Polynesian., 1852-08-14
AarsfiAa WKIIs-The cnns,rnc,ion o

ARTISAN WELLs.-The construction Of
of Artesian wells is based on one of the sim.
plest principles Of hydrostatics-namely, that
water. if allowed to escape from reservoir
through confined tubes, will always rise to
the level Of the open fluid in the reservoir.
Thus, by boring the ground perpendcularly
in certain localities, to a certain depth, SUBJ
terrsnean channel Of water may be reach
ED which, by the pressure constantly bearing
upon it from some underground reservoir
in higher locality, is forced upwards thr'o
the channel opened for it by the auger, and
not unfrequently becomes an elevated and
continuous jet.
The word artfsiaa derives its origin from
.4rtois. which is the name Of province in
France, where it has been erroneously suppos-
ed that this kind of well was first introduced.
Now, however, it is an established fact that
the mode Of boring these wells was familiar
to the ancients, and frequently praotised BY
them. Indeed, it is said that those extraor-
dinary people, the Chinese, have known the
use of the Artesian fountains for thousands
of years. In certain parts of Italy, it is pro-
bable that these wells were used at remote
periods, and it appears from passage in
"Shaw's Travels" that even the inhabitants
of the Desert of Sahara, in Africa, have
been long acquainted with their properties
Mr.. Shaw says, while speaking ofa collection
Of villages, far in the interior Of the desert
tina, ''the villages have neither springs or
fountains. The inhabitants procure water
in curious manner by digging wells one
hundred, and sometimes two hundred fathoms
deep, and never fail to find water in abund-
ance. To effect this purpose they remove
several beds of stone and gravel until they
arrive at sort of stone resembling slate,
which they know is precisely above what is
called bahar taht ell erd, or the sea beneath
the earth This stone is easily pierced
after which the water issues so suddenly and
so abundantly that those who descend for tho
operation are some times reached and drown
ed or suffocated, though they are taken out
as quicklUas possible"
In France, there are no means Of ascer-
tanning when artesian wells were first used
The most ancient well Of the kind known
there, exists in the old Carthusian Convent
at Lilliers, in Artois, and is said to have been
made in the year 1926. The most stupen-
dous experiment which has ever yet been
made in this branch Of science, and attended
with triumphant success, is that effected in
the Piaine de Grenelle, near Paris. After
boring 10 the unprecedented depth of fifteen
hundred feet, the engineers found their work
to be such decided and as yet unsuccess-
fu bore, that they were almost tempted to
give up in despair, but under the represen-
tations of Nj. Arago, French philosopher
and scientific man of eminence, they were
induced to persevere, and after proceeding
three hundred feet deeper the imprisoned
store at last gushed up, as if impatient of
escape and now about half million gallons
of the limpid, sparkling fluid are regularly
elected in the course of every twenty-fours
hours.
There is not, as many people seem TO
think, any reason to doubt the permanency
of the supply OF waters obtained from the Ar
tesian wells. AS an instance Of this, and
perhaps the oldest on record, the well at Lii
iers which we have mentioned above may be
introduced. This spring has continued to
furnish the same supply of water, projected
20 the same height above the surface, for
upwards of seven hundred years-the guam
ty daily poured out at the surface not hav-'
ing been known to vary during the long Pc
riod.-Boston Jour.