ton, appears to have been organic matter to which I shall allude when speaking of the origin of the ingredients of these springs.

The next published analysis was that of Mr. Murray, a Lecturer on Chemistry, who took the opportunity of a short stay at Askern to examine the waters; the results of his analysis appeared in a July number of the Doncaster Gazette, for the year 1821. Mr. Murray's examination was, however, made in too great haste for much reliance to be placed on his conclusions, some of which are, in fact, inconsistent with his own experiments. The following is the result of Mr. Murray's analysis:

Saline contents of six ounces of water:

The presence of sulphuretted hydrogen is un

doubted, but the existence of sulphuretted azote is certainly not proved by the experiments of Mr. Murray; and it may be fairly questioned whether the compound of sulphur and nitrogen, which has recently been obtained by Souberain, and which had

not been procured in a separate form when Mr. Murray wrote, can exist in a state of solution in a mineral water.

The large quantity of Carbonate of Lime is not to be found, as here stated; if such were the case, the so called petrifying power of the water would far exceed that of any spring of the kind known in this country. The presence of Alumina was not, as I have noted above, in any way confirmed by our recent analysis. Oxygen, as a constituent of atmospheric air, was, by Mr. Murray, supposed to be present: it was not discovered by our more careful investigation. This gas is found constantly in waters exposed to the atmosphere, but appears to be very rare in mineral springs containing sulphuretted hydrogen and carbonic acid. The absence of carbonic acid in Mr. Murray's analysis is accounted for by his supposing that the carbonate of lime exists in the state of a super-salt; but, as the super or bi-carbonate of lime is not recognised as a salt by modern chemists, the carbonic acid has been considered in the present analysis as free. That there is more carbonic acid than would merely form a super salt with the carbonate of lime is proved by the existence of the same quantity of carbonate of lime, with unequal proportions of carbonic acid, in the various wells.

SECTION III.

ON THE ORIGIN OF THE MINERAL WATER OF ASKERN AND ITS CONTENTS.

THE Source of sulphureous waters has always been a subject of considerable interest, as they present so great a departure from the ordinary constitution of the waters of the earth, and retain, through such lengthened periods of time, the same character.

The origin of the numerous springs with which the earth abounds has been variously explained; some have referred it to the great reservoir, the ocean, supposing that the water finds its way from thence through the clefts and fissures of the strata of the earth. According to this theory, the great difference in composition between the various mineral waters and that of the ocean has been thought to arise from the sea-water becoming altered by percolating through sand, and by passing over other ingredients; this explanation may apply to springs situated near the sea side, but is quite inadequate to account for the origin and existence of those in the interior of continents, and on the summits of mountains at vast distances from the ocean.

Another cause that has been assigned is the existence of water, in a state of vapour, in the central parts of the earth, the result of volcanic action; in this form it comes forth, as from the Geysers of Iceland; in that of boiling water, or water of various degrees of heat, as in thermal springs; or in that of water cooled down to the ordinary temperature of the earth. This was the theory of Scrope, and is probably correct with regard to the cause of the appearance of the water in most springs. From a geological examination of the district, it is very evident that volcanic agency has once been actively at work on the whole country around Askern; and it is probable that to such a cause we are indebted for its springs. But the great source of the water is undoubtedly the atmosphere, from whence it is precipitated in the form of rain and dew, which, after sinking to great depths, is brought up by the agency referred to above.

The source of the ingredients contained in the water must, however, be looked for in the nature of the rocks and strata through which the water passes in its course to the surface.

As the gaseous contents of the Askern water are the most prominent, the origin of these will be first discussed.

Sulphuretted Hydrogen.-A variety of theories have been proposed to account for its appearance, some of which have been very discordant and

contradictory. Two explanations have, however, been generally received, and, as each is adequate for the purpose, and is in accordance with known laws, I shall endeavour to point out their application to the springs in question, especially as the subject has lately obtained peculiar interest, from the discovery of the fact of large quantities of this gas being contained in the water of the ocean.

The situation of sulphureous waters, especially those of this country, near boggy districts, gave rise, at a very early period, to the opinion that the sulphuretted hydrogen was developed from vegetable matter: this explanation of its origin has been adopted by writers on the waters of Harrogate. The fact of sulphureous springs being found in abundance in the contiguous bogs, led to the supposition that all the wells were derived from this source, and the inhabitants of that place generally entertain a notion that "the bog is the mother of the waters." The elevated position of the swampy ground also favored this view; it was surmised that the waters were formed there, and that, after filtering through the rock, they appeared in their pure state at the lower wells.

The situation of Askern in the vicinity of boggy ground has also led to the same supposition with regard to the origin of its sulphureous waters. On making an examination of the boggy district, for the purpose, if possible, of gaining evidence for the