THE DOWSER'S MYSTERY.
The mystery of the divining rod appears to be agitating public opinion on the Continent as well as in England. In France societies and journals have been started, the evidence pooled ; and a real attempt, it seems, is being made to find a scientific basis for a power that most men of science are inclined to doubt and most of the public inclined to believe. A pamphlet on the subject has been published (from Polling- fold, Ockley, Dorking, Is.) by Mr. Christie, who is an amateur dowser ; and he claims to have discovered the nature of the force. If there is anything in the dowser's gift, magnetism is at any rate a theory that covers what seem at first blush the contradictory uses of the rod, which was employed for finding metals (and tracking down criminals !) before it was applied to the discovery of water. One would like to see Mr. Christie's theories and his very exact demonstrations scientifically tested. Apparently the neighbourhood of a wireless set may affect the behaviour of the divining rod, and may help in probing its queer problem.
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