266 MR. E. HULL ON THE NEW RED SANDSTONE, ETC., 



Manchester and Stockport, and for household use in Liver- 

 pool^ Birkenhead^ Southport^ St. Helens^ Birmingham_, and 

 many other large towns, though not to the extent of which 

 it is capable. I may also mention, on the authority of 

 Mr. Ramsbottom, that one of the best sources of supply 

 for locomotive engines on the London and North Western 

 Railway is drawn from a well in this formation at War- 

 rington Junction in Lancashire. Now, for engine boilers 

 pure and soft water is absolutely necessary. I may also 

 appeal to all persons who can enjoy a glass of cold water 

 for their verdict, if there is not as much difference between 

 a draught from a deep well and one from a moorland 

 reservoir, as between a glass of Burton ale newly drawn 

 and one which has stood till it has become " flat^ stale, 

 and unprofitable '^ *. 



With all these advantages afforded by the New Red 

 Sandstone as a source of water-supply, it is remarkable 

 that many large towns, with these facilities at hand, have 

 preferred going to long distances for water collected from 

 surface- drainage, which mu§t always be inferior in quality 

 and variable in quantity, in comparison to that drawn from 

 the internal reservoir of the rocks. The cases of Liver- 

 pool and Stockport may be particularly mentioned. One 

 special advantage in reference to water drawn from wells 

 over that derived from streams is, that it is less subject 

 to variation in quantity, as it is less influenced by the 



* The opinions regarding the quality of the water derived from the Triaa 

 and Lower Permian sandstone vary much. In some cases the water has 

 been found to be hard, though derived from a series of strata containing very 

 small quantities of carbonate of lime. Dr. Angus Smith states, as the result 

 of his examination of the waters from the Manchester wells, that they con- 

 tain 14 grains of lime per gallon, namely, 8 graias of sulphate and 6 of 

 carbonate. It is to be recollected, however, that most of these wells enter the 

 New Eed Sandstone, pass down through the Permian marls, which are highly 

 calcareous, and draw their supply from the Lower Permian sandstone. A 

 portion of the lime met with may therefore be derived from the intermediate 

 marls, which contain beds of limestone and gypsum. 



