

 a huge inverted funnel, which rests upon the Avater. It contains scarcely 

 a trace of nitrogen. It is conducted into chambers properly prepared, 

 and thence into baths, in which it lies by its weight, and is used as water 

 would be. But the most remarkable feature still remains to be noticed. 

 About five or six times a day the discharge of gas suddenly stops ; in a 

 few seconds the surface of the well is calm. The flow of water, amount- 



* This account lias been publislied in the Edinburgh Philosophical Journal, 1839. 



