The Washington times., 1903-08-26
TURKEY BARS OUT
AMERICAN EXPLORERS
But Lets Other Nations
Search BabylOnian Ruins.
UR EXCAVATION GIVEN UP
Plan Fails After Three Year Struggle.
Subscribers $4,000 Spent
IN Vain.

alton and effort, and the expenditure OF
more than $4,000. the plan for the exca-
walton Of Ur of the Chaldees and other
places in Babylonia by American ex-
plorers has been abandoned because the
Turkish government will not grant per-
mission to American citizens to do this
work
The failure of the project, owing to
inability to procure authorization for
Americans to carry on this work while
men of other nationalities have been
permitted to excavate. has been a dis
appointment to its organizers. but after
having been baff1ed for three years they
concluded that their only course was to
gether.
Letter to Subscribers.
In letter to subscribers to the Ur
expedition, the Rev. Dr. John P. Peters,
chairman of the advisory board, says:
ION June 10. 1900, an application was
made for an trade to exeavate Maugheir.
Ur of the Chaldees, and Nawawis (Eri-
du) ruins in close proximity in southern
Babylonia. and the required topograph-
ical map was submitted with this ap-
pIication. The application was in all
respects in conformity with the law OF
the Turkish empire governing excava-
tions.
mo permission to excavate has been
obtained, nor has any satisfactory rea-
son been given for the failure to grant
such permission Later. at the sugges-
tion of the Turkish authorities. Tel
Ibrahim (Kutha) was substituted for
Maugheir. with the same result.
Delays Exasperate.
''Dr. Edgar ]. Banks, the director of
the expedition, has been in CONSTANT
nople since January II, 1901, earnestly
pressing the Turkish government, with
me cooperation OF the United States
legation, for permission to excavate.
The committee has received from him
from time to time detailed reports of
exasperating delays and devices on the
part of the Turkish government to avoid
giving satisfaction TO request made in
accordance with their own laws"
During this same period permissions
have been granted TO other persons from
other nations to excavate, while the
permission asked for by our committee
has been withheld"
DR.. Peters says that the director OF
the museum at Constantinople and the
peared TO favor the granting of a fir
man, and have even held out hope that
it would speedily be granted. But all
the hope came to naught.
Expenses All Paid.
In the meantime DR.. Banks expenses
have been paid, and also, for a part of
the time, those OF two other members
of the expedition, and the sums contrib
uted for it have been used up. The COM
mittee does not feel warranted under
the circumstances, DR.. Peters says, in
asking for further subscriptions, and.
after a meeting of the advisory board.
1t was determined to lay the facts before
subscribers, together with a financial
statement.
And since 1t is evidently impractical
ble,'' DIR. Peters says at the close of his
letter. "in spite of the plain terms of
the Turkish law, for American citizens,
as such, to obtain permission to exca-
vate in the Turkish empire, or at least
in Babylonia, It was regretfully decided
to disband the Ur expedition"
The financial statement shows sS76. 45
spent for equipment: S2C1. Is for freight;
81, ,408.30 for the directors salary and
living expenses; S345. so for sundry ex-
penses Of his; S743.05 in the directors
hands, or spent by him. but not yet ac-
counted FOR in detail; S70s.30 paid as the
secretary's salary; $54N.66 as salary and
living expenses of the engineer; $40 for
travelling expenses, and $40450 paid out
for sundry home expenses. The total
amount contributed f0f the purposes of
the expedition was Sc. .39465.