Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-08-17

Asersisu Of is Uncovered aud she To-
terest % Pesssssss.
London Daily Newx.1

oGfusAltm Soutsfho n&~1y NN''~~ ~
crets. In some places sixty, seventy,
and even as much a. 100 feet Of rub
bish has been accumulated over Whist
was ut q former period the surface OF
the ground. The first great beginning
Of this heapiug up Of the fragments OF
destruction may be dated t the time
when Nebucbadnezzar took Jernsa-
lem and carried off the inhsbit-
ants TO "the rivers Of Baby lon."
At that time Nebuzs-Adsn, who
commanded the Chaldeans, " burned
tie House of the Lord" and 1t
is also stated that "the Chaldesns
burned the Kings house and the houses
of the people with fire, and brake down
the walls Of Jerusalem" This must
have been = very complete demolition,
and the result necessarily produced
very large archaeological deposit. The
unfortunate city has undergone many
similar operations since that time,
and on each occasion the new
stratum of remains has been laid
down. Let any one, however little
he may have read on the sub
iect, throw his thoughts back on Such
q history, and be will easily conceive
what may be hid under the streets
of modern Jerusalem. Ii is to Sir
Charles Warren. the present first com-
missioner Of police. who. as Captain
Warren. acted for the Palestine Explo'
ration fund, that We owe our first
glippses Of " Underground Jerasa-
lem." BE told us in exac, figures OF
ihe great depth OF rubbish which had
gathered in the valleys, and which, Ia
spite Of the filing up, are still visible IN
the ancient city. The work OF Sir Z.
Warren cleared up some points that
weIe formerly doubtful. bat much re-
mains obscure. There are many
problems regarding the old topo'
eraphy which cannot be solved
till further excavations are made.
Prominent among the points requir-
ing light TO be thrown on them are the
exact positions Of the Temple aud the
Holy Sepulchre. The questions have
not only historical and archaeological
interest, but the whole Christian world
has naturally a deep anxiety to know
the exact truth regarding them. Al
present no excavations can be carried
on; the Porte refuses all spplicstions
for permission to explore where digging
might at present be done, and 1t is ooly
" hen the foundations Of house require
the clearing away of the ground ths'
chance brings something 10 light.
Such chance has lately taken place,
A new hotel bad TO be built near the
Jaffa Gate. This was the Medi.errs-
mean Hotel, whieh, as visitors to Jera
salem will remember, formerly stood
not far within the Damascus Gate. Tne
spot where this took place may be de-
scribed in the words Of the sccoun'
which has come home. 1t 10 at the
| head Of David street" not named d.
rectly from the royal Psala,ist, bn'
from the Tower Of David, which stand
st the end Of it. Here, in clearing out
the foundations, old walls, canals, and
cisterns we're laid bare; but the most
important discovery WAS come t
at depth Of hfteen feet. Herr
were found the remains Of an oil
wall, which Is supposed to hsS
been one Of the arc'eut city walls, an
almost all the suIhoIilies are agreed ths
II is the second wall" of JOsephu
which has been so long sought fpr
4 bout thirty Yards of thls wall hs'
been uncovered. Two courses, and l.
places three courses, of the stones re
ipGin IN position. These stones ar
large aid similar 10 tho, 10 the love
If David. The llpe of the wall besu
dnsctly opposite tie toaer, aud run
TO the moth. trendirg slightly TO n
west. So far it folloss line p,ralIe
10 the present wall running from n
Jsfia Gate TO the ncrrhss>t cnrrer
lhe city. The interest attaching 10 tn'
wall is peculiar. \ giea' man!
PEOPLE believe that the hols Sevul
che does lot stand on Golgoth
nor over the new sepu!chi e
wherein was never man laid" Shic
had been excsvs~d IN the Garden q
Joseph OF Anmsthea DR.. Roblnso
was not the tirst TO express doubts o
this subject, but be has dealt lafgei
on il in bis work GA Jerusalem. Cap
tain Copdsr prefers for Golgotha.
Calvary. the round monnd. "forne
Ike skull" outside Of the 0smsscu
Gate. General Gordon, who lived SON
| months in Jerusalem Immediately be
fore going 20 Khartoum, and devote
his time exclusively to the study Of hi
subject, also accepted the knob of roc
at the Damascus Gate ss the most probi
bic position. The connection sxistin
between the Holy Sepulchre and the SEQ
ond wall comes about in this way /: 10
crucifxiOn took place without the gate
Now, the second wall is supposed
be as old as The time Of Hezeklsb, an
its existence al the time Of the Saviour
soiourn on earth is not doubted. III
Holy Sepulchre is st present in Ii
very middle Of the city. The city ma
have grown round it in eighteen Gel
turies, but if this second wall could
traced so as 10 enclose the spot With
its circuit its specially exalted sanctit
would be at once destroyed. The mo-
sacred shrine Of the Christian Churc
! would cease to exist; the Crusade
would be looked upon as . delusion.
only . fight for an empty natshel
This will show the interest which .
taches to the few feet Of ancient mason
ry which has been discovered 1T th
head Of "David street," in J'
rusalsm. The thirty yards
wall is not enough to decide the poin,
it would require perhaps to be trace
one hundred yards further TO kuo
whether it went of to the west, Al
included the Holy Sepulchre, or turi
to the east, so IS to leave the Shirt
without the gate" A continued e.
ploration is impossible, as the space
all built over 10 the north. Und'
these houses lies the secret which b,
such interest and Importance. Tee
for the present it must remain, and v
l ,noet u.;t all the time cnrnes u han SON