Salt Wells and Sprvngs of hiflammable Gas in China. Ill 



well when the tube full of watei' is near coming up, it inflames, 

 and produces a jet of fire from twenty to thirty feet high, which 

 may set fire to the shed of the well. This sometimes hap- 

 pens through the imprudence or malice of a workman. There 

 are some of these wells from which no salt is taken, but which 

 furnish enough of inflammable gas to carry on the distillation of 

 the salt water obtained from other wells in the neighbourhood. 

 Thus, near Thsee-Lieou-Tsing, * there are four wells in a val- 

 ley, which at first yielded water, but are dried up twelve years 

 ago. The people then dug, in order to find water, to the depth 

 of more than 8000 feet, but in vain. There was seen to issue 

 a column of inflammable air, charged with blackish particles, 

 which continued to make its escape with a noise that was heard 

 to a great distance. Over the orifice of two of these wells there 

 was built a cover of hewn stone, six feet high, to prevent the 

 approach of fire. This misfortune happened not long ago. The 

 fire communicated itself immediately to the interior, and deto- 

 nation took place, which shook the ground like an earthquake. 

 It was attempted to extinguish the fire by throwing upon the 

 orifice, mud, stones, or water, in small quantity, means which 

 commonly succeed when the column of inflammable air is not 

 great ; but this method proved unsuccessful, and the flame con- 

 tinued until there was led to a height which overlooked the well 

 a quantity of water, sufficient to form a small lake there, which, 

 on being suddenly opened, was poured into the well. The ex- 

 pense attending this operation amounted to 30,000 francs, which, 

 in China, is a great sum. 



As we have said, these springs of inflammable air are em- 

 ployed for heating and lighting all the salt works in the neigh- 

 bourhood. Bamboo pipes carry the gas from the spring to the 

 place where it is intended to be consumed. These tubes are 

 terminated by a tube of pipe-clay, to prevent their being burnt. 

 A single well heats more than three hundred kettles. The fire 

 thus obtained is exceedingly brisk, and the cauldrons are rcu- 

 dered useless in a few months. Other bamboos conduct tlie gas 

 intended for lighting the streets and the great rooms or kitchens. 

 Thus, Nature presents, in this place, a complete cstabhshmcnt of 

 gas light. The whole of the gas cannot be employed. The 



• According to M. Klaproth, the town of Thsee-Lieou-Tsing. or of llic 

 well which rum ilnclf, is ab(>ut a league below the place. 



