The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1850-01-29 00:00:00

various elevations, the

from the outlet increases. 6th. That the interposition of
clayey beds, denser and more impervious sandstone strata,
and other obstructive media, causes wider discrepancy in
the height of the water in the various wells than would
be due to their contiguity to, or remoteness from, the
outlets merely. 7th. I might be disposed to deduce,
from the fact that certain salts being held in solution by
water, another argument to show that its source is a
remote one, as these salts are not contained in the ma-
terial through which the water would filtrate if it were
derived from the surface absorption of this district merely.
These, then, are some facts and inferences on which my
belief is founded, that the sandstone contains an abundant
supply of water for the wants of Liverpool for many years
to come. But before leaving this part of the subject, I
beg to test, by some facts and figures. a hypothesis ad-
vanced by several geologists, that the strata are saturated
with a supply of water which has been accumulating for
ages, and which bear no relation to the water supply. It
is admitted that the rock immediately under the town,
the surface of which has been for a long time paved,
sewered, and built over, can receive no supply from the
rain fall. Now, within the town, and distant from each
other about half a mile, are three wells, Hotham-street,
Bevington-busb, and Soho. The two first have been in

existence for about fifty years, the last about half that
time. These wells do not derive their water from the
same source, because it is so different in quality in each,
and the exhaustion of one by pumping does not affect the
others. If the hypothesis referred to be correct, these
wells, for nearly all the time they have been in existence,
must, from the causes stated, have drawn their supply
solely from the stores of water accumulated in the stone.
Now, from direct experiment, I find that the most porous
kind of the sandstone absorbs about one-sixth part of its
bulk of water, or one gallon to a cubic foot. Each well
has been then operating to exhaust an area of half a mile
square, and about two hundred feet deep ; and on the
low calculation of pumping three hundred thousand gal-
lons each day, all the water would have been pumped out
in thirteen years. But I am happy to say the water is
not pumped out yet, the three wells continuing to yield
each more than 300,000,000 gallons per diem. The ex-
istence of the water under the condition being admitted,
the next consideration is the means to be used for pro-
curing it. In the report presented by Mr. Simpson and
myself a plan is proposed which has for its object the cen-
tralization of the works, in order to their economical
working and management. It has been urged that the
water could be more cheaply obtained by borings than by
wells and tunnels, and it is perhaps necessary that I
should give some reasons in addition to the centralisation
of the works and economy of the management for pre-
ferring wells to borings. If the water is derivable from
the pores of the stone, then it appears clear that the
larger the porus surface exposed, the greater will be the
quantity of the water obtained. The quantities will be,
in fact, ceteris paribus, directly as the circumference of
the wells and bores respectively. Thus, a six-inch bore
hole will, in yielding power, be to a six. feet well, in round
numbers, as 1 to 17. That is, one well of six feet
diameter, carried to the same depth, will yield as much
water as twelve bores of six inches. If, as some alive,
there are underground reservoirs of water which require to
be tapped tc yield immense supplies, then, I apprehend, a
borehole must be regarded merely as a pipe which will
deliver a certain quantity of water due to its diameter and
the velocity of the current, and as with the same head the
quantity delivered will be as the squares of the diameters
of the pipes, the ratio of delivery of a six-inch bore to
that of a six-feet will be as Ito 147, nearly. Hence, as
the cost of sinking a well of the size mentioned does not
exceed the cost of putting down a bore, and the wells are
more favourable to the before mentioned centralisation of
the works, and economy of working and management,—
'one I would give them the preference.

on these groun

But there is also another point ; the bore.holes are apt to
become filled up, as has been the case at all the stations
from time to time.

