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Bath Thermal Springs, their supposed Origin and Source. By 
Norton TOMKINS. 
(Read 16th May, 1894.) 
By the kindness of the Secretary I enjoy the privilege of 
speaking on a subject of the utmost interest, not only to the 
members of this Club, but also to the citizens of Bath, namely : 
Ist. The Geological evidence of the origin of our Thermal 
Springs. 
2nd. The fountain head of its waters. 
3rd. The course they take before arriving at Bath. 
4th. The source of their heat and mineral properties. 
Reading Hugh Miller’s “ Testimony of the Rocks,” in my early 
days, I felt great interest in the study of Geology ; and being 
subsequently engaged as Land and Mineral Agent on the 
Ammerdown Park Estates, on which mining was carried on in 
both the upper and lower series of the Radstock coal basin, great 
facilities were afforded me for pursuing my favourite study. 
Stimulated by the fact that the property under my charge was 
intimately connected with one of the most interesting Geological 
problems in this country, I set myself the task of attempting to 
solve that great problem,and now wishto bring forward the result of 
my research with the hope that if it contains any inaccuracy in 
principle, or local information, it may be corrected. 
I believe no Geologist will think for one moment that the 
Springs derive their source from any strata of more recent date 
than the Primary ; and, indeed, it would be useless to attempt to 
form an opinion, if the existence of a conduit, capable of conveying 
the water to the influence of heat, cannot be proved, and if this is 
done it opens the way to the discovery of the origin of its 
chemical properties. 
The formation which provides a water-way for our Thermal 
H Vou. VIII, No. 2. 
