New-York tribune., 1904-09-24
DEEP HOLES IN TIE GROUND.

Mr.. Charles A. Parsons. the inventor Of the
steam turbine, was the president Of the engi-
neering section of the British Association for
the Advancement of Science this year. No
small part OF his address-the full text of which
has just come TO hand-was devoted to what
most people would probably consider a highly
visionary project He gave estimates of the
probable cost Of sinking hole In the ground
ten or twelve miles and of the time that might
be consumed in doing so. He also made num-
ber of suggestions concerning the manner in
which the work should be executed. Mr.. Par
sons had been arguing that patents in England
did not always last long enough TO give man
as much protection as was needed. On that ac-
count inventors and scientific experts some
times hesitate to undertake protracted investi-
cations in which they might otherwise engage
By way of illustration the speaker cited the
proposition to study terrestrial temperatures at
great depths, and incidentally characterized the
inquiry as "highIy important" One is at lib
erty, Of course, TO construe these expressions
as an indication that Mr.. Parsons is occasionally
carried by his imagination into the realm of the
impracticable With equal or greater justice
they may be regarded as the mature opinions of
a thoroughly sane thinker
Professor William Hallock, OF Columbia Uni
yersity, pointed out few years ago that the
scheme in question had industrial possibilities
If the coal deposits should ever give out the
internal heat OF the earth might perhaps be
utilized to generate steam for power. 1t would
probably be necessary to go down ten miles to
reach the temperature of boiling water Other
agents than water, however could be employed
which vaporize more readily. Neither Profess
sor Hallock nor any one else has yet indicated
precisely how thermal energy from this source
could best be converted into power, but pre-
sumpdvely inexhaustible store OF it would ap-
parently be available IL il were tapped in the
right manner. Whether the return would be
large enough to pay dividends on the invest
ment cannot be foretold easily. but no one is in
a position to affirm that the venture could not
be made remunerative.
The chief reason given by those who advocate
such an investigation is that it promises to
throw light on a number OF scientific prob
lens. Information might thus be obtained, for
instance, relative to the origin OF volcanoes
Biologists might also be aided in determining
whether the earth is a condensed nebula or an
aggregation Of small solid celestial bodies that
have become fused together. In an address to
the Chemistry Section Of the American Associa-
dOn for the Advancement of Science last winter
Professor Baskerville referred TO another aues-
ton of this kind. The average weight of a
cubic foot OF the globe as whole is five and a
half times greater than that of cubic foot of
the crust. One of the possible explanations of
the fact is that the heavier elements have sunk
TO the bottom. Within the last few years II
has been discovered that several of the heaviest
elements-radium. uranium and thorium-pos-
sess strange properties. More interest IS felt
now than ever before in their distribution and
abundance. Obviously, It is impossible to 90 to
the centre of the earth 70 ascertain whether the
supposition is correct or not, but important
clews might be obtained in the uppermost ten
miles OF the crust. Moreover, 1T can hardly be
doubted that valuable revelations whose nat
ure is not now even suspected would be made