Rensselaer Democrat, Volume 1, Number 3, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 April 1898 — FRESH WATER FOUND IN ROCKS. [ARTICLE]

FRESH WATER FOUND IN ROCKS.

Plaid Fit to Drink Found at a Depth of 100 Feet. In a late number of the Geographical Journal we find a communication from Sir Clements Markham, who describes how Baron Nordenskdold reasoned out the possibility of finding fresh water by boring strong crystalline rock. Baron Nordenskiold’s Idea was that by boring through the granite rocks he would strike water-bearing fissures. He therefore selected the rocky Inlets on the Swedish coasts which serve as pilot and light stations, and completing borings found sweeter water lying In the fissures. In the depth of 100 feet, the texture of the surface rock preventing the salt water from percolating through and commingling with the sweeter water lying in the fissures. In the same number of the Geographical Journal there is an article by M. E. Martel on “British Caves and Speleology." Mr. Martel describee a descent into caves near Enniskillen, as well as other descents In Ireland, and also describes what he saw of underground rivers and lakes in Derbyshire and In Yorkshire. In the case of the Irish caves he says their flowing waters must have an outlet under the sea, as there Is no other way to account for the phenomenon. We refer to these matters, as they Interest cable engineers, and bear upon a paper read before the Institution of Electrical Engineers during last session by Mr. Benest. In this paper it was stated that it was believed by some engineers that submarine telegraph cables were laid on a continental slope and in a direction more or less parallel to the coast dine, were liable to interruption from the effects of an outburst of subterranean water. Deductions from the evidence furbished by Baron Nordenskiold and Mr. Martel seem to increase the belief in the theory’ referred to in Mr. Benest’s paper.—Electrical Review’.