90 



the earth, and the land here is about 70 feet above the sea level, 

 that their supply must be obtained from a higher level than that. 



We hnd the New Eed Sandstones and Marls, all around Bath, 

 though at some distance from it. We should first look for them 

 westward, seeing that the general dip of the strata in England is 

 towards the east, and we find them there accordingly at Bristol. 

 But as the Coal measures come to the surface between Bristol and 

 Bath, it is clear that some convulsion has destroyed the regularity 

 of the diji, and from the pits at Twerton, it appears that some 

 extraordinary upheavals and subsidences have occurred, which 

 has broken the continuity of the strata, and makes it probable 

 that a fault or dyke exists somewhere between Bath and Twerton, 

 which prevents the water coming from the Avest. The same Bed 

 Sandstones and Marls exist both north and south of Bath, which 

 Avould show that under Bath there is a geological basin, and that 

 the lowest point of the New Bed lies tliere. Therefore, if rain 

 falls on these points, north and south, it would penetrate the 

 lines of the strata and rise up through any fissure that may exist, 

 by hydrostatic pressure. 



I do not think that these waters can come from a lower strata, 

 at any rate, than the Carboniferous limestone, for we have no 

 deeper strata at all within the range of Bath covered by the New 

 Red. It seems probable that the waters coming from the south 

 do not reach Bath, as there appears to have been a disruption of 

 the strata, and that a fault exists nearly following the line of the 

 Avon, running east and west in our valley. Hence we are almost 

 shut up to the conclusion that the water comes from a north 

 westerly direction. A little to the north-east of Bitton we find 

 the New Eed, and in the vicinity we have the Carboniferous 

 Limestone, and the jMagnesian Conglomerate. As the level of this 

 part is a little higher than Bath, rain falling here might follow 

 the line of strata, which generally, for England is east by south, 

 or south east, and would therefore reach the parallel of Bath, if 

 not intercepted. 



