is diminished. In very dry seasons, the current is, in certain places, entirely exhausted, and the channel remains dry, except here and there a standing pool. By the bridge at Thorncroft it rises again in a strong spring; and after that the current is constant. At a place called the Way Pool, on the side of the river next to Box-hill, the method in which the water is thus occasionally drawn off is visible to the observer. It has here formed a kind of circular basin, about thirty feet in diameter, which is supplied in the ordinary state of the current by an inlet from the river, two feet broad and one deep. This inlet being stopped, the water in the basin soon subsides, and in less than an hour totally disappears; when the chasms through which it passes off at different depths from the upper edge of the basin, may easily be discovered."

From the circumstance of the river occasionally betaking itself to these subterraneous channels, it probably received the name of the Mole. In more ancient times it seems to have been called the Emlay, the upper part of it being known by that name in the 5th of Edward III. and even so late as the time of Henry VIII. This will also account for the origin of the name of the hundred through the heart of which the river takes its course, now, and from the earliest times, denominated Emley Hundred.

The third and least considerable river in this county is the Wandle, which, rising near Croydon, and passing by Bedington, Carshalton, Mitcham, and Merton, runs into the Thames a little below Wandlesworth, or Wandsworth, to which it gives name. Its origin is small; but at Carshalton it is much increased by the numerous springs which rise in that place; and in its course of rather more than ten miles, it turns near forty mills of different kinds, and is said to furnish employment for about 2000 people.

Another stream, though of still less magnitude, is worthy of notice, for supplying several gun-powder mills at Ewell and Maldon, and a large corn-mill at Kingston. It rises in a strong pellucid spring in the town of Ewell, and, proceeding due north, falls at Kingston into the Thames.

A considerable branch of the Medway rises in the parishes of Godstone and Horne, in the south-east part of the county; and after receiving an auxiliary stream in the parish of Lingfield, leaves Surrey and enters Kent.

The river Loddon skirts the county on its west side; its direction is nearly north-west by Frimley till it leaves Surrey. Its waters are employed to supply the Basingstoke canal.

On the wide and desolate heaths in the west part of the county are several extensive ponds, some of which, as Shire Pond, between Chobham and Byfleet, and another near Frensham, contain not less than 150 acres. In the south-eastern parts of the county also, particularly near Godstone, there are ponds, but of inferior magnitude. All these are employed for the purpose of feeding fish for the London market.

The mineral waters of this county were formerly in high repute, and some of them were much frequented; but, principally owing to a change in fashion or opinion, they have now lost their repatation. The springs of this kind are those at Epsom, Cobham, Streatham; the Dog and Duck in St. George's Fields; Jessop's Wells, Comb-hill, Kingston; Dulwich; the Iron Pear Tree, near Godstone; Warplesdon, Newdigate, Frensham, Witley, Meg's Well, near Dorking, &c. of the principal of which an account will be given in the proper place.

The county in general is well furnished with springs; but in regard to wells, it is often found necessary to bore to the depth of 300 feet, before a regular supply of water can be procured. This is principally the case on the chalk, but even in other places it is sometimes requisite to go to the depth of 200 feet.

MINERALS AND FOSSILS.-Iron-ore is found in considerable quantity in the south-west part of the county, about Haslemere, Dunsfold, and Cranley; and in the south-east quarter about Lingfield and Horne. In most parts of the Weald also this ore probably exists; but in consequence of the high price of fuel the iron-works of Surrey have been totally neglected. Ragstone, containing some iron, abounds near the junction of the Weald,

and

and the chain of sand-hills to the south of Blechingly, Reygate, and Dorking; and is found in smaller quantities about Send and Chobham. Ore also of tolerable purity appears in the sand about Puttenham and Godstone; and more or less of it is probably contained in all the sand-hills between those two places.

That useful material, fuller's earth, is found in great quantities about Nutfield, Reygate, and Blechingly, to the south of the Downs; and some, but of inferior quality, north of them, near Sutton and Croydon. There are two kinds, the blue and yellow, which are used for different purposes; the latter being chiefly employed in fulling the finer cloths of Wiltshire and Gloucestershire, and the former sent into Yorkshire for the coarser manufactures. It is not known how long this earth has been dug in Surrey; the oldest pit now wrought is said to have lasted fifty or sixty years, and is fast wearing out. It is thought that the demand for the fuller's earth of this county will be affected by the recent discovery of a pit of the yellow, or more valuable kind, near Maidstone, in Kent. The price at the pits is about six shillings a ton, which, at the London wharfs, fetches about twentyfive or twenty-six shillings.

