Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1869-02-14
DISCOVERY IN JERUSALEM
The Exact Position of the Tenn
pie.

To the Editor Of The London Times.
SIR Il am happy to resume my com
-munications on the exploration of Pal
estine with the announcement of a dis
eovery which I think all will agree il
regarding as a most important step TOWARD
ascertaining the exact position of tht
Temple. Lieutenant Warren has dis.
covered that the north wall of the plat
form of the Mosque Of Omar Ito use an
erroneous name for the sake of being
more intelligible) Is built on the edge Of
a perpendicular searped rock, with Its
scarped face to the north in other
words, that if the present flooring of the
Haram Area were removed, the surface
of the rock would be seen to be Interrupt
ted st the place in question by a sudden
artificial gap, running from east to west,
both deep and wide, though at present
of unknown width and depth. Of this
gap Mr.. Warren has only yet been able
20 examine a portion, but enough to re-
veal a subterranean arcade running ap-
parently along the whole length Of the
platform ESQ feet, and about thirty
five feet in width, suppOsing the present
flooring of the Haram Area, beneath
which the whole Is concealed. Though
denied by the Turkish authorities the
power Of systematic investigation within
this very sacred spot, yet fortune has
favored u with an unlocked. for oppor-
tunity, and Mr.. Warren has shown him
self quite equal to the occasion, and tax
ing advantage of the chance. l subjoin
his letter, and beg to say that the draw
ing referred to with all other sketches
} and reports, may be seen, and copies OBJ
tanned at the Office Of the Fund, at Pail
mall East.
| shall shortly ask you to insert a
second communication with an account
of Lieutenant Warren's extensive and
important operations outside the Temple
walls since his return TO Jerusalem in
August. Meanwhile l am sorry to say
that we are much in want of money. 1t
is more than two months since l made
any appeal, and the funds so generously
placed at the disposal of the committee
have been nearly exhausted. The pres
ent season is not inappropriate to such a
claim, and | trust We may be favored
with a renewal of donations and sub
scriptiOns TO an object the interest of
which is by no means diminished since
l last addressed you.
Orders for money may be sent to the
t~reasurers Of the fund, Mr.. Walter Nor
Tison, NJ. p, or Mr.. John Abel Smith.
NJ. P. 70 Mr.. W. Besant, acting secre
tary all at the Office Of the fund, 9 Pail
Mall East or to myself.
Your faithful servant.
GEORGE GROVE.
Hon. Sec. Palestine Exploration Fund. /
Sydenham, January 3.
DECEMBER s.
SIR:-0n Saturday l went over the
Haram Area to see if l could trace any
resemblance between the plan of DR..
Lightfoot and the present form Of the
ground. On passing by the northern
edge Of the Mosque Of Omar platform |
saw that the earth had been lately
disturbed at the foot Of the east
eastern steps, and on asking the
shiekh Of the mosque about it, he
~ AAdA aAAIA NAE NAV n AuluSs l4IEE ]
days before the ground had given away,
and that they had found an entrance to
Eubstructions as large as those at the
southeast angle. / suggested 10 him
that the hole had been badly filled in,
and that it would probably give way
again. This morning we went early to
the Haram Area, and happened 20 come
upon this place just a few minutes after
the hole had opened a second time we
went down into it and made an examina-
ton. It's q souterrain, running east
and west in the line Of the northern edge
Of the mosque platform (see planl; it
consists Of an arched passage of eighteen
feet span, with bays to the south of
twelve feet by seventeen feet, arched
over, the piers between being sixIfeet six
IL ches thick. The southern side Of
these bays is scarped rock, and on it the
wall supporting the northern edge Of the
mosque platform is built. Portions of
the piers are also scarped from the rock,
which appears to shelve down rapidly to
the north, SO that if the earth and these
vaults were removed, the northern end
Of the mosque platform would present
the appearance Of a perpendicular searp-
ed rock, with excresences on its face
three feet six inches thick, twelve feet
apart, sad projecting about six feet. The
vault vas examined for about seventy
feet east and west, and four bays were
surveyed the crown of the arch of the
vault and also Of the bays is about two feet
below the surface of the ground. which
is then about eight feet below the level
Of the mosque platform the distance
from crown to springing of the arches is
nine feet six inches, those arches of the
bays being perpendicular to and forming
groins with that of the vault. The arch
has a span of eighteen feet, but it is not
semi.circular it appears rather to have
a parabolic curve, while the arches over
the BAYS are decidedly pointed (spans
from twelve feet to thirteen feet. The