Marchbanks. — On the Longburn Artesian Wells. 553 



■way Company's well near Longburn. It is sunk in a natural 

 depression of about 10 ft. below the general surface of the 

 ground, and passes through the following strata : — 



Surface soil . . 

 Saud and timber 

 Solid timber . . 

 Blue sand 

 Blue shingle . . 

 Blue clay 

 Blue sand 

 Blue clay 

 Blue sand 

 Shingle 



The water rises about 16 ft. above ground-level in a pipe, 

 or, say, 6 ft. above the average surface of the ground. 



I may state that Mr. Martin is sinking other wells near 

 Longburn, including one for Mr. Eiddiford, between Pal- 

 merston and Longburn, on the eastern side of the main road, 

 between the road and the line. It passed through — 



Blue clay 



Shingle 



Hard blue clay 



Clay and shingle mixed 



Blue clay 



Black sand 



Black sand and timber 



Black sand 



Hard blue clay . . 



Blue sand and shingle. . 



Light-blue sand 



Blue clay 



Underneath is shingle carrying good soft water rising 

 32 ft. above the surface of the ground, and running 72 gallons 

 per minute, or 4,320 gallons per hour, to 2 ft. above the sur- 

 face of the ground. 



It is important to ascertain by analysis the degree of 

 suitability of this water for use in locomotive boilers. I use 

 carbonate of soda and caustic soda in small quantities with all 

 our boiler-water, with a view to neutralise .any free acid, and 

 to assist in precipitating any carbonate of lime, that may be 

 present. 



Mr. Skey submitted samples of this water to analysis, and 

 reports: "This is a clear, colourless, and feebly alkaline 

 water, containing 12-22 gr. of fixed salts per gallon. These 

 salts are principally sodic chloride and carbonate and calcic 

 chloride. The proportion of lime in the water is 4-28 gr., and 

 of silica 3-01 gr., per gallon. Only traces of sulphates and 

 magnesia are present. As lime, magnesia, and silica are not 



