Ball’s theory as to the enormity of the tides that occurred in past ages--owing to the moon being nearer to the earth than at present--reveals a means by which the lake might continue to receive fresh accessions of sea-water for many generations. [Illustration: STREET-RAISING IN PROGRESS--HIGH STREET, NORTHWICH] Irrespective of all theories, the outstanding fact remains that enormous beds of salt were deposited in the Cheshire salt lake, and an examination of the strata in the appended Northwich section will enable the salt to tell its own history. _Depth._ _Thickness._ Ft. in. Ft. in. 1 6 1 6 Soil. 9 0 7 6 Drift composed of brown sand mixed with clay varying from 1 to 100 ft. in thickness. 27 0 18 0 Brown clay with greenstone, etc., boulders. 132 0 105 0 Marl in thin bands, brown and blue with thin beds and streaks of gypsum to the rock head. 216 0 84 0 Rock-salt, top bed. 222 0 6 0 Upper blue marlstone mixed with brown, which falls on exposure. 229 0 7 0 Brown marl and marlstone, with vein of red rock-salt. 234 0 5 0 Lower blue marlstone, very compact, hard, and does not fall on exposure. (This forms the foundation for the wedging-curb of the shaft cylinders.) 246 0 12 0 Marl and rock-salt mixed in about equal parts. 330 0 84 0 Rock-salt, bottom bed. 334 0 4 0 Brown and blue marlstone, with rock-salt. 417 0 83 0 Ditto with thin veins of rock-salt, ramifying in various directions. 320 0 3 0 Rock-salt, almost pure. 501 0 81 0 Brown and blue marlstone, with thin veins of rock-salt. 507 0 6 0 Rock-salt, almost transparent. 525 0 18 0 Hard blue marlstone, not sunk through.