UTILISING THE EARTH'S HEAT.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 5, Issue 1277, 13 January 1883, Page 2

UTILISING THE EARTH'S HEAT.

1 A novel idea has emanated from Japan. There has lately been a profusion of suggestions for new applications of old forces j—thef tides; the the iwinda, the .waves, and the heat' of the' sun! : But one 'great although noteasily.., accessible, sources.of ppfl.er.hud been' bverlopked—namely, the. earth'a:qwn;interual heati "At a recent [meeting of the Seiamological Society pf, Japan, Mr : Milne introduced the subject for the"'consideration of the members, He drew attention to ;.t!ie iommonly-received notiou that the whole available ; energy on.' the siitfaciofUhe jsarth had in some way or other its aotion jarid itß'existence traceable to the sun; but |nd mentibh was made by those wholield this view ot the faot that, there 1 is ! a vut supply of ~ energy ifi the interior;of the leayth.;, of'this 'energy Mr Milne called .particular attention'.to that' 'portion; of. it which,erops out'upon, the surface in countries like Japan, Iceland) jand Newi Zealand, in the form of hot springs, aolfataroaand volcanoes. Coming to special particulars, he stated, that there waa'aii " iroliniite J supply of water in hot springs within a radius of a hundred miles round Tokio, and that the heat.of those springs could be converted" into 1 an elect trie current, and the energy transmitted to the town, to be utilised for either the illumination or the heating of the'houßes. 0f course, the geysers of Iceland might in like-manner be' broiight to do service in Reikjovik. There is even'a possibility of Vesuvius challenging Niagara to atrial of Blrength, Mr Milne went a step further, by contending that it was possible to obtain access to the heat which did not 1 crop out on the surface. This'is about the biggest job that has yet been out .out for the bold spirits of the next generation;