392 Miscellanies. 



MECHANICAL PmLOSOPHY. 



1. Sored Wells. — The practicability of obtaining copious supplies 

 of running water, even in some places where a distressing deficiency 

 of this essential article has long been experienced, has been abun- 

 dantly proved, in various parts of Europe as well as in the United 

 States. The extraordinary depths' to which the sound and the borer 

 have penetrated, in these researches, and the force with which the 

 water has risen to the surface, and issued forth in continued jets and 

 streams, are among the most remarkable facts in the history of hy- 

 draulics. 



The French " Societe d'encourageraent pour I'industrie nation- 

 ale," sometime since offered medallic premiums to the engineers or 

 artists who should be the most successful in establishing new facts or 

 in obtaining plentiful supplies of water in situations where bored 

 wells had not been previously introduced. The programme of the 

 Society excited much attention in Europe, and appears to have oc- 

 casioned much emulation in France. 



From the report made to the Society on the 29th of December, 

 1830, and signed Hericart de Thury, rapporteur, it appears that 

 eight persons had presented themselves as claimants of the reward. 

 Of these eight, three have been successful in obtaining medals, viz. 



M. Degousee, civil engineer of Paris, the first gold medal. 



M. Poittevin, of Tracy-le-Mont, department de L'Oise, the second 

 medal. 



M. Fraisse aine, of Ferpignan, the third medal. 



The first of these gentlemen, after various trials in different coun- 

 tries, learned that the first requisite to success was, to become well 

 acquainted with the geological character of the country ; and that 

 without this knowledge, time and expense will be often encountered 

 in vain. One of the v^^ells bored under his direction was at Fontes, 

 department du pas-de-Calais. It was commenced at 6 o'clock in 

 the morning and finished at 3 o'clock in the afternoon. The depth 

 was 651 feet. The water rose more than 6 feet above the surface, 

 and discharged 50 gallons per minute. 



Three wells bored at St. Gratien, 42, 52, and 55 feet deep, were 

 completed in 25 days, and gave each of them 15 gallons per minute. 

 They cost in the whole 1 87 dollars. They were bored to supply 

 the water of the pond D'Enghein, which became so warm in summer 



