The Sun.
London, England, 1859-11-07 00:00:00

EXTRAORDINARY DISCOVERIES.

(From the Athenream.)
RUNCORN, CHESHIRE, Oct. 24.
May I be permitted to lay before your geological
readers some account of a phenomenon recently
brought to light in a quarry of red sandstone in
this neighbourhood?
Twelve years ago footprints were discovered on
the surface of a stratum of red argillaceous earth,
about eight inches thick, which, to a considerable
extent, intervened between two nearly horizontal
beds of the sandstone rock. Perhaps it would be
more correct to say that the impressions were in
relief on the under surface of the rock immediately
overlying the stratum of earth.
They attracted some notice at the time, and I
believe the quarry was visited by Dr. Buck-land and
other geologists. Since then thousands of feet of
the impressions have been disturbed in working
the quarry, the stone of which has been extensively
used in the construction of public works ; and it is
only recently that attention has again been at-
tracted by the discovery of footprints of a much
larger character than those previously observed.
Learning that impressions "resembling a man's
hand" bad been found induced me to visit the
quarry.
I am not sufficiently versed in palienotology to de-
termine to what animal these foOtprints should be
attributed. It is said to have been the cheirotha-
rium, an animal whose footmarks have already been
observed in the new red sandstone near Liverpool,
and in other places,
But it is not in reference to these footprints—
important as they are—that I am induced to
trouble you with this communication. My purpose
is, more expressly, to call attention to an object
found among them, which has excited the astonish-
ment of those who have seen it. Lying horizon-
tally in the clayey stratum of earth intervening
between the beds of rock above referred to was dis-
covered what has every appearance of having
formed part of an ancient Gothic window. It is
k composed of stone, but the stone is of a closer ;rain
than that of the surrounding rock, and consists of
a mullion 20 inches long, springing perpendicu-
larly from tracery a foot in length. This, how-
ever, was longer when found, a considerable
portion having been irrecoverably broken. Sur-
mounting the mullion are two arms extending
right and left, in a direction slightly upwards. The
one on the right is 14 inches, the other 21, in length.
These form, at the point where they join the mul-
lion, an obtuse angle, which corresponds with the
angles formed by each limb, severally with the mul-
lion. Again, from the upper surface of these arms
proceed, at right angles to them, two other arms,
dichotomously, one eight, the other nine, inches in
length. The height of the entire fragment is three
feet, and the distance from the extreme points of the
arms two feet seven inches. The mullion and
tracery are quadrilateral. The side to the front, or
the upper side as it lay when found, measures 34
inches across, and this surface has the appearance
of having been rudely "tooled," as by the hand
of some primitive mason—two grooves or fillets,
separated by a nose one inch wide (to use the lan-
guage of the craft), being distinctly and continu-
ously traceable throughout.
Fully aware how inconsistent it is with the
teachings of geology to believe in the possibility of
evidence of the existence of the human species being
discovered in any of the earth's strata of earlier
formation than the diluvial, I feel, in submitting
the above particulars, that anything so startling
as the supposed discovery of a work of human origin
in a locality so extraordinary and unexpected will
be received with doubt, if not with incredulity.
But whatever the result of further investigation,
which I desire, whether it be that we have in this
fragment a human production, or simply the effect
of some freak of nature, there is still the question
to be solved " How came it to be placed in the si-
tuation in which it was found ?" Of the fact of
its having been so found the proofs are unexcep-
tionable. The foreman, or clerk, of the works, Mr.
J. Widders, an intelligent young man, was present
at the time' and superintended the removal—
which, however, was not effected without its being
unfortunately broken into several pieces. Ile like-
wise has in his possession apiece of rock, on which
are footprints, which was removed from imme-
diately above—in fact, overlying it, and which
formed part of the under side of a bed of superim-
posed rock from 20 to 30 feet in thickness.

With respect to the nature of this rock, it will
be scarcely necessary to say that it is understood
to be regarded by geologists as of the new red
sandstone formation, being continuous, for many
miles distant, with the Sandstone now being quar-
ried in various places, and associated with the
celebrated salt rock of this county—a characteristic
of the red sandstone system.
HENRY WILSON, F.R.C.5.72

ROYAL ENGLISH OPERA, COVENT-GARDEN.-
The following distinguished visitors have lately honoured
the Royal English Opera with their presence :—The
Duchess of Wellington, Countess of Abingdon, Baron and
Baroness Brunow, Marquis and Marchioness of Normanby,
Lady Georgina Grey, Lord and Lady Ernest Bruce, Lady
Lawley, Lady Emily Cathcart, Lady John Somerset, Lady
Mary and Sir Charles Wood, Hon. Colonel Biddulph, Miss
Ponsonby, Lord Arthur Hay, Count Corti, Lady Clara
Cavendish, Lady Molesworth, Lady Stafford, Sir William
and Lady Clay, Lady Shelley, Sir George and Lady Army-
tage, Sir 'William De Bathe, Bart., Sir Frederick ,Roe,
Bart., Sir William Curtis, Bart., Earl of Lisburne, Viscount
Exmouth, Lord Carington, Sir John Rennie, Sir Frederick
French, Bart., Sir C. Rowley, Bart., Sir Henry Fletcher,
Bart., the Hon. Mrs. Stanley, Lord Somerset, Colonel
Brownlow Knox, M.P., Admiral Ryder Burton, General
Steele, Lieut.-Colonel Meyrick, Baron Aldenburgh, Capt.
Mildmay, Captain Clayton, Sir H. Buncombe, Sir Geotge
Pocock, Colonel Da Bathe, Captain Macqueen, Captain
Brent, Captain Read, Hon. Otway Toler, Napier Sturt,
Esq., M.P., Captain Giffard, Lady Chantrey, Capt. Cave,
Sir John Liddell, Lady Meux, A. C. Billing, Esq., Mr.
Banbury, Mr. Delafield, Mr. Vansittart, Capt. Goad, &c.

ROYAL ST. JAMES'S THEATRE.—The following
fashionables have honoured this theatre with their present-e
during the past week : —Earl of Mounteashel, Sir G. Womb-
well, Lord Clinton, Lady Panmure, Hon. G. Knox,
Hume,.M.P., Colonel Foley, Lady Meux, Baron Greene,
Captain Sinclair, Captain Gough, Sir W. Anstruther, Sir
F. Roe, Mr. and Mrs. Bassett, llon. Bathurst, Mr.
Scebell, Captain Parke, Lord Lincoln, Captain Carlton, Sir
W. De Bathe, Horace Claggett, Major Lyons, Earl of
Munster, Hon. W. F. Campbell, Mr. Rawls, Lady
Jenkins, Sir Ralph and Lady Howard, Captain Bernard,
Dr. Hastings, T. Baring, Lord Vane Tempest, Hon. Mr.
Toler, Colonel Charlton, Hon. T. Stoner, Colonel F. Sey-
mour, Sir B. T. Phillips, colonel Townsend, Admiral
Courtney, Hon. Mr. Blythe, Mr. Cathcart, &c., &c., &c.
THE TEMPLE GARDENS.—The show of chrysan-
themums in the two Temple Gardens is now open to the
public (free) every day from ):Line till dusk.