THE MIDDLE LIAS OF NORTHAMPTONSHIHE 
145 
Naturally the question, whether it would not be better to 
put down a large number of small borings, instead of making 
these comparatively large wells,has suggesteditself; ithas, how¬ 
ever, been dismissed on the ground of inefficiency and expense. 
6 .—Total Expense. A scheme which would enable the 
owners and occupiers of low-lying lands to get rid of much of 
the water which is now so troublesome ought to have the 
ready sanction and pecuniary aid of such persons, and, by 
mutual co-operation, a district greatly improved at com¬ 
paratively small expense. 
It might be that more than twelve wells would be 
advisable, and that considerable expense would be incurred 
in procuring the right to construct dumb-wells where most 
desirable, although they would occupy very little room. 
For these contingencies allow £13,000, making altogether 
£25.000, and then the whole scheme would be one quarter of 
the expense now being incurred for the construction of the 
Ravensthorpe Reservoir, &c., or a saving to the town of at 
least £75,000. 
VI.—Are there any Special Natural or Legal 
Difficulties in the Matter ? 
So far as I know, all the natural difficulties have been con¬ 
sidered ; nevertheless, a few observations on some natural 
and artifical processes, very nearly allied to those proposed, 
seem to appropriately come here. 
I have very naturally been asked where such a plan has 
been tried. I am not aware that a new idea should not be 
tried because it has not been tried, and any denunciation 
founded on such a principle would be satisfactorily answered 
by saying that it has never failed. I grant that no such plan 
as this has been adopted, though the principle of swallow 
holes is well known, and has been recognised and advan¬ 
tageously utilised in numerous instances, as I propose to show. 
At a conference on “ Water Supply,” held by the Society 
of Arts, at the Health Exhibition, July 24th, 1884, a paper 
was read by Mr. C. E. De Ranee, A.I.C.E., F.G.S., &c. 
(the Secretary of the Underground Water Committee of the 
British Association), on “A Possible Increase of Underground 
Water Supply,” in which was proposed, in general terms, the 
adoption of some such plan as the one under consideration, 
for all districts where permeable rocks were covered by 
impermeable. At this meeting the discussion was decidedly 
