14S SPRINGS, RIVERS, CANALS, LAKES, 



the compass of a man's hat about the brim. I theu caused a bucket 

 full of water to be poured on the fire, by which it was presently 

 quenched. I did not perceive the flame to be discoloured like that 

 of sulphurous bodies, nor to have any manifest smell with it. The 

 fumes when they broke out of the earth aqd pressed against my 

 hand, were not to my best remembrance at all hot *. 



Phil. Trans. A br, 1667. 



3. Broseley Spring in Shropshire, 



By Mr. Richard Hopton. 



THE famous boiling well at Broseley, near Wenlock, in the county 

 of Salop, was discovered about June, 1/11. It was first announced 

 by a terrible noise in the night, about two nights after a remarkable 

 day of thunder: the noise awaked several people in their beds, that 

 lived hard by; who coming to a boggy place under a little hill, 

 about 200 yards from the river Severn, perceived a surprising 

 rumbling and shaking in the earth, and a little boiling up of water 

 through the grass. They took a spade, and digging up some part 

 of the earth, immediately the water flew up a great height, and a 

 candle that was in their hand set it on fire. To prevent the spring 

 being destroyed, an iron cistern is placed about it, with a cover to 

 be locked, and a hole in the middle, through which the water may 

 be viewed. If a lighted candle, or any thing of fire be put to this 

 bole, the water immediately takes fire, and burns like spirit of wine, 

 or brandy* and continues so long as the air is kept from it ; but by 

 taking up the cover of the cistern, it quickly goes out. The heat 

 of this fire much exceeds the heat of any fire I ever saw, and seems 

 to have more than ordinary fierceness in it f. 



Phil. Trans. Abr. 1712. 



* The fumes here mentioned were inflammable air or hydrogen gas, of which 

 the rapid ascent through the water gave it the appearance of boiling. 



Phil. Trans. Abr, 1667. 



This well may therefore be regarded as another instance of those we have 

 adverted to in Section V, of the present chapter, under the name of Bubbling 

 Springs, or springs that from the quantity of elastic gas with which the water 

 is combined, have the appearaaee of boiling without any sensible increase of 

 heat. EDITOR. 



t The apparent boiling and ascent of the water of this spring, are still more 

 obviously the result of hydrogen gas or inflammable air, as it is commonly called, 



