ON THE CIRCULATION OF UNDERGROUND WATERS. 95 



Second Report of the Committee for investigating the circulation of the 

 Underground Waters in the Neiv Red Sandstone and Permian Forma- 

 tions of England, and the quantity aiid character of the water 

 supplied to various towns and districts from these formations. The 

 Committee consisting of Professor Hull^ Mr. Binney^ Rev. H. W. 

 Crosskey, Captain D. Galton^ Professor A. H. Green, Professor 

 Harkness, Mr. H. Howell, Mr. W. Molyneux, Mr. G. H. 

 Morton, Mr. Pengelly, Professor Prestwich, Mr. J. Plant, 

 Mr. Mellard Reade, Mr. C. Fox-Strangways, Mr. W. Whi- 

 taker, and Mr. C. E. Be Rance. Drawn up by Mr. De Range 

 [Secretary). 



Since the last Meeting of the Association your Committee have continued to 

 distribute largely the circular forms of inquiry, and a large amount of valu- 

 able information has been obtained, especially as to the deep wells of Liver- 

 pool, Birkenhead, Nottingham, and Birmingham. But in several districts, as 

 in Staffordshire, important information is promised so soon as works now in 

 I^rogress are completed ; and the members of your Committee taking charge 

 of those districts have considered it best to defer making a report until they 

 present you with a final one on their particular areas. Your Committee, 

 should they be reappointed, have every hope, from promises already received, 

 of completing the trust which you have given them by the next Meeting 

 of the Association. 



In the present Report the details of weEs in the New Eed Sandstone are 

 collected, which yield at Livei-pool no loss than 7,197,330 gallons daily ; at 

 Birkenhead more than 7 millions ; at Coventry, Birmingham, and Leaming- 

 ton 4^ millions ; at Nottingham nearly 4 miUiou gallons ; at "Warrington 

 572,360 gallons ; at Stockport 1,073,820 gallons. 



The largest yield of one individual well is that at Green Lane, Old Swan, 

 near Liverpool, the average daily yield of which in 1875 amounted to 

 2,533,050 gallons, and the present maximum of which amounts to no less than 

 3,243,549 gallons pumped up by three engines, one at least of which is 

 always at work, from a depth of 136 feet. 



In regard to the Liverpool wells, it appears to be established by the obser- 

 vation of Mr. Deacon, the Borough Engineer, to quote the words of his Report, 

 " That the water in the public wells is regularly sinking to a lower level, or 

 that if it be maintained at a constant level, the water capable of being pumped 

 is a continually diminishing quantity." But there is not yet sufficient evi- 

 dence to prove what balance of absolute quantity of water stUl remains in the 

 sandstones of the area capable of being drawn on by additional wells. 



Amongst the borings, of which the details will be found in the present 

 Report, is one at Rampside, near Barrow-in-Furncss, which reached a depth 

 of no less than 2210 feet from the surface, in a fruitless search for coal. At 

 a depth of 250 feet a spring of water was cut in the Permian Red Sandstone, 

 which yields 13,500 gallons of water daily, flowing out at the top of a one- 

 inch pipe, and rising to a height of 12 feet above the surface of the ground. 



The rocks beneath the Permian have been proved by this boring to be of 

 Yoredale age, the Coal-measures being absent, as stated would j^robably be 

 the case by Mr. Aveline and other geologists before the boring was carried 

 out. 



An interesting feature in this boring is the presence of petroleum-oil in 

 the Yoredale rock near the bottom, which caused the water cut in penetra- 

 ting this sandstone to be much charged with oil. 



