The Van Buren press., 1897-05-15
THE CORAL ISLAND EXPEDITION
1t Made n Complete Failure In Its
Operations at Funafuti.

operntions at Funafutl.
a vigorous attempt 70 wrest from LIS.
Jealous hands of nature the secret OF
the origin and genesis of coral atolls
and reefs. commonly spoken OF as coral
islands, was made last summer by an
expedition sent out to the Elliee i'y
the ROYAL society, assisted by com
mittee of the British association, under
the charge of Prof. Sollss, of the Uni
yersftv of Dublin. The chief object
of the expedition, it will be remembered,
was 70 ascertain, by sounding ana Dor
ing. the genesis of a coral island, and
the means employed were fully de
scribed in the Times of September 3
last. The article on the coral island
expedition it was stated that the actual
operation of boring through the depos-
its of coral to the strata below was
comparatively easy, provided all goes
we'll" Unfortunately for the eluelda-
ton of the mystery Of the origin of
coral atolls. all has not gonewell. From
the report submitted BY Prof. Sollas to
the Royal society on February II 1t APP
pears that the expedition arrived at
Funafuti on May 21 last year. and the
first difficulty was to land the boring
plant and driving machinery. y land
ing place having been selected, the
heavy plant was taken ON shore, and on
June 3. within two days of the landing
of the apparatus, the first attempt at
boring was made near the edge OF the
lagoon. Progress in boring was at
first rapid, the men working day and
night in three shifts of eight hours
each, and in a fortnight the bore hole
was los feet deep. But unfortunately
the sand poured into the hole faster
than it could be pumped out, and wher
il was certain that no further advance
could be made the boring at this spot
was reluctantly abandoned.
The expedition then determined to
try the outer or seward side OF the
beach, and spot was found where the
coral rock seemed to be harder and more
promising. Accordingly, trial pits
were sunk, and the apparatus and en-
gines brought round to this side of the
island. The landing Of tie plant on the
seward side was, however, attended
with great difficulty. SO, while some OF
the machinery was brought round by
water. the rest. including the boilers
which were rolled bodily along the
beach by natives, was taken overland.
| News had meanwhile been sent to Sid
rev, \. S. W. where the authorities very
kindly sent out additional boring ma
chinery, which. however, failed to AZ
rive in time. On the outer side, then,
of the coral ring. boring was recon-
meneed, and carried to depth of some
| - feet. But the difficulties here were
even greater then they had been on the
other side. Had the carbonate diamond
! drill encountered the hardest rock, it
could have cut through it with ease.
| But no such solid material was found
| At 4 depth of % feet coral rock was
found. but it was far from solid, and
| being full of holes, either filed with
sand or empty, it was almost possible
| to bore through it. As fast as the sand
was pumped out. fresh supplies flowed
| in. ehoked the tubes, elogged the drill
and eventually rendered it utterly im-
possible for the most powerful drill to
penetrate further. The boring tubes
were pushed down some 90 feet by main
force, but were interrupted by blocks
of coral rock. In short, the water used
for lubricating purposes flowed out, and
sand poured into the hole, and il was evil
dent that further progress was impos'
sible. So the second boring was aban'
doacd at lesser depth than had been
attained in the first instance, and the
expedition left Funafuti at the end OF
! JnlY.@London Times.