428 Original Articles. LJ ul y> 



Well at Stourbridge, Worcestershire. 



Carbonate of Lime . . 



Sulphate of Lime 

 Sulphate of Magnesia 

 Chloride of Sodium and Alkalies 

 Organic matter . . 



Loss ..... 



Grs. per gal. 

 15-23 

 0.47 

 1.67 

 1-76 

 2-07 

 0-77 



21-95 



Degree of hardness . . . 17*2 



We regret that we cannot furnish a special example from the wells 

 at Nottingham. We are only able to state that the analysis of one of 

 the principal wells gives of salts of lime and magnesia 11*8 grains, other 

 salts 4*2 grains, and of volatile and combustible matter 088 grains ; 

 making in all about 16 80 grains per gallon. The foregoing examples 

 will, however, probably be considered sufficient to establish the cha- 

 racter of the water from the New Eed Sandstone. 



In order, however, fully to understand the position which the 

 water from that source holds in the scale of purity, we must compare 

 it with that at present supplied to various towns from other sources. 

 From the above cases it will be observed that the quantity of ingre- 

 dients varies from 6 to 34 grains per gallon. Let us see how this 

 bears comparison with other waters. 



Amongst the towns which are supplied with the purest water are 

 Glasgow, Manchester, and Aberdeen, from Lough Katrine, the York- 

 shire Hills, and the River Dee respectively. In these cases the water 

 is supplied by the surface drainage of hilly districts formed of ancient 

 Palaeozoic formations, and the ingredients vary from 2'95 to 4*00 grains 

 per gallon. Such waters are undoubtedly purer than any that can be 

 drawn from wells, but they are more liable to be charged with peaty 

 matter, especially after rains. 



Amongst those in the next scale may be placed Newcastle and 

 Paris, supplied from the Tyne and the Seine respectively, which con- 

 tain from 11 to 12 grains per gallon. 



Amongst those in the third class, the various districts of the Me- 

 tropolis may be placed, and these labour under the serious disadvan- 

 tage of being charged with organic impurities in proportions varying 

 from 1*40 to 3*68 grains per gallon. The purest of these waters seems 

 to be that of the New River Company, which contains 1720 grains, 

 and the least pure that of the Kent Company, which contains no less 

 than 29 '84 grains of ingredients to the gallon, of which 3-68 grains 

 are organic matter. 



Having regard then to the instances here cited, we think we can 

 have no difficulty in assigning to the waters from the New Red Sand- 

 stone an intermediate position, with this great advantage, that nearly 

 all the foreign ingredients must be mineral and not organic* In truth, 



* The sample given above, from Manchester, containing 34 grains of various 

 salts, is evidently somewhat exceptional, aud may possibly be affected by buildings 

 and factories. 



