The Sun.
London, England, 1852-09-20 00:00:00

:ttrb Vtitttont

',TTERSALL'S•-THIS EVENING.

Six O'CLOCK.

TII E SUN,

SURVEY OF PALESTINE.
However vast the accessions to our geographical
knowledge of the Hely Land have been 'f late years,
much remained to be done before it could be said
that we possessed a tolerably complete account of
that country. A considerable number of eminent
men are continually devoting their time and their
energies to the cause of an extended knowledge of that
region—some as residents on the spot or as travellers,
others as labourers at home ; and not a year
passes without some new works of travel or research
being published. But the nature of the country is so
difficult for exploration—the dangers and impedi-
ments in travelling among its population, consisting
of tribes of the " greatest possible rogues," are so
manifold, and the climate is so trying to Europeans,
that it is not to be wondered at if there are large
districts still unknown and unexplored, in spite of
their unceasing efforts. Even when travellers have
been successful enough to explore such unknown dis-
tricts, they bane frequently been unable, from cir-
cumstances, to make their observations sufficiently
precise—so as to lay down their discoveries on the
map with a satisfactory degree of correctness.
When, therefore, Lieutenant Van de Velde, late of
the Royal Dutch Navy, departed last year for the
Holy Land with a view to explore and survey those
portions of it which hitherto remained blanks in our
maps, or which have been delineated conjecturally—
his undertaking was looked on with great interest :
the projector being well known
from his surveys
and researches in the Sunda Islands, and as the
author of the " Gezigten nit Neerlando Indie" (an
illustrated and descriptive account, in large folio, of
the Dutch East India Archipelago), and of the large
and splendid map of Java, published in 1845. Very
few experienced and practical surveyors had hitherto
visited Palestine. Lieutenant Van de Velde has just
returned to this country with the results of his la-
hours, having successfully accomplished a portion at
least of his task.
Velde
wceosmtemrnesnlcoedpe his
Beirout,
oonpne
tr aLt ieohnosn
oant
M. Van
de
Leontes; which river he crossed, and
Baseifrooru vey in
sst, stuhre g
thence proceeded to Hasbeiya, situated at the foot of
Mount Hermon, with the intention of making that
place one of his principal stations for taking observa-
tions. A misfortune befel him here, which had well-
nigh put an end to his undertaking. He was robbed
of the whole of his money and effects, barely saving
his journals and instruments. He resolved, however,
to proceed with his operations, and was happily as-
sisted therein and encouraged by his European friends
at Beirout. After having traced the course of the '
wild and romantic Leontes, he thoroughly explored
the whole of Galilee —the northern portion of which,
Belad Besharab, has hitherto been almost unknown
owing to the savage character of the inhabitants, who
do not allow Europeans to pass through their country,
or make travelling very hezardous when they do. M
Van de Velde owed his success mainly to his being so
fortunate as to meet with the Seikhs of Belad Be-
sbarah, who were assembled at Tibnin when he
arrived there, and whose favour he secured. They
enabled him to travel unmolested, and gave him an
amount of information which he could not otherwise
have obtained. He also discovered the sites and ruins
of important ancient places ' • among which may be
mentioned Hazor and severalPheenician towns. The
Waly of Korrain, with the castle of the same name,
south of Tibnin and the surrounding parts, were
found to be the most beautiful region of Galilee ;
abounding in perennial streams, luxuriant
vegetation, noble forests, and romantic scenery—
yet possessing scarcely any inhabitants. M. Van de
Velde went thence to Acca, surveying the surround-
ing country ; and proceeding to Mount Carmel,
which interesting but little known region he tho-
roughly explored. Continuing his survey towards
the south, through Samaria, he discovered the cities
of Dothan, Ai, and other important places. From Jeru-
salem he visited the region alongthe western region of
the Dead Sea—a dreadful desert of weary mountains
and without water. The shores of the Dead Sea itself
were not omitted; and careful investigations were
made, in order to verify the discoveries of certain re-
cent expeditions in that quarter—the correctness of
many of which, however, M. Van de Velde found
serious grounds for doubting. He then extended his
journey on the western side as far as Beersheba—
crossing in various directions the country between
that place and the ancient Ekron, and returning once
more to Jerusalem. From thence he continued his
explorations of the northern portions of Judaea, as
far as Jordan and the Dead Sea, and thence he pro-
ceeded northwards—making the eastern portion of
Samaria (chiefly from Sichem to the Jordan) his
field of observation, ascertaining and identify-
ing the sites and ruins of Akrabi, Daumeh,
Fasailus, the oasis of Kurrawa, Wady el Feryab,
and other interesting points. ie then crossed the
Jordan about where, according to ancient writers,
Pella should be situated; and he had the satisfaction
of finding the ruins as first discovered by Irby and
Mangles, whose statement and description—hitherto
looked on as rather doubtful, he entirely corroborates.

