Mr.W. Bland, Jun. on theRise and Fall of Water in Wells. 89 



Section No. 4.) commencing at Crown Quay near Sitting- 

 bourne, and going thence through Milsted to the top of Steed 

 Hill, above Har'ietsham, down to the greensand formation 

 below. A third line was completed from Meres Court in the 

 parish of Rainham to Milsted, (see Table No. V. and Section 

 No. 5.). These wells were fathomed a second time, (see Table 

 No. VI.) indeed more often, and a variation in their depth of 

 water was found corresponding more or less (according to the 

 open or close nature of the subsoils) with the variation in my 

 own well. 



I am perfectly satisfied that any excessive quantity of rain 

 influences the rise of the springs, and causes them to flow se- 

 veral feet higher after very wet seasons, than they have been 

 observed to do for, perhaps years before during those that, 

 were dry : this, Tables Nos. I. and II. prove. Again , .he rains, 

 I believe, cause the springs to begin to rise earlier, if they 

 have fallen in any considerable quantity ; but the rule is not 

 general : whereas the rising and falling of the springs is a 

 general one. 



I now proceed to another phgenomenon, which I doubt not 

 you have already observed ; namely, the height of the spring 

 heads above the level of the sea: this height accompanies the 

 rise and fall of the great hills. The strata of the chalk hills, 

 of the greensand hills, of the Weald clay, and the ironstone 

 formations in the line of country surveyed, dip from the south 

 towards the north. On Queendown Warren in the parish of 

 Hartlip, we found the chalk strata to be inclined 2\ degrees, 

 or 130 feet rise in a mile: yet upon inspection of the Tables 

 of levellings, you will find that the spring heads rise and fall 

 with the hills, independent of the rising and dipping of the 

 strata in the several formations. As a further proof, the 

 Warren chalk hill is about 300 feet above the sea, and the 

 spring head by the wells near is about 92 feet above the sea. 

 Boxley Hill is 600 feet above the sea, and the spring head 

 about 250 feet. Now 250 feet minus 92, gives 158 feet, which 

 is the rise of the springs from the Warren to Boxley Hill, a 

 distance of four miles; whereas the 2^ degrees elevation of 

 the strata in the same distance, at 130 feet rise in a mile, equals 

 520 feet. 



For all the details of my observations, I beg leave to refer 

 to the annexed Tables : 



And remain, Sir, yours most respectfully, 



Hartlip, June 1831. Wm. Bi.and, Jun. 



N.S. Vol. 1 1. No. 62. Feb. 1832. N Table 



