The hot well, which is much frequented during the summer months, is about a mile west of the city, close to the Avon. It rises at the bottom of the cliff called St Vincent's rocks, between the high and low water marks, and is defended from the tide by a thick wall. The spring, according to Dr Carrick, discharges nearly 4.0 gallons in a minute. The water he found to be inodorous, sparkling, and pleasant to the taste ; its temperature, as it issued from the pump, 74-1 deg. of Fahrenheit, and its specific gravity 1.00077. Accord ing to the doctor's analysis, a gallon of the water con tains of muriate of magnesia 71. grains, of muriate of soda 4 grains, sulphate of soda 11+ grains, sulphate of lime 1 I grains, and carbonate of lime grains, mak ing altogether 47:4 grains of solid matter. It contains also 30 cubic inches of carbonic acid gas, and 3 cubic inches of respirable air. These waters are highly use ful to persons afflicted with consumption, diabetes, scrophula, all diseases of the liver, especially those brought on by irregular living ; in atony, indigestion, dysentery, (Harrill:ea, and in many inflammatory com plaints, and may be drunk as freely as the thirst requires it. We may mention a singular phenomenon, which was observed here on the 1st Nov. 1755, during the time of the terrible earthquake at Lisbon. The water of the well became, all on a sudden, as red as blood, and so turbid that it could not be drunk ; and the tide of the Avon flowed back, contrary to its natural course. At the same time, a similar phenomenon was observed in the village of King's-wood, where the wa ter of a common well, near St George's church, was turned as black as ink, and continued unfit for use nearly a fortnight.
Bristol was erected into an independent county by Edward III , in 1372 ; it having been formerly reckoned in the parliament-roll as belonging to Somerset. Since
that time it has been endowed with various privileges and immunities. By a charter of Edward IV., in 1461, it was exempted from the authority of the high admiral of England by land and water ; and such rights of judg ment as formerly belonged to the court of admiralty, were referred to the corporation. Its jurisdiction by water was extended, by an act of William, as far up the river as Hanhain, and down the channel to the Flat holmes. The government of the city is vested in a mayor, 12 aldermen, including the recorder, who are all justices of the peace, 2 sheriffs, 28 common council men, town-clerk, deputy town-clerk, chamberlain, vice chamberlain, under sheriff, &c. The mayor is allowed 1000/. to support the dignity of his office, and the two sheriffs 500/. each. All capital offences, and other crimes committed within the jurisdiction of the city, are tried by the mayor and aldermen : and all law suits that are purely civil, are determined by one of the judges on the western circuit, who comes to Bristol in the autumn of every year.
Bristol returns two members to parliament. They are chosen solely by the freemen of the city, who amount at present to nearly 8000. This freedom may be obtained by servitude, by hereditary right, by pur chase, or by marrying a freeman's daughter. Bristol, in 1801, contained 16,896 houses, and 63,645 inhabitants, of whom the females exceeded the males by nearly a a third ; and 10,190 persons were employed in trade and manufactures. According to the late census, the united population of Bristol, Clifton, and Bedminster amounts to 71,279 persons, exclusive of sailors. Nest Longi tude of the cathedral, 2° 35' 28", North Lat. 51° 6". (it)