In the neighbourhood of Godstone, Gatton, Merstham, Reygate, and Blechingly, are extensive quarries of stone of a peculiar quality. This stone, especially that dug near Merstham, is at first soft, and incapable of bearing the action of a damp atmosphere; but after being kept under cover for a few months, its texture becomes so compact, that it can resist the heat of a common fire; and in consequence of this property it is in very general demand for fire-places in London and its neighbourhood, where it is sold at about one shilling and six-pence the cubic foot. On the White Hills near Blechingly, the stone is of a somewhat different quality, and considerably more valuable. It is softer than that from the other quarries, and was once much used by chemists, bakers, and glass manufacturers, but is now principally employed by the latter, who have been enabled by means of it to produce plateglass of much larger dimensions than formerly. These stones

arc

are procured of almost every size, some containing not less than seventy-two superficial feet, of ten inches thick.*

Large quarries of lime-stone near Dorking afford lime equal in purity and strength to any in the kingdom. It is particularly serviceable for works under water, and was employed in the construction of the West-India and Wapping-Docks. Limestone is also dug and burnt at Guildford, Sutton, and Carshalton.

Chalk is very abundant in Surrey, and is in general use as a manure. There are chalk-pits at Croydon, Sutton, Epsom, Letherhead, Bookhamn, Effingham, Horsley, Clandon, Stoke, Guildford, and Puttenham, on the north side of the Downs; and at Godstone, Caterham, Reygate, Merstham, Buckland, and Betchworth, on the south side; besides others of less extent and note.

Coal is said to have been formerly found in different districts of Surrey, particularly in or near the parish of Cranley, and in the parish of Warplesdon. Aubrey, in his History, gives the result of an attempt to discover coal in the latter, which proved successful; but unfortunately in boring, when the workmen came to the coal, "as fast as the irons were put in they would snap off; and this was thought by Mr. Lilly, the astrologer, to be by the subterranean spirits,"+ doubtless exasperated at being thus wantonly disturbed in their profound retreats.

The sand about Tanridge, Dorking, and Reygate, is in great request for hour-glasses, writing, and a variety of purposes; that about the latter town is thought to be unequalled in the kingdom for purity and colour.

In Camden's time there were pits of jet near Okewood. Aubrey makes no mention of this fossil; but, in a letter prefixed to his History, Evelyn says, that there were then " pits of jeate in the skirts of the parish of Wotton, near Sussex." At present there is no appearance of it.

Brick-earth is found in most parts of the county, but inferior in quality to that of Middlesex. At Nonsuch, in the parish of Cheam, is a particularly valuable bed, from which are made fire.

bricks,

Malcolm's Surrey, Vol. I. p. 48.

Aubrey's Surrey, Vol. III. p. 327.

bricks, as they are denominated, from their property of resisting heat.

STATE OF PROPERTY.-There are no very large estates in Surrey. The most extensive does not much exceed 10,000l. per annum, and but few approach to that annual rent. The yeomanry are by no means so numerous as in the adjoining county of Kent; though in the western division round Guildford, and in some parts of the Weald, there are several gentlemen who farm their own estates at from 2001, to 4001, per annum.

The size of farms also in Surrey may be considered as rather small than large, the most extensive comprehending 1600 acres ; there are a few others from 600 to 1200; but the most common size is from 200 to 300. Many, however, are below that standard; and Malcolm reckons that 170 acres may be assumed as the fair average of the county.

The tenures are principally freehold. Most of the farms are let on leases, the duration of which is generally for twenty-one years, though some are only for seven or fourteen. A few are lett for three lives; but there are many extensive farms which are held without a lease from year to year, entirely at the will of the landlord and this custom is rather upon the increase.

The rents, excepting in that part of the county which lies within the influence of the London markets, may be deemed low. In the clays of the Weald many farms are lett for ten shillings per acre, and few of them reach twenty shillings. The clay land in the other parts of the county is lett from fifteen to twenty shillings: the rents run about the same on the chalks; but the best lands, that is, the hazle loam and the rich sandy loams near Godalming, produce from twenty-five to thirty shillings. In the vicinity of London rents rise considerably; at the distance of seven or eight miles they are from two pounds to three pounds; and still, nearer the metropolis, the ground that is possessed in small quantities by cow-keepers and nursery-men, letts for six pounds, eight pounds, and even ten pounds per acre.

BUILDINGS. Few counties in the kingdom can vie with Sur

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rey