King’s Wells at Sheernefs, Gc. 15 
common well-water. it remains yet to be determined whence 
that warmth proceeds; but as it proved wholefome, the cir- 
cumftance is fortunate for the foldiers of the garrifon, as they 
will not be liable to complaints that are fo frequent among 
troops (as often happens at Dover Caftle) from imprudence in 
drinking great quantities of very cold well-water. 

King’s Wells at Landguard-Fort. 
They were begun and finifhed in the year 178.2. 
The peculiar fituation of this fort made it very unlikely that 
fprings of frefh-water could ever be found, there being great 
reafon to think, that the out-fall of the Ip{wich and Manning- 
tree Rivers, which unite before they reach they fea, was for- 
merly on the Suffolk fide of the fort, but is now on the Effex 
fide; and as the garrifon, in ancient writings, is defcribed to 
have been built on the Andrew’s Sand, there appeared. little 
probability of any filtration of water through it, except that of 
the fea. It, however, feemed proper to try the poflibility of 
finking through it, to endeavour to find a hard bottom, fimilar 
to that difcovered at Sheernefs, frefh-water being of vaft confe- 
quence to the defence of the place. The work was accordingly 
begun ; but about the fame time, m making the excavation of a. 
ditch for one of the batteries, at a very few feet. from the 
upper furface of the fand, a {mall quantity of frefh-water was 
perceived; and it was chance that led to a difcovery of its 
frefhnefs, from one of the labourers happening to tafte it. The 
circumftance 
