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SECTION VIII. 



REPORT OF LAGOON BORINGS. 



By G. H. Halligan. 



In the early 2)art of the year 1898, Professor T. W. Edgeworth David mentioned 

 to nie some of the difficulties which he encountered when trying to sink a bore in 

 the lagoon at Funafuti, and deplored the waste of time and energy in the unsuccessful 

 venture. 



As I had been for some years in charge of all borings in connection with harljoui' 

 iwid bridge works in New South AVales, a large pait of them being carried out 

 from floating pontoons, and under circumstances somewhat similar to the work 

 required to be done at Funafuti, 1 suggested tliat tlie gear found so useful here 

 might be efficacious there. Borings had already been carried out without difficulty 

 to a depth of 184 feet through mud, sand, clay, and hard shale, from a punt moored 

 in 88 feet of water in the harbour of Port Jackson, and as the chart showed 

 17 to 18 fathoms at the site of the proposed lagoon boring at Funafuti, the 

 difficulties did not appear to be insuperable. On the matter being mentioned to 

 Mr. C. W. Darley, M. Inst. C.E., Engineer-hi-Chief for Public Works, under whose 

 control are all matters in connection with these borinus, lie at once "-ave the 

 proposal his ^\'arm support, and on receipt of an application from Professor David 

 and Professor Anderson Stuart, the Government generously granted the proposed 

 expedition the use of all necessary gear and machinery, and a})proved of my leave oi' 

 absence for about three moiiths to conduct tlie ojjerations. Plans were prepared of 

 punts to be built in sections at the Fitzroy Dockyards in Sydney, and to be conveyed 

 to Funafuti, but almost at the last moment it was found that the funds available 

 were not sufficient to pay the freiglit on such l)ulky goods. The most strenuous 

 efforts were made to obtain subscriptions, but tliey were unsuccessful, and the lagoon- 

 boring seemed as though it would have to be abandoned. However, on the repre- 

 sentation of Professor David and Professor Anderson Stuart, the Admiralty kindly 

 granted the use of H.M.S. "Porpoise," in charge of Commander F. C. D. Sturdee, 

 for this experiment. The punts, though built in sections, were found to be too 

 bulky to convey to Funafuti on the crowded deck of a war-ship, so it was decided 

 to try to carry out the borings from the bow of the ship. 



As the men on H.M.S. " Porpoise " were quite inexperienced at the M'ork, and the 

 ti)ne at our disjijosal was limited, it was decided to continue the boring night and day, 



