46-1 PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. [ANNO 1784. 



success arose from various unexpected circumstances ; but I am yet, says Sir T., 

 at a loss for the cause of the fresh water, or whence it comes. But however 

 this may he accounted for, the discovery at Landguard-Fort is of very great 

 consequence to the garrison ; and there is reason to think that in similar situa- 

 tions, where water is wanted, an attention to what has been already explained 

 may be found of use. 



The King's Wells at Harwich were begun May 6, and finished Sept. 29, 

 1781. The wells in this neighbourhood, being very shallow, and only depending 

 on springs from the upper surfaces of the ground, have but little water in the 

 summer, and the quality of it is very bad. It was imagined therefore, that the 

 most likely way to obtain a better spring, was to sink a well from higher ground, 

 and to endeavour to penetrate through a rock which lay a few yards under the 

 level of the country, though the operation might be tedious, on the chance of 

 cutting a spring of better water, that might be unconnected with the land-drains. 

 The experiment answered in every respect, as there was not a drop of water 

 found till the rock had been entirely cut through, when, on finding a consider- 

 able quantity of moist sand, and boring into it, a plentiful spring was discovered, 

 which supplied the troops ever after with very good water. And it was thought 

 that this supply, the spring being very powerful, would be found equal to every 

 demand for public and private purposes, in the driest seasons. After this success, 

 as matter of curiosity, an old well was made deeper, by excavating through the 

 rocks, where a good spring was also found : but as that well had been originally 

 sunk from low ground, a great deal of the bad water from the upper drains, &c. 

 mixed with it, and gave it a disagreeable taste. 



V. The Discovery of a Comet. By Edtvard Pigott, Esq. p. 20. 



This comet Mr. P. discovered at York, Nov. 19, 1783 ; when he made the 

 following observations on it : viz. 



r. a. North Decl. 



Nov. ig d 1 l h 15 m 41° 0' 3° 10' 



20 10 54 40 4 32 



Nov. 21, Mr. P. again saw the comet where he expected it, according to the 

 above determinations ; but could not observe it with an instrument. It looked 

 like a nebula, with a diameter of about 2' of a degree. The nucleus, being 

 very faint, is seen, with some difficulty, when the wires of the instrument are 

 illuminated. It is not visible with an opera glass. 



VI. Project for a new Division of the Quadrant. By Charles Hutton, LL. D., 



F. R. S. p. 2 1 . 



This project is for constructing the sines, tangents, secants, 6?c. to equal parts 

 of the radius. — The arbitrary division of the quadrant of the circle into equal 



