AUTOMATIC WATER-FINDER.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 332, 20 October 1908, Page 5

AUTOMATIC WATER-FINDER.

VALUABLE INVENTION. SHOULD SAVE HUNDREDS OF POUNDS. Some attention is being paid by British scientific papers to an apparatus for locating subterranean water. The instrument is somewhat like a compass, tho needle of which is caused to deflect toward subterranean water just as the needle of a compass is caused to point to tho north. The theory on which the working of the needlo is explained is> that. the electrical cm-rents which are said to be passing constantly from earth to air are more intense in the vicinity of underground streams. Why the same currents do not alfect an ordinary compass in the same way is not explained, but doubtless it is as explicable as tho wireless telegraphy.

How It Is Used. The way in which the instrument is used is as follows: —The apparatus, which mounted on a tripod, very much like a photographer's:camera, is set up near the place where'.water is desired, and with- a certain white." line pointing to the' north. From this white line the -dial is graduated to the right and left to a distance of 70 degrees. _If t there 'is ' water, anywhere.' near, and within'/'IOOO feet of the surface, tho noedle_ will be deflected toward.it. The deflection.'is 'then recorded, and the instrument set. up'in. another spot,' where a new record of'.deflection' is obtained. Tho greater the volume. of. water, tho greater the deflection. ' After a number of such observations have been, made'the records enable the operator: to. determine the best place to bore -for water., If "there is no' water the needle remains quiescent 'on the zero point. The invention has been submitted to prolonged 'and most Severe' experiments by both engineers and scientists, and its accuracy is said to have excited considerable interest. To those who are deeply concerned in the' tapping of subterranean water supplies it is of great prospective value, because it seems capable of saving' tho loss of hundreds of pounds in futile borings. Five minutes' consultation with tho instrument will do tho work of six months of experimental boring. At least, that is what is claimed for it. .

There are, wo believe, none of the instruments yet in New Zealand, but it is not likely that the instrument agents will lose much time in -getting thom out. Possibly the New Zealand Government, which has lately had a number of water spots located by the aid of the Rev. Mr. Mason, under the old style of divinatiou, will make 6ome inquiries about the new apparatus. The .prospect to farmers is an interesting one.- To -be' able to carry along an instrument/under theaartm t and locato in five minutes the very spot where an abundant flow of water can be obtained, opens up a new field in the practice of water getting. Whether the instrument would cost half a crown or £50 is ' not stated, but it looks as though'' five shillings would buy it, for it appears to be very simple in construction. ' '

Then the reliability of its work is worth money. One can easily imagino the Rev. Mr:' Mason and other live water diviners getting- oiit of sorts and being unable to locate the-water with certainty, although it is said that .Mr. Mason has never failed, but at least the ordinary unbelieving farmer, would suspect them of failing. But with tho .instrument this variation of health is absent. It has, however, its whims. , It will not work under trees, or near to iron buildings,, and a moist atmosphere or wet soil, such as prevails after heavy rains, will usually find it telling fibs. . But these fancies are well defined, and they do not fluctuate;; ."/so one can guard against them. flowing through pipes does not'affect it ■ ":v: ' : .'. '

On, the whole the automatic. water-finder seems Worthy of investigation.