254 
THE MIDDLE LIAS OE NORTHAMPTONSHIRE. 
level in the southern area is only due to extraction of 
water from a large number of smaller wells, many of which 
are situated on or near to the catchment area. 
If, therefore, Northampton has exercised its power to 
obtain water from the Marlstone to such an extent that all 
other near sources, in certain directions, have been drained, 
by the continuous exercise of this power, and by keeping the 
water-level low, it would get the larger share of any water arti¬ 
ficially put into it. I never could understand the mean and 
shortsighted opposition of some people to the filling up of the 
Marlstone, because other people would be benefited. Neglect¬ 
ing altogether any consideration for those who may, so far, 
have been debarred from getting water from the Marlstone, 
owing to our own monoply of it, surely if we, at North¬ 
ampton, could get all we want by this method, at less expense 
than by any other, we ought to be satisfied. 
What I have been saying with regard to the draining of 
the Marlstone, of course, can only apply to the area westward 
of a line drawn through Northampton in the direction of strike 
of that formation, that is in a direction almost N.E. by S.W. 
It so happens that Kettering, Gayton, and Brackley, are 
situated almost exactly on this line, the first being 13 miles 
and the last 18 miles away. Making some allowance for 
curves in the strata, and resistance in the bed, one would 
expect to find the water-level at Kettering very low, as indeed 
it was. Eastward, however, of this line one would expect to 
find the Marlstone full, and the head-level of the water to 
increase most in a south-easterly direction. Fortunately I 
have been able to verify this, by finding a Marlstone spring 
at IIaunds, nine miles S.E. of Kettering. This well, at a time 
when there was scarcely enough pressure at Northampton for 
the water to rise above the Kock-bed, and when there was very 
little water at Kettering in the same bed, had a “head” of 
nearly 60ft. of water. Considerable quantities of water were 
pumped from this well in 1884, for the supply of the village, 
but they could never reduce it more than two or three feet, and 
it rapidly regained its former level. 
There are certain peculiarities with regard to this well 
which it would be of interest to investigate ; but since it is 
situated some seventeen miles from Northampton, it could 
not have much influence on the Northampton area, and so I 
am content to simply give it as an illustration in support of 
the theory that in a certain direction the Marlstone has 
remained full, when in other directions it has been drained. 
One great advantage that the scheme of water supply 
here discussed offers, is, that the artificial swallow holes will 
