1848.] 



an A7'iesia?i Well at Tuticorin. 



171 



brought up in the shell, and rather than lose time and spoil the 

 jumpers in working through this, it was deemed advisable to com- 

 mence a new bore in the immediate vicinity of the old one. The 

 new bore was accordingly commenced on the 25th May, on which 

 day the auger bored 18 feet below the surface of the ground, and 

 pipes were inserted to the depth of 12 feet. On the 26th the 

 auger, jumper, and shell together bored a further depth of 6 feet, 

 making 24 feet in all ; and the pipes were driven 10 feet or 

 22 feet from the surface. On the 27th the jumper and shell only 

 were used, the former to break through the hard coral rock, and 

 the latter to clear the bore from time to time. On the 28th 4 inches 

 only were bored through hard rock with the jumper. On the 29tli 

 the pipes were driven 6 inches, and it was found that the sand filled 

 in the bore from the bottom to the height of 6 feet. A quantity was 

 raised with the auger, when it filled again. On the 2d June the 

 pipes were driven 2 feet, and the sand again withdrawn. The 

 jumper this day made 6 inches through hard sand-stone. On the 4th 

 a further depth of 4 inches was gained, and in this way the boring 

 continued with occasional interruptions till the 20th July, 1846, by 

 which date a total depth from the surface of 42 feet, 7 inches, was 

 attained, and the water brought up was much less salt. On the 21st 

 July, the large pipes were filled with clay and one of smaller size 

 inserted within. Here the experiment ceased, in consequence, as 

 before stated, of Mr. Mather's sudden removal from Tuticorin. It: 

 is the firm belief that fresh water exists at the depth to which the 

 boring had been carried, and that if it were possible to build out the 

 salt-water, a sufficient quantity of fresh might be obtained to supply 

 the port and shipping, and that in the immediate neighbourhood of 

 the beach, instead of bringing it from a distance of 2 miles in chatties, 

 as at present. It was intended, had the first experiment fully suc- 

 ceeded, to have recommended the construction of a well in the cen- 

 tre of the town, near the Post Office and within a short distance of 

 the beach, for the convenience of all parties. The change in the 

 water was first noticed at the depth of 31 feet, 3 inches, after the 

 jumper had worked through about 5 feet of the sand-stone rock, so 

 that if a well were constructed it would require to be built from this 

 depth upwards to keep out the salt-water. 



With so little data to go upon, it is difficult to frame an estimate 

 of the probable expense of such a work, but it is supposed that 

 Rupees 1,000 would be sufficient, provided Government supplied 

 pumps to keep the excavation free of salt-water during the progress 

 of the work. * 



