24 MR. THOMAS WARD ON THE 



fills the hollow thus formed, and tiny lakes commence, 

 which go on increasing. The local name for these lakes is 

 " flashes." At Northwich the " top of the brook," as it 

 is called, now covers about ioo acres. At Winsford the 

 top and bottom flashes cover about the same area, whilst 

 both at Winsford and Northwich new lakes are rapidly- 

 forming. Near Winsford one called the Ocean covers 

 about eight acres. At Marston, near Northwich, there is 

 one covering ten acres when the water is at its greatest 

 height. On Dunkirk, near to Northwich, the scene of the 

 great subsidence of December 6th, 1880, the hole then 

 formed is rapidly extending, following the course of the 

 Peover brook. About two miles from Northwich, at Bil- 

 linge Green, away from any salt-works, subsidence has 

 begun and is rapidly extending, a lake having commenced 

 which is only about an acre in extent, though more than 

 100 acres show signs of subsidence. In the Winsford and 

 Northwich districts more than 1000 acres in each show 

 distinct traces of subsidence; and in both cases the townsand 

 buildings suffer to a most serious extent. How seriously 

 owners of property suffer will be seen from the statistics 

 given here, which I have taken from the evidence given 

 before a Committee of the House of Commons in May last : — 



Approximate number of persons as owners injuriously affected ... 418 



Public buildings damaged 11 



Salt-works damaged , 22 



Slaughter-houses, stables, and out-buildings damaged 40 



Warehouses, workshops, &c. damaged 46 



Public houses damaged 56 



Shops damaged 202 



Houses and cottages damaged 931 



Total buildings affected 1308 



Area of land affected (acres) 2808 



The value of the property affected (exclusive of railways 



