The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-12-30
Scientists viii Explore and
Study It's Waters.
Seek to Learn How Fish Live in
Part of 1t.
CHARTER SMALL SHIP.
German Expedition Has No Com
merciai Bearing.
American Made First ExplOra-
ton of That Territory.

Jerusalem. Palestine, Dec. 3O.-An
expedition, the purpose of which is to
thoroughly explore the Dead Sea and
it's environs under the leadership of
DR.. Bruhl of the University of Berlin,
has just arrived from Europe and con-
tinued to the scene of its future oper-
atoms.
The motives of the expedition. so 1t
is emphatically averred by DR.. Bruhl,
arc purely scientific, with absolutely
no elements OF commercialism enter
ing into it's ultimate object Its mem
bers are with the exception OF man
from Copenhagen and possibly anoth-
er from Sweden, all German scientists
and engineers.
The expedition was organized IN
Germany several months ago ana
seems to be most thoroughly equip
ped scientifically and otherwise II
is financed by private SubScflptloHs' o
few members defraying their share OF
the EXPENSE while among the contribu-
tors several leading Zionists inquire very
prominently.
To Study Lakes Waters.
The work of exploration will consist
in the major part of sounding the deptl
of various sections of the lake as well
as analyzing the unique and complex
composition of its waters, studying Us
shores, investigating the nature of the
different minerals that are said TO
abound in that region, exploring, as Tar
as is possible, the channels OF the many
rivers and hot water streams, apart
from the Jordan, which flow into the
Sea from both the eastern and western
mountain ranges that hem its shores,
examining and classifying the varieties
of fish that exist in large numbers only
in the extreme southeastern section of
the lake which consists mainly of shall |
lows and marshes. 1t must be remem- |
bered in this connection that ii has al |
ways been firmly maintained by those |
who visited the Dead Sea and wrots |
treaties about it long ago that no fish |
of any kind can make their habitat in !
any part of it and this long established =
brief was given the death blow only z
recently by a pleasure party Of Amer
leans long resident in the country who |
visited the southern end of the lake ana
discovered fish
So it remains for the members of the
German expedition to arrive at the
causes which undoubtedly must be due
to varying of the water that make it
possible for fish to live in certain sec
lions of tine lake and not in others; and.
in short, to find out everything about
this strange body of water from scien-
tific standpoints that is worth knowing.
In order the better to facilitate its
operations the expedition has chartered
J little steam vessel for the space of
three months with the proviso that at
the option of DR.. Bruhl the lease may
be extended for an indefinite period
What ultimate political or CONNER
eial motives. if any, underlie the sur
face of the enterprise time only can
show.
Not First Attempt.
This is by no means the first attempt
made to explore the Dead Sea region.
indeed the honor of priority in this di
rection belongs to the doughty Lieu
tenant w. F. Lynch of the American
r1,n H. Tho, |
spent considerable time in research and
exploration Of that region at the eX-
lenSe of the American government and
1t great risk to his person, for in those
lays facilities for travel were OF the
:rudest and people did not know how
o guard against the ravages of ma
aria, to say nothing of the predatory
Bedouin, now under effect
lal control by the Turks, but who were
hen lot of lawless, aggressive bands
Despite all these hardslips and diff
ulties Lieut.. Lynch as fairly success
I'll in taking measurements oS Well as
of different parts of the lake.
70 him, moreover belongs the credit of
Deing the first man to travel in little
,oat from the Sea of Galilee dow the
River Jordan to the Dead Sea.
According to the lieutenant's narra-
i've the lake measures some 46 miles
rom north to south and from six to
, miles east and west. It's total sur
ace area was therefore computed to
re $50 square miles, us STedISSJ uepIH
7as 500 feet at its northern end, and
IS shallowest part being ut its south
IN extremity, varies from 5 to 10 feet
My.
Indeed, so distinct were it's deep and
IS shallow portions that Lieutenant I
synch described its bottom as consist
ne of two submerged plains an eleva- ;
ed one at its southern half averaging ,
3 and a depressed one at it's northern
nd averaging 13 hundred feet beneath !
he surface.
The lake's depression below sea level ! ,
: 1872 fee and a tropical climate ;
makes it's temperature almost unbear-
BILE during certain seasons of the year I
The German expedition, however. has /
cen fortunate in selecting the mildest
lonths of the year during which to
AIRY on their work and under unusual
' more suspicious and favorable cir /
instances than have heretofore at
ended the efforts of explorers in this !
egion.
MBET EAE TIE nknK 1