852 president's address. 



immense lake, forced its way, by the friction of ages, through 

 the primary rocks and formed the channel now known as the 

 Darling River. By the consequent drainage effected by this 

 means, and by percolation through the porous soil, the pastoral 

 districts of Warrego, Barwon, Castlereagh, and Darling Downs 

 were created. 



I cannot say who first called attention to the inadequacy of the 

 channel of the Darling River to carry off the rainfall of its basin, 

 estimated at more that two hundred thousand square miles ; but 

 I find in the journal of the Eoyal Society of New South Wales an 

 excellent paper on this subject was read on the 1st August, 1879, 

 by Mr. Russell the Government Astronomer, who proved incon- 

 testably by reasonable calculations, founded on the lowest recorded 

 annual rainfall, that the Darling River was wholly incompetent 

 to perform the work of drainage for such an extensive area. The 

 rain water, therefore, he argues must sink into the ground, and 

 being to a considerable extent retained there, must afford an un- 

 limited supply of good water. 



These ideas have been fully confirmed by the success of the 

 many common wells which have already been constructed in 

 these districts, yielding an abundant supply of fresh water. But 

 this method of procuring water does not effect the artesian system 

 of equal if not of greater value, of securing a supply where the 

 fountain-head is above the surface of the flat, and consequently 

 where the flow of water is continuous without the aid of pumps 

 or other water-raising apparatus. Beneath the surface of this 

 drained flat lies at a considerable depth a thick deposit of the 

 cretaceous period ; and as you proceed further to the north the 

 primary rocks before mentioned dip in a northerly direction, and 

 the cretaceous deposit thickens. This stratum, strongly over- 

 lapped by impervious clay, ascends the adjoining rising grounds 

 probably far distant, to a greater or less elevation, and being 

 throughout of a porous nature, constitutes the fountain head 

 of the channels which, originally fed by the rainfall, and 



