Geology of the Lower Yangtze Engineering Society of China Dr-Tuesday's meeting. of the Herbert Chatley read an important paper on the "Geology of the Yangtze Valley below Wuhu."
The author began by mentioning that in 1916 the Engineer-in-Chief of the Whangpoo Conservancy Board had arranged for a rough geological survey of the Yangtze estuary below Wuhu to be made by Mr. V. K. Ting, the director of the Chinese Government—_ geological survey.
The report made by Mr. Ting was now public and the object of the author's paper was to describe it and indicate certain engineering applications which might arise out of it.
He described very briefly the previous geological work done in China and called to attention to the great difficulty of identifying the epochs of the strata in China.
He then summarized the conelusions reached in the report as to stratigraphy, dynamic geology and physiographic development. The controversy.as to an old Yangtze mouth south of Chinkiang was now settled in the negative, as the canal was artificial and out through an old ridge of loess. Nevertheless flood water would enter the, Taihu plain, if the existing dams'in the canal were not maintained. The dolts, has grown rapidly and almost all the area east of the Tungchow, Kahsia, Haiyen line was only about 2,000 years old.
The Huangpu was probably formed by the coalescence of tidal channels between shoals. The Taihu and other lakes prore old lagoons loft behind the shoals.
The author then indicated certain conclusions in regard to river engineering. The Yangtze River had wandered widely over the plain. Enormous accretion had occurred and was still proceeding. The internal lakes were filling up. The inland waterways were continually changing by erosion and accretion. 'A small general subsidence was als> in_progress.
Hence all big works must contemplate gradual but large deviations of the river and an advance of the coast line. The inland waterways must be carefully regulared. Eventually higher dykes would be required.
The possibilities of a large artesian well supply were next touched upon, the author remarking on the hill lines and depth of alluvium as perhaps indicating basin.
After referring to the sources of building stone, details were given as to the position of various coal mines east of the Taihu, in Anhui and near Nanking.
Figures were given as to the Shanghai's present coal demand and inquiry as to the possibilities of developing the local mines was strongly urged-'A few notes as to local iron mines followed and the author
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.