CAETER: MINERAL WELLS AT HARROGATE. 315 
which Harrog-ate possesses in her mineral springs, not only as a basis 
of her own material welfare and prosperity, but also as the heritage 
she enjoys alike for our fellow-countrymen generally, and for human- 
ity at large. I have hinted that as far back as the year 1836, legal 
proceedings took place, in which the right to injure or endanger the 
existence of our mineral springs was challenged and successfully 
controverted. In the Act of Parliament for the Improvement of 
Harrogate, which passed some 5 or 6 j^ears afterwards, all excavations 
of the surface were prohibited within 300 yards of the Old Sulphur 
Well ; and this stipulation has since been increased and intensified by 
Provisional Order, so that practically any unauthorised digging or 
excavation within 600 j^ards of the Old Well is now prohibited, and 
may be visited by severe penalties. I have felt it impoi'tant to be 
thus particular in noting the protective conditions referred to, inas- 
much as their existence is not at all times a sufficient guarantee for 
their due and proper observance. Enormous interests, both public 
and private, are dependent upon a vigilant and proper exercise of the 
precautionary authority which the legislature has created; and I 
only regret that past experience does not enable me to pass on from 
this topic without a sentiment of wavering confidence in local author- 
ity, and a lively hope that by bringing it thus prominently under 
notice of our society to-day, its members may feel themselves charg- 
ed with a special zeal and interest in the preservation of the springs 
of Harrogate, which, as I have already intimated, are not only of 
local, but of universal value and importance. It is most gratifying to 
me, and I am sure will be equally interesting to this meeting, that 
the mineral springs of Harrogate will be discussed in a paper about 
to be read to you by Mr. C. Fox Strangways, than whom no more 
competent scientific authority could have favoured us by his presence 
and efforts. Mr. Strangways having been responsibly charged by 
the Ordinance Department with the geological survey of this district, 
has necesssarily dedicated to it an amount of research and observa- 
tion, far beyond what the most zealous amateur could at all aspire 
to ; and I think we may congratulate ourselves notwithstanding all 
I have previously said of Father Smith, and others, that the local 
geology of Harrogate will be illustrated to us, by the most advanced 
