The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-10-14
SubmerCing the jordan.
THE PROJECT OF MAKING A \
RIVAL THE SUEZ.

RIVAL THE SbfI'
Proceedings OF the British Assoclation.l
Mr.. Trelawny Saunders read paper In
which he gave full description Of the Jor-
dan Valley. 1t formed depression that
gradually reached depth OF 1000 feet be-
low the Mediterranean and Dead seas
level. Openings occurred north and south
which presented facilities for rendering
the great hollow vast waterway. The
channel to be cut would be 40 feet
in depth; the highest cutting 243
feet IN height. No habitaiions would
be disturbed by the proposed works. Agri--
culture was depressed by eXtortion ana
robbery. The plain OF Jezreel afforded
pasture TO the flocks OF seven tribes OF
Turcomans. who migrated for the winter.
Immense wealth would accrue to Damas-
Gus. it, population and trade would IN
crease. with port within easy reach and a
railway at it, doors. Other regions east
and west OF it would be benefited. The
length Of the cutting to the Red sea would
be g. miles-27 on the northern and 80 on
the southern slope. The total length OF
the channel from sea To sea would he with
i'm 30 miles. How far tunnels might be
used 10 save the excavation OF cutting was
a question for engineers. Jerusalem
would be brought within ten miles OF
the water ut m elevation OF 100 feet above
il. Tiberias would be submerged, but its
Latin convent and i97 houses could be
well replaced by new town on an eligible
site. Besides TibcriaS, the Jordan Valley
contains eight or ten groups OF squalld
novels. with about rs many hundreds of
inhabitants. II was very unhealthy, and,
for the most part, uncuItiyated. Jericho
had but sixty families, of evil repute, in
wretched novels. Two other places con-
sisted Of sixty or seventy mud huts and
ruins. There were a few ruins OF very
uncertain identification. The pilgrimage
to the bathing-places OF the Jordan
would he greatly facilitated by the new
channel flaughterl. and the arrangements
could only Ice changed for the better in
every respect. The new navigation would
promote the completion OF the survey.
This should satisfy the claims Of learning
and religion, which were content till re-
Gently with IN amount Of Typographical
ignorance that deficd any advance i'm criti-
cal investigation. Certain excavations
should Ice added to carry ont the
intentions OF the most jealous in
QIirers. II some unhealthy sites were
to be submerged. others OF much
greater interest. including the entire re-
mainder, would be more easily accessible.
The physical and sentimental aspects OF the
ease sunk into inSigniiicancc before the pO-
litical difficulties. which were chiefly for
midabIc because no leading statesman ap-
peared equal to coping with them. DIS
sent. and cries Of oh The opening OF
the Jordan channel was much more OF a
| fl.utt .l.KH- 4sgl stfta. flln
the project was pursued the political as
poets Of the ease must come 10 the front.
The Rev. Canon Tristram vigorously OPP
posed the project. II would bury forever
at depth OF from 800 10 1900 feet the his
toric sites Of the greatest events OF the
worlds history. II would sink i'm the
depth OF ocean an area Of $500 square
miles. some OF il the richest soil in the
world. Ii would cXtenninalc fauna alb
solutely unique. There was no reasonable
expectation OF success Tor the undertaking.
| Allowance did not seem 10 have been
made for evaporation, and i'm 1000 years
the surface Of the Dead sea had sunk five
feet. The engineering difficulties were
moderated, aud it was not stated how
ship, were to pass through tunnels. II
would be difficulty 10 provide water fOI
| the army Of workmcn required. The cut
ting involved would be four times that OF
the Sucz canal; the cost S2,j0O,000 per
mile. or thirty times that Of the Sucz
canal.
Mr.. Saunders said he was glad his state
mcnts OF fact were accepted. He was
sorry the Rev. Canon seemed To slight thc
| fulflmcnt Of prophecy. which f0retold
considerable changes. We did not know
the site of Capernaum-("l Yes ")-though
Canon Tristram thought he knew it. Then,
the places supposed 10 be sacred were all
under curse. Was there no wish 10 dis
cover anything new in natural history
to see what would be the effect Of these
changes? [Laughter.l
Canon TriStram contended that this sea.
| like all inland seas, would be affected by
evaporation. He protested against being
called upon in this way in the fuliiment OF
prophecy. At any rate. Capernaum was
somewhere on the land that was to be sub
merged.
The president Of the section said the
area to be submerged was enormous, and
it would have 10 be- bought up. II might
be a question whether we could disturb
the equilibrium OF the earth's surface by
introducing into this valley an enormous
| volume OF water.