23 



Report of some Galvanic Experiments to determine the exist- 

 ence or no7i-existence of Electrical Currents among stratified 

 Rocks, particularly those of the Mountain Limestone forma- 

 tion, constituting the Lead Measures of Alston Moor. By 

 H. L. PattinsoNj Esq. 



At the meeting of the British Association held last year in 

 Newcastle-upon-Tyne, I had the honour of being intrusted with 

 a grant of money for the purpose of making some experiments 

 to determine if any appreciable galvanic action existed among 

 stratified rocks, but I had more immediately in view to experi- 

 ment upon the alternations of strata found in the Lead Districts 

 of Northumberland, Cumberland, and Durham. There was as- 

 sociated with me in this inquiry my friend, Mr. Thomas Ri- 

 chardson of Newcastle, but he was prevented giving me his 

 assistance at the time required. Mr. John Leathart of Alston 

 then offered to assist me, and I gladly availed myself of his co- 

 operation, the more valuable because his residence on the spot 

 enabled him conveniently to make some necessary arrangements 

 which would otherwise have occasioned me nmch trouble. 



In the Lead District to which I have alluded, the mountain 

 limestone alternates with indurated clay and sandstone (called 

 technically Plate and Hazle,) with remarkable frequency and 

 regularity. A section of the strata in this part of the country 

 was published in 1800 at Carlisle, by W. Miller, miner, but 

 a far more complete and accurate section was published by 

 Mr. Westgarth Forster in 1809, which is to be found also in the 

 forty-fifth volume of the Philosophical Magazine. The following 

 statement of the ' lead measures' of Alston Moor is copied from 

 Mr. Forster. Its general correctness I have had frequent op- 

 portunities of verifying. 



yds. ft. in. 



Fell top limestone 116 



Coal 00 8 



Hazle, or upper coal sill . . 4 



Plate 10 



Hazle, or whetstone sill . . 3 



Plate 4 00 



Hazle 400 



Plate 2 10 



Carried forward 29 2 



yds. ft. in. 



Brought forward. ... 29 2 



Upper slate sill 8 00 



Plate 2 16 



Lower slate sill 7 00 



Plate 10 



Hazle 3 



Slate 7 00 



Iron stone and coal 116 



Carried over .... 68 2 



