124 Report on the Experimental Boring for Fresh Water. [April, 
ViJ . — Report on the Experimental Boring for Fresh Water in Fort 
William. 
[Read before the Physical Class Asiatic Society.] 
During the rainy season of 1830, Messrs. Ross and Kyd, and Dr. Strong, the 
gentlemen entrusted with the Experimental Boring, were obliged to confine their 
operations, to the preliminary measures of sinking a well, constructed of earthen 
rings, on the native plan, to the depth of 30 feet below the surface of the ground, 
The earth at this depth was of so sandy a nature, that the workmen could not be 
induced to carry the shaft lower ; and it was deemed advisable to prepare a quantity 
of sheet iron tube, to be forced down into the perforation, when continued thence 
by the auger, should the sand be found to fall in, and impede its progress down- 
wards, according to the Report read at the meeting of the 19th August, 1830. A 
sum of 250 Rupees was expended upon the construction of the well, and the 55 feet 
of tubes, and the erection of a convenient stage over the well, fitted with a 23 feet 
ship’s pump, which was obligingly lent by Mr. Kyd, for the purpose of keeping the 
upper shaft free from water. 
At that meeting we were appointed a sub-committee to inspect the works, and 
we were satisfied that they could not be under better management 
At the meeting of the 27th October, specimens were produced of the several 
strata of clays, to the depth of 109 feet, which agreed in every respect with theRe- 
port of the former experiments, under Colonel Garstin. Mr. Kyd had fitted up a 
, tac k* c an ^ P u ^ e > s > which were found highly convenient for raising 
the rods perpendicularly. 
vlerth Januar > r ’ il was reported that an additional depth of 
'll V, 111“ T ’ ,n “ king the Wh ° le Shaft 146 feet > ^ feet deeper 
than had hitherto been reached in the former experiments. At this depth, the bore, 
was m yellow sand, under the thick beds of adhesive clay , and, consequently, in* 
of these situations whence a spring might be looked for, differing in quality tom 
the br acktsh waters, of the upper or 30 feet sand : as, however, there proved to he 
no head or hydrostattc pressure, such as could raise the water of the lower stratum 
to the surface, and as the oozing above kept the shaft constantly full, it waste- 
posstble ,0 ascertain whether any difference of quality existed, without sinking 
bus a measure postponed as long as it was possible to reach to still lower strati 
with the bare auger. 
The instrument unfortunately broke at this period of the work, and after some 
ineffectual attempts to extract the fragments, it was found necessary to force it oo 
one side into the sand. J 
During the delay thus caused, much sandy earth sunk into the shaft, so that eacb 
renewal of the task-work was hut a repetition of the preceding day’s llbour 
By perseverance, however, these difficulties have been overcome and t ie au-er is 
specimen or 1111 s ciay is now presented to the Museum. 
Although the falling in of the earth of,*n „ . . " 
exertions of the workmen, the superintendent" ™T '° ™ unterbaIance " rarl >' a11 th ‘ 
rations in Europe) feels more confident of succ" * “ man used t0 sucl1 ° pf ' 
hopes of carrying the shaft to a still greater depth "nTiT ’ 1S '° 5ay ’ ^ ' i ” 
shall be perforated, when another chance of , ’ T theprCsent stratum of f? 
Mean time, the whole of the fund of Rupees ** be 
sical Class, has been expended; and it will be ’ ’ P “ d ' SI, ° Sal ° f ‘ 
it he deemed advisable to prosecute the undertaking *° ° bt! * in “ f “ rth<!r 1 
