1814.] Scientific' Inlelligence. 393 



ten lectures; and, for the accommodation of two classes, one 

 course will commence with every month. 



II. Queries respecting theflotving of IVater in Mines. 



The following letter from Mr. Moyle came to hand too late for 

 insertion in the last Number of the Annals of Philosophy. As far 

 as I understand the subject, the explanation proposed by ^Ir. Moyle 

 seems satisfactory ; but many of my readers are much more compe- 

 tent judges of such subjects than 1 am ; 



(To Dr. Thomson.) 

 SIR, 



Your Philosophical Journal having become so extensively circu- 

 lated, I conceive there cannot be a more fit medium to commu- 

 nicate to, or derive information from, your numerous readers; or 

 probably you will do rae the favour to set my corjectures at rest 

 respecting a circumsiaiice which occurred in Chacewater mine a 

 few weeks since. 



Chacewater is both a copper and tin mine, about 120 fathoms 

 deep, in which is now working the most complete and largest 

 steam engine ever known to have been built ; at which depth there 

 is a level at right angles, wiih tlie large perpendicular shaft (com- 

 monly called the engine shaft) several fathoms in extent, through 

 which a great body of water flows to the engine shaft, to be drawn 

 out. At 16 fathoms from the bottom runs another level from the 

 perpendicular shaft, parallel with the bottom level ; and in the 

 course of the load, or vein, at the extremity of which there is 

 sunk wliat the miners call a wins, which is another shaft perpendi- 

 cular or inclining as the veins should underlie. When this ivins 

 was sunk about a fathom, the circumstance occurred to which I 

 wish to draw your attention. When the engine ceased working for 

 a few minutes, the bottom level became full of water, the springs 

 instantly made their appearance (15 fathoms high) on the top 

 of the wins in the upper level, and where it was perfectly 

 dry before, and now emptied itself through this level into the 

 engine shaft, where the water rose slow and progressively from the 

 bottom. 



Now what struck me so forcibly was, the sudden appear- 

 ance of the water at such a height, while the reservoir below 

 remained in a great measure empty, as the engine shaft here cer- 

 tainly was. 



We know that water will always find its own level let what will 

 retard its progress ; and why the water here should so suddenly rise 

 in one place and not in another, as it did not in the engine sliaft, 

 where there is no resistance, I wish to have properly elucidated. 



I shall now state a similar instance near this town, and then 

 briefly state what I conceive to be the cause, and on which point I 

 want to be set perfectly right. 



