The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-02-08
pIsCoYERY IN IE RusALEM.
More Exploration by EngIish EuEI
neers-The Exact Position OF the Tem-
pie 20 be Ascertained.

More Exploration by English EoEi.
neers--The Exact Position OF the Tem.
pie TO be Ascertained
othe Editor Of The London Times
sm;-I avn happy to resume nay communica-
hons on the exploration of Palestine with the
announcement OF discovery which think all
will agree in regarding as q most important
step towards asCertaining the exact position of
the temple. Lieutenant Warren mas discovered
that the north wall of the platform of the
Mosque OF Omar Ito use an erroneous name for
me me sake OF being more intelligible( is oullt or
the edge OF perpendicular scarped rocS, with
It's scarped face to the north; in other words,
that II the present flooring of the Haram
area were removed, the surface of the rock
place in question by 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 to examine q portion, but
enough to reveal subterranean arcade running
apparently along the whole length of the plat
form (25O feet), and about 35 feet in width,
supporting the present flooring of the Haram
Area, beneath which the whole ls concealed.
Though denied by the Turkish authorities the
power of systematic investigation within this
very sacred spot, yet fortune has favored us
with an unlUoked-iOr opportunity, and Mr..
Warren has shown himself quite equal to the
occasion, by being on the spot at the exac'ly
proper moment, and taking advantage of the
chance, l subjOin his letter, and beg TO say that
the drawing referred to with all his other
sketches and reports) m6y be seen, and COPIES
Mall East.
shall shortly ask you to Insert a second
communication, with an account OF Lieutenant
Wafren's extensive and important operations
outside the Temple walls since his return 10
Jerusalem in August. Meanwhile am sorry to
say that we are much in want of money. 1t is
more than two months since made my appeal,
and the funds so generously placed at the dis
posal of the committee have been nearly ex-
hausted. The present season is net inappro-
pirate 20 such CLAIM, and | trust we may be
nrnH mil q Of don, VfnVNe p1 ,V,l
scriptions TO an object the interest of which Is
by no means diminished since | last addressed
you.
Orders for money may be sent to the trea.
surers Of the fund, Mr.. Walter Morrison, M. p,
or Mr.. John Abel Smith, M, p, to Mr.. W.
Besant, acting secretary, all at the Office of the
fu9d No. P2Ii Mall East or to myself
Hon. Sec. Palestine Exploration Fund.
Sydenham, aDuaTy 3.
December S.-Sir:-.On Saturday went over
the Haram area 10 see If could trace any re
semblanCe between the plan OF DR.. Ltghtfoot
and the present form of the ground. On pass
ing by the northern edge of the Mosque OF Omar
platform | saw that the earth had been lately
disturbed at the foot OF the eastern steps, and
on asking the shitkh otthe mosque about It, ne
said that after the heavy rams, three days
before, the ground had given way, and that
they had found an entrance to substructiOns as
large as those at the southeast angle. l sug-
gested to him that the hole had been badly
filled in, and that it would probably give way
HaTam area, and happened to come upon this
place just a few minutes after the hole
bad opened second time; we went
down into it and made an examination.
1t is souterrain, running east and west in
the line of the northern edge OF the mosque
platform; it consists of an arched passage
of eighteen feet span, with bays 10 the
south of twelve feet by seventeen feet arched
over: the piers between being six feet six inches
thick. The southern side of these bays is
scarped rock, and on it the wall supporting the
nO hnT f0no n hp rnn nj lS huiI
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 tcarped 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
| aud 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 peIpen-
dicular TO and forming groins with that OF the
vault. The arch over the vault has span of
eighteen feet, but it is not semiclrcular; 1t
| appears rather to have parabolC curve, while
the arches over the bays are decidedly pointed
(spans from l2 feet 10 l3 feet) The voussoirs of
the arches are small, presenting about 10 inches
by inches on the sotfit. On the northern side
OF the vault could see no appearance of rock
! except in one place for about feet, where there
! is either rock or large stone, the top OF which
is about 10 feet below the springing; the
northern portions of the piers are also OF ma
sOnTy, 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 miscellaneous
| character, in some cases large and small
squared stones, and in some places coarse
Iubble. On the northern side of the vault
are two passages about 2 feet, wide and 6
feet high, which are blocked up after
about 8 feet; they have the appearance
OF being in connection with other vaults to the
north; they are rooted over with stone slabs. To
east and west the souterraln ls blocked up with
rubbish, fallen in from above; but 1t appears to
extend in both directions, though towards the
| west there is an indication OF a portion OF the
arch having gwen way. To the south the rock
| rises TO about the springing of the arches, that
| is TO say, to about twelve feet from the surface
| of the ground, or to about eighteen feet above
| the mosque platform; above the rock the ends
! of the bays are filled in with coarse rubbIe, and
1t is doubtful whether they extend beneath the
| mosque platform. In the eastern bay there Is
| an afched doorway or communication, which is
| filled up with coarse rubDle. The souterraln
has no appearance Of having been constructed
for tank. There Is not q sign of plaster about,
and the rock appears to have been scarped for
| view. 1t differs in most respects from tie
| tanks in the Haram area, and was apparently
built for the purpose OF raising up the
| Haram area to general leVel; tue
| arches appear to be Saracenic, For several
months 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 (rom the
hollow sound of the ground). and my lmpres.
sion now is that the sOuterrain lust discovered
extends all along the northern edge of the plat
torm. do not see thatthis souterriin supports
the position of the temple obtained by the ap