In answer to questions by Mr. Stephenson, Mr. New-
lands stated that when he spoke of the pumping not
affecting other wells, he meant merely the public wells.
Generally speaking, there was little or no sympathy be-
tween the public wells of Liverpool.
Mr. FAZACKERLY, who had been connected with the
water-works of the town for seventeen years; Mr. Dux-
CANSON, connected with the Bootle works; and Mr.
M'GILL, of the Harrington works ; next made statements
as to the abundant yield of their works. The latter said
that during his connection with the works, he had noticed
no change whatever in the quality of the water. He
should say that the quantity of water raised at the works
during the last twclve zualflis would be but a p
prpximatioi

toivield., He referred to aft the wells except Windsor.
Mr. JOSEPH JONES, engine-driver at Copperas-hill
works, and Mr. Joxic OWENS, of Water-street works
were next examined ; and afterwards Mr. MORRIS EVANS,
who has had the charge of the Soho-,
',lit years, gave eviden

treet en g.

Ine for

to an abundant anti abiding

supply

DUNCAN, the deputy borough engineer, stated
various particulars relative to the sinking of Green-lane
well. He handed in evidence he had given before the par-
liamentary commissioners on the water question, and said
he only wished to correct one thing. He had there esti-
mated the yield of the Green-lane well at 800 gallons per
minute ; subsequent proceedings had proved that the
yield was above that. Messrs. Kennedy and Macgregor
had found that it was not SOO but 1,000. He thought
now the truth was that the yield of that well was 900 gal-
lons oer minute. He had not given his attention to the
quality of the water, but it was a very good drink.
Mr. GAGE then entered into a very elaborate argument,
by which he clearly showed, from numerous experiments
which he had made, and from fluxional diagrams, pre-
pared from the official reports, that the water in the wells
was abundant, however they might pump ; that the quality
was good, and that an ample, sufficient, and continuous
supply could be furnished at little cost. He confirmed
the statement of Mr. Newlands, that the water in
the wells was not produced by absorption from the fall on
the surface. _ _

Mr. JAMES MACDONALD, formerly superintendent of
the whole water-works in this town, was next examined.
He began by showing the great loss by fires, occasioned
the former insufficient supply of water, and mentioned

the various steps which had been taken by boring to pro
cure an increase. The pipes in the lower parts of the
town were, he said, very defective ; and unless some
alteration of them took place, neither the supply from
Bala Lake nor Rivington would be of any avail. Mr.
Macdonald spoke strongly to the sufficiency of the home
supply, and afterwards read a lengthy, and very carefully
compiled statement in support of his views.
Mr. JOHN LITTLE, well-sitiker, Mr. KENNEDY, who
tested the wells along with Mr. Macgregor, Mr. MOSES
OUSELEY, Mr. HENRY MANSFELD, and Mr. JAS. TAY-
LOR, gave evidence as to the capability of the local wells
for affording a sufficient supply.
Mr. JOHN GRANTHAM, the fourth scientific witness
examined, was satisfied that the local supply was sufficient.
He did not consider the tunnel proposed by Messrs.
Simpson and Newlands necessary, but believed that the
quantity of water really needful, which he thought was
about two million gallons, in addition to the quantity
yielded by the present public and private wells, might be
obtained for £70,000 or £BO,OOO, by a plan which he ex-
plained. This plan was to close up the Hotham-street
well, as not worth working ; to work the Windsor and
Green-lane wells, each with two Cornish engines. He
calculated on four million gallons (twice the present yield)
from the Green-lane and Windsor wells; one million
gallons from the united Bevington-bush.and Soho-street
wells ; four hundred thousand from Hotham-street well;
and six hundred thousand from Bodtle.

Mr. SLATER, of the saw-mills in Seel-strreet, proved
that he had two excellent wells, from which he threw
away 100,000 gallons of water daily ; but he also .stated
that he had to deepen one of these wells in the year 1846,
and that one of them was now, taking shaft 28 yards, and
bore 100 yards, nearly 400 feet in depth.
Mr. SAMUEL GREENHOUGH, who has charge of a well
near Mr. Slaters's well, further proved that when Mr.
Slater bored his well, his employer's well had to be
deepened likewise.