By Sir LOWTHIAN BELL, Bart., F.R.S.


The geology of the Middlesbrough salt region was first referred to,
and it was stated that the development of the salt industry in that
district was the result of accident. In 1859, Messrs. Bolckow &
Vaughan sank a deep well at Middlesbrough, in the hope of obtaining
water for steam and other purposes in connection with their iron works
in that town, although they had previously been informed of the
probably unsuitable character of the water if found. The bore hole was
put down to a depth of 1,200 feet, when a bed of salt rock was struck,
which proved to have a thickness of about 100 feet. At that time
one-eighth of the total salt production of Cheshire was being brought
to the Tyne for the chemical works on that river, hence the discovery
of salt instead of water was regarded by some as the reverse of a
disappointment. The mode of reaching the salt rock by an ordinary
shaft, however, failed, from the influx of water being too great, and
nothing more was heard of Middlesbrough salt until a dozen years
later, when Messrs. Bell Brothers, of Port Clarence, decided to try
the practicability of raising the salt by a method detailed in the
paper. A site was selected 1,314 yards distant from the well of
Messrs. Bolckow & Vaughan, and the Diamond Rock Boring Company was
intrusted with the work of putting down a hole in order to ascertain
whether the bed of salt extended under their land. This occupied
nearly two years, when the salt, 65 feet in thickness, was reached at
a depth of 1,127 feet. Other reasons induced the owners of the
Clarence iron works to continue the bore hole for 150 feet below the
bed of salt; a depth of 1,342 feet from the surface was then reached.
During the process of boring, considerable quantities of inflammable