The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1865-09-09
Petroleum In Europe.

correspondent of the Semaphore, of Marseilics,
writing from Sanok, Austrian Galic;a on the 1Gth
of July, says:
Tho constantly increasing importance of the
trade in mineral oils at Marseles, attracts atten
tion to the oil deposits OF Europe. 90.
1t is now certain that, in a period more or less
long, the old continent will not bo tributary to
America for oils for lighting extracted from the
earth. Every day new natural reservoirs Of petro-
leum are discovered; and a. the same time geolo-
giats arc beginning to understand oil fields Better
the globe. Already observations have boen taken
which enable researches to be made with much
greater chances OF success than when they We're
carried OH Mt hazard. '''. '"- -
Among the localities which already export pctro-
eum is Moldo-Wallachia. There is n, intimate
connection between the reservoirs OF petroleum
liSia, new discoveries are being made every day.
The inhabitants OF the country are beginning to
be seized with the oil fever, and are boring the
rations somewhat Dlindly, and thoy arc without
good Instruments; but foreigners are already be-
ginning to bring tools aud money, and that is nll
that is needed.
There has been much discussion to the origin
of petroleum. In America it vas at frat thought
ton of coal and bitnminous schists; but this ny
pothesis has had to be abandoned as insufficient.
The decomposition of vegetable tissues and even
Of the bodies Of gelatinous animals in the geopgi
cal cpochs has also been considered the cause OF
petroleum. and it is certain that it has contributed
somewhat to the phenomenon. But the enormous
discovered in the four parts of tho world and the
circumstances which have occurred during the
search for and the working of the wells in America
| do not permit this second explanation to be ac-
| cepted as sufficient. 80
| What see in this country, for my part autho-
riZes the belief that there great subterranean
reservoirs fed by the bituminons detectives which
come from the centre OF the earth. In other Words
believe that there still eruptons OF bitumen,
ms there are saline,Y sulphurous end other erup-
tions.| The petroleum which BsTco1ectl comes,
therefore, to us in great part, from the interior,
and not from the superces Of the terrestrial crust
! When petroleum is found in recent formn tions,
as in Galica it Is almost always ut 100 to $50 feet
in depth, in wells which have to be sunk. The oil
must be got out either by buckets OF pump. Bat
in America after emptying such reservoirs, sheets
from which ,theiol spri6gs to tho surface, have
been found. In some cases they have been reached
by borings to @ great depth. In the part Of Eu,
rope, however, OF which am speaking, the upper
reservoirs are in basins OF rock This rock is i'm
penstrabe, but between cofts in it it is probable
that the lower sheets will be reached and that OF
in America, the oil will spring to the surface
However this may bc the reservoirs near the sur
, face Of the earth present q wide field to CONNER
cial enterprise. 1t is OF Importance, however tha
explorers in order to avoid disappontments, ant
to obtain the best results with the least possbl.
outlay, should allow themselves to be guided by
, pure science. It teaches that there are oil depos
'its from the Oder to the Danube, and by seeking
In that hne SUCCESS can hardly fail to be attained