The region round Beizan, Mount Tabor, Nazareth,
Nain and Endor, Sunen, Jezreel, and the Lake of
of Tiberias, next claimed his attention. His design
to extend his survey to the east of that lake was un-
happily frustrated by the wars then going on in those
parts between the Druses and the Bedouins. He
therefore followed the valley of the Jordan to the
Haleh Lake and the sources of that river, after hav-
ing previously made another tour into Samaria. Again
reaching Mount Lebanon, he ascended the peak
Tomat-Niha, which affords a very magnificent view
and a most valuable point for observation—the range
of vision extending over the whole of Samaria. He
then went across Lebanon and anti-Lebanon to Da-
mascus—returned from that place to Ccele-Syria—
explored there tee sources of the Orontes, and mi-
nutely investigated the wonderful monuments in that
region—and after surveying various other parts of
Mount Lebanon, he made his way to Beirout on his
return to Europe.
During the whole of this extensive and laborious
survey, Lieut. Van de Velde had withstood the
dangers of the climate ; but on reaching the coast of
Sidon he was attacked by fever, and would probably
have fallen its victim, had he not at once determined
on being carried into a boat and conveyed by sea to
Beirout, where he went on board the steamer, which
soon after bore him in health and safety to Trieste.
The results of this undertaking are said to be of the
utmost importance to the geography of the Holy
Land. In addition to his surveys and scientific ob-
servations, M. Van de Velde has, we are informed,
made no less than one hundred sketches of the most
interesting points visited by him, of which very few
have been seen before by any European. It is to be
hoped that his labours will soon be laid before the
public.—Athenamm.

THE LATE FATAL ACCIDENT ON THE
BRISTOL AND EXETER RAILWAY.

11 ;TO Sm. 18. —This morning, at ten o'clock,
the adjourned inquest on the body of Lambert Eaton,
the engineer who was killed on the Bth inst. on the Bris-
tol and Exeter Railway at Creech, near Taunton, was
resumed at the Taunton and Somerset County Hos-
pital, when, after hearing the additional evidence, the
jury delivered the following verdict:—
working
Lambert Eaton, the driver of engine No. 20,
day f September,
express train down, on Wednesday, the Bth
--ePtember, 1852, died on Monday, the 13th day
September, 1852 , from injuries received by reason of
the said engine, No. 20 getting off the line of the Bristol
L
and Exeter Railway, near
Creech St. Michael, near Taunton, and that there has
not been any direct or satisfactory evidence to prove
by what means such engine, No. 20, was thrown off the
said line or occasioned the accident and death of the
said Lambert Eaton. The jury unanimously recom-
mend the attention of the engineers of the Bristol and
Exeter Railway to the state of the substratum and
packing of that portion of the said railway leading
from the western terminus of the invert. at Creech St.
Michael.

MEEXNCTHOAFNTLIE NEW ROYAL
committee met on Wednesday last on
GE.
DISFIGURE
objection taken to the alteration par_
the subject bGjercetsoh
walls. The committee was called
tamsbe COMM
shops in its external
who is chairman ex
tially made in this fine building by bringing forward the
properly suggested that the
officio, and who had very
at the instance of the Lord Mayor,
Common Council, under
discussed in the Court of Comm
for Thursday
Norris
works should be suspended until the matter could be
the notice of motion given by Mr.
next.
we have We have not been able to learn any of the particulars
of the discussion in the committee, but
ascer-
tained the result, which is, that the Gresham committee
alter the
have declined either to suspend the works or
those
been received with disappointment and regret by
..
__,
avowed determination. The report of this result has
who feel an interest in the character of our national
buildings. To them it appears that the irregularity and
want of uniformity (presuming that every sacrifice is to
be made to pecuniary considerations) will do great
dis-
honour to the city of London in the very centre of its
Place of most conspicautis improvement ; and it
i 3 belies, d that a powerful effort wilt be
de
than hy thn Corporation to prevent the more
contemplated mischief. It is reported that the
contrast for Leis* alterations projected has been taken at
huu"s,4ool., but there is every reason to believe that
tun will be much exceeded. It is also said that the
money has been borrowed from the Bank of England at
a very low rate of interest, and that the tenants who re-
quire tne alterations are to pay rents at the rate of 5 per
cent, on the building. From this circumstance of the
increased rents the great irregularity complained of ap-
parently arises.
—(m11 of the tenants wish that their
shops should be brought forward, and are willing to pay
the expenses which must attend the alterations. Others
of the tenants object to such a proposition. The conse-
quence of this disagreement is, that out of twelve spaces
on the south side of the Royal Exchange, eight are al-
tered and four remain in their original condition. At
the south east corner two out of three have undergone
alteration. At the east end two are now being altered,
and one is painted and finished as if uo change wore to