70 



In the first place, then, I have shown you that the 

 maximum area whence an available supply could be 

 obtained, is 80 square miles, and that the natural and 

 artificial conditions existing upon the surface of the area, 

 admit not more than a ninth part of the mean annual fall, 

 to find its way into the mass of the strata ; and thus the 

 wbole available supply obtained from the area would be 

 at the rate of something above 12,000,000 of gallons daily. 

 I have also shewn that the difficulties which are in the 

 way of bringing this supply from the area referred to, 

 if placed under contribution, are quite insuperable. 



Secondly. — I next endeavoured to shew, that from 

 Artesian or other subterranean borings in the strata, or in 

 the underlying coal measures, any supply of water drawn 

 from great distances is not to be expected. 



Lastly. — I have now to shew that the exhaustion of 

 the water from the strata is rapidly going on. This has 

 recently been demonstrated in several places in the neigh- 

 bourhood. At Aigburth, Toxteth-park, Wavertree, Old 

 Swan, and West Derby, the private wells have had to be 

 sunk deeper to procure their accustomed supply — thus 

 shewing the exhaustion that has taken place in the upper 

 strata to a considerable distance around the Public Com- 

 panies' workings, and that the amount of exhaustion is 

 greater than the supply from the atmosphere can reple- 

 nish. Moreover, the period must arrive when the whole 

 strata, to the depths of the Public Companies' wells — to a 

 very considerable extent around them — must become 

 nearly exhausted of their water. Such has been the case 

 with the Harrington Company's well, in Berry-street, 

 which was pumped dry during the great fire at the Goree 

 warehouses, and since then has been used, I believe, as a 

 receptacle for rubbish. 



The solution of this problem, which appeared to a 

 friend of mine deeply concerned in the matter a very 



