The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1869-02-14

Dfeeovery IN 0orusolehs
MORE EXPLORATION BY THE ENGLISH ENGINEERS
THE EXACT POSITION OF THE TEMPLE TO BE
AsCERTAINED.
To the Editor Of the London Times:
Sri am happy to resume my communications
on the exploration OF Palestine with the announce
regarding as Q most important step toward ascer-
tanning the exact position OF the Temple. Lieut..
Warren has discovered that the north wall Of the
platform of the Mosque Of Omar Ito use an erro.
is built on the edge Of perpendicular scarped
rock, with its scsrped face to the north; In other
words, that II the present flooring OF the Haram
Area were removed the surface OF the rock would
be seen to be interrupted at the place In question
by sudden artificial gap, running from east to
west both deep and wide, though at present Of
unknown width and depth. or this gap Mr.. War
rem has only yet been able to examine portion,
but enough to reveal Q subterranean arcade run.
ming apparently along the whole length Of the
platform, (250 feet,) and about IS feet In width,
supporting 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 rs with an unlocked
for opportunity, and Mr.. Warren has shown him
self quite equal to the occasion, by being on the
spot at the exactly proper moment, and taking
advantage of the chance. / subjoin his letter,
and beg 10 say that the drawing referred to with
all his other sketches and reports) may be seen,
and copies obtained, at the Office of the Fund, in
Pail Mall East.
shall shortly ask you to insert second com.
munication with an account OF Lieutenant War
ren's extensive and important operations outside
the Temple walls since his return to Jerusalem in
August. Meanwhile am sorry to say that we
are much in want Of money. IL is more than two
generously placed at the disposal of the commit
tee have been nearly exhausted. The present
season IL not inappropriate to such claim. and
trust we may be favored with renewal of dona-
lions and subscriptions to an object the interest
of which is by no means diminished since last
addressed you.
Orders for money may be sent to the treasurers
of the fund, Mr.. Walter Morrison. NJ P, or Mr..
John Abel Smith, II. p; to Mr.. W. Besant. acting
secretary; all at the Office Of the fund. Pail
Mall East, or to myself.
Your faithful servant,
GEORGE GROVE,
Hon. Sec. Palestine Exploration Fund.
Sydenham, Janusry3 8.
DECEMBER s.
Sir'-0n Saturday went over the Haram area
to see II i could trace any resemblance between
the plan of DR.. Lightfoot and the present form Of
the ground. On passing by the northern edge of
had been lately disturbed at the foot of the eastern
steps, and on asking the shiekh of the mosque
about II, he said that after the heavy rains three
days before, the ground had given away. and that
they had found an entrance to substructions as
large as those at the southeast angle. Suggested
to him that the hole had been badly filed in, and
that ii would probably give way again. This
morning we went early to the Haram area, and
happened to come upon this place just few
minutes after the hole had opened second time
we went down into II and made an examination.
1t Is souterrain, running east and west In the line
of the northern edge of the mosque platform (see
plan; II consists of an arched passage Of eighteen
feet spsn with bays to the south Of twelve feet by
seventeen feet, arched over /; the piers be-
tween being six feet six inches 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 ap-
pearance Of perpendicular scarped rock, with
excrescences on its face three feet six inches
thick, twelve feet apart, and projecting about six
feet The vault was 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 springDg OF the arches is nine feet six
inches, those arches Of the bays being perpendic-
ular TO and forming groins with that Of the vault
The arch over the vault has span Of eighteen
feet, but ii is not semicrcuar; it appears rather
TO have q parabolic curve, while the arches over
the bays are decidedly pointed (spans from IL to
presenting about Is inches by inches on the
sofit. On the northern side of the vault could
see no appearance OF rock except In one place for
about five feet, where there s either rock or q
large stone the top Of which is about ten feet be-
low the springing the northern portions Of the
piers are also of masonry, but from their centres
TO their southern ends they are cleanly scarped
from the rocks just as is the southern end of the
bays. The masonry in the walls is of very mis-
cellsneous character, in SEINE cases large and
small squared stones, and In some places coarse
rubble. On the northern side of the vault
are two passages about two feet wide and six feet
high, which blocked up after about eight feet
they have the appearance OF being In con-
nection with other vaults TO the north, they are
rooted over with stone slabs. To east and
west the souterran is blocked up with rubbish,
fallen in from above; but it appears to extend in
both directions. though towards the west there Is
an indication of portion of the arch having given
way. To the south the rock rises to about the
epringing Of the arches; that 10 to say, to about
twelve feet from the surface of the ground, or to
about eighteen feet below the mosque platform !;
above the rock the ends Of the bays are filed in
with coarse rubble, and is doubtful whether they
extend beneath the mosque platform. In the east
ern bay there is en- arched doorway or communi.
cation which is filed up with coarse rubble. The
souterrain has no appearance OF having been con-
structed for tank; there Is not sign OF plaster
about, and the rock appears to have been scarped
for view. II differs In most respects from the
tanks in the Hsram area, and was apparently
quit fOr tne pIrpOec VI iarinS uP Tue nai o OIL
to general level the arches appear to be Sara
cenic. For several months l have been seeking
an opportunity TO examine the ground on the
northern side Of the mosque platform near the
western steps, as am convinced there are vaults
there from the hollow sound of the ground) and
my impression now is that the souterrain just dis
covered extends all along the northern edge OF
the platform. do not see that this souterrain
supports the position of the temple obtained By
the application OF DR.. Lghtfoots plan to the ex
listing plan, Is sent home by this mail. II may
with reason be claimed by one party as the ditch
on the northern wall OF the temple, and by the
other as the northern ditch of Antonis
1t, however, limits the space on which the tenn
pie could have stood, and as other knowledge Il
gained 1t may become strong point in settling
The matter. q. WARREN,
Lieutenant Royal Engineers.