200 
reached their maximum, should con- 
tinue still to advance in height, after 
the London-bridge impediments have 
been removed, I wish to put the pub- 
lic on its guard against confounding 
the two causes, and ascribing to the 
new bridge the evils those persons 
may experience whose wharfs and 
cellars are unfortunately too low si- 
tuated, occasioned by still-increasing 
heights of the spring-tides, not only 
in the Thames, but in the mouth of 
every river and bay of our coasts; of 
which facts, observations, and enqui- 
ries, properly conducted, would afford 
the necessary proofts. 
Sept. 2, 1823. LONDINENSIS. 
—— 
To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. 
SIR, 
REQUEST you will be kind 
enough to insert in your Magazine 
the following facts and observations 
relative to the employment of women 
and children in the manufacture of 
straw-bonnets. 
On the 20th of July, 1823, I pulled 
about a dozen plants of flax, in full 
blossom,—filled an old coffee-pot with 
rain-water: whilst boiling, immersed 
the plants,—shutting down the cover; 
and thus let it boil during the space 
of full twelve minutes. 
Observations.—It is evident that the 
degree of heat very considerably in- 
creased beyond that of boiling-water 
in the open air: the steam being great- 
ly confined by the cover. This opera- 
tion appears to have completely de- 
stroyed the colouring matter of the 
plant, without the slightest injury to 
Its wiry texture; and, I am apt to 
conclude, that it will be effectual. 
But, if it should, the English women 
and girls,—aye, and boys too,—will be 
able to live on the fruit of their own 
manual labour; for I will assume, that 
a single acre of flax, (as this was,) 
would be more than sufficient to form 
the material for a thousand bonnets, 
and another thousand for continuance 
of the growth of the plant, until it 
reach maturity in seed. From thence- 
forth it may be safely assumed, that a 
quantity of flax-seed, more than 
enough for the supply of the whole of 
Europe, may be produced,—estimating 
a million of acres for Great Britain, 
and half a million for Ireland; which 
would not be more than a twenticth 
part in the former, or of a twenty-fifth 
part in the latter, of the lands to be 
Mr. Bartley on the Employment of Women and Children. [Oet. 1, 
appropriated; and it would be free 
from the seeds of weeds of all de- 
scriptions with which flax-seed of fo- 
reign importation are well known to 
abound. 
On the 23d of July, I. immersed 
about a dozen more flax-plants in 
boiling water, as before,—partly in 
full blossom, and partly with the seed- 
cap formed ; and it boiled full twenty- 
five minutes. 
Observation.—This operation appeats 
to have had a similar result in dis- 
charging the colouring matter, and in 
preserving the strength of fibre. 
I shall be truly happy, by all means 
within my power, to promote the 
domestic comfort of the people; but 
Mr. Cobbett is the originator of this 
highly interesting subject, and to him 
the praise decidedly belongs. 
NEHEMIAH BaRTLEY. 
—_— 
To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. 
SIR, 
HE French have given the name 
of Artesian to wells of a partiea- 
lar description. The water is souglit 
for ata great depth, and it is some. 
times requisite to pierce through other 
waters, not so deep, which are neg- 
lected. One part of the art is to find 
means to pass by the intermediate 
waters, which are commonly of a bad 
quality, while those of lower strata are 
very good. M. Garnier, engineer in 
the Royal Corps of Freneh Miners, 
has lately made known, by geological 
observations, the proper places where 
the labours of mining and sounding 
may be exerted with almost a certainty 
of success. With the exception of 
some provinces, it is stated that there 
are few parts of France where Arte- 
sian wells might not be procured. M. 
Garnier calculates that a spring, at the 
depth of 200 feet, in earths the most 
difficult to penetrate, might be found, 
at a cost not exceeding 10,000 francs ; 
and that in ordinary earths, at two- 
thirds of that depth, the cost would not 
exceed 900 francs. The expenses of 
aqueducts are much more consi- 
derable. 
It may be added, that M. Garnicr 
has obtained a prize of 3000 francs 
from the Society for the Encourage- 
ment of Industry, for the best elemen- 
tary and practical instruction on the 
art of piercing the earth at stated 
depths. x. Y. 
To 
