J. W. BOULTBEE. CLY. 
Sahara Desert. At Aire, in the province of Artois, France, 
there is a well that has been flowing for upwards of a 
century to a height of 11 feet above the curb, and another 
dating from the 12th Century in the Carthusian Monastry, 
at Lillers, which has been flowing ever since it has been 
sunk. It was not however, until the celebrated wells at 
Grenelle and Passy, near Paris, were undertaken that 
attention was fully directed to the question, and many 
improvements, both in the tools and system of working, 
introduced, 
NOTABLE BORES. 
The Grenelle well is a remarkable example of the patience 
and skill required to cope with the difficulties and risks 
incidental to boring operations. It was commenced at the 
Abattoirs by an engineer named Mulot in 1832, and it was 
not until 1842, after ten years of incessant work, that 
artesian water was tapped ata depth of 1,798 feet, and 
rose above the curb. When a depth of 1,254 feet was 
reached an accident occurred, which had nearly the effect 
of causing the abandonment of the work; over 200 feet of 
the rods broke and fell to the bottom of the hole, and it 
was not until fifteen months had been expended in “‘fishing”’ 
and other devices that they were recovered. The French 
Government was so discouraged that when the depth of 
1,500 feet was reached the abandonment of the bore was 
again mooted ; but, in deference to the strongly expressed 
scientific advice of Arago, it was continued; at the depth 
stated, the rods suddenly dropped, and the water rose at 
the rate of 864,000 gallons per diem, from an 8 inch bore ; 
previously no bore for artesian water had exceeded 1,000 
feet. Subsequent to this, efforts were made in the Rhenish 
provinces, by German engineers, who introduced many 
improvements in the tools, more notably that known as 
the “‘jars,’”’ with a view to tapping the sources of their 
