Evening star., 1897-12-03
TArrANG THE ROCK FOR w,U.s
huron N0rdcnskjold's Theory I,c,a.
10 an Important Dfscover

~ an Important DiscOyerx
Baron Nordenskjolds system of boring
ior fresh water through the granite rocks
Oh sweden has now been in uperation for
TWO years The Geographical Journal saws
that 1orty-four wells have been bored
lhis Is not alone a question Of finding
water but Of the discovery of a new and
important principle
Inc diihculty in obtaining good drink
ing water at many of the pilot and light
stations on the rocky islets off the Swedish
coasts first induced Nordenskjold to con-
sioer the subject. He bell aved from his
researches IN Sptzbergen that a horizontal
eiach would generally be found to exist in
al Soiio rocks at an Insignificant depth
peneath the earth's surface Consequently.
in the Swedish rocks. he concluded tb,t
water would be found by boring tn ,b;s
crack. The only places 5where there w,s
any prospect of such borings being under
tahen were on out-of-the-way rocks and
is1ets, Where water was so much needed
ddnsfo1 In 1faer TO solve the problem, Baron Nor
uehskJold. as early as 1885, inquired re-
spectlhS the saltness of water in wells or
mines es near the sea coast and collected
soli.c s important Information. He was told
that several wells in sedimentary strata
near the sea coast, yielded water free from
salt' auhough the springs are at depths of
one hundred to two hundred and fifty feet
od th sea iexei. The information he collect
eo' tnoush far from conclusive. appeared
10 point to the fact that water Obtained hv
oorLls on rocky islands would not be salt
NSlneh,shi put fresh drinking water
chief of the pilot stations that he sho,,Id
allow an attempt at boring to be made at
some suitable station The first boring
Sook place In 1891, on the little island of
abandoned after reaching sufficient
depth. because long crack was reached
extending from the sea, to the boring hole
D. Z. wa was next taken up in May. 1894, by
'a oaIoh Nuuth' the general director for pi-
iots, VINO, regardless OF. the unsuccessful
poflns at SVangen, canB&tl,a a second expert
ment TO be tried at ABkas THE site selected
rock heinz ant pace a near tths ailot station the
ana ana eiorite. The results Mere very salts
factory; AS soon as AZ depth of about one
haleo reIent eta ieet was reached they came to ex
an hour At first the water was a little
yelioW, owing to the clay in the cracks of
tns TUCK, the stone dust and oil from the
Wa.as' VVa,ns' h put II soon became perfectly clear
" water mas always beep found at depth
OF ninety to one hundred and twenty-five
1eet; and similar boritgs have since been
carried out successfully at forty-four differ
WIN VIII. the clay from the. cracks. the stone
uust ana OIL from the machine. and it is
some time before all the dirty water is
pumped pS nl away; but soon # becomes as clear
d
ture of about 43 degrees to As degrees
Fahrenheit. II h.
Inc boring in hard, close rock would
pIopaDiy nave the same results in other
countries Baron Nordenskjold is con-
Hinced that wherever hard, close rock ex-
ISIS, with variations In temperature and
not permeable, water win be found in the
same way as in Sweden. and in the same
quantity-that IS, from six hundred to two
thousand quarts an hour, with moderate
pumping Sites for such borings could be
found Tor example. on many parts of the
n nor.n coast OF Africa. in Abyssinia, in
South Africa. In Spain and other parts of
tne western Mediterranean. at the foot of
mount sinai. in Greece and Asia Minor.
ana IN the dry watersheds of the canyons
OF the Colorado. In the tropics. where
there are dry seasons. such wells cannot
supply water for extensive cultivation. But
they Will spring forth, free from all bac-
terra and impurities. and will suffice for
housenold purposes. for small villages and
Ior gardens; The practical Importance of
Baron Nordenskjold's discovery entities 1t
to special attention.