Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1912-08-20
"GARpEN OF EDEN."
Explorers Plan to Reclaim Fabled Site
of Beauty.

Explorers Plan to Reclaim Fabled Site
of Beauty.
The vast tract of land forming the
delta of the Euphrates and the Tigris,
described by Sir William Willcocks.
K. C. M. G., as 1.-THE Garden Of Eden."
Is possibly to be reclaimed. This. at
least, is the scheme which the famous
Mesopotamian explorer has submitted
to the Turkish government, and which
he explained last night at meeting
Of the Royal Geographical society held
under the presidency Of Lord Curzon.
The theory is that the site of the
garden was devastated by 'the dragon
Of the Euphrates." If, therefore, the
Euphrates and the Tigris can be mas
tered by dyke and barrage, it is held
that the garden can be restored into a
place Of fruit and flowers and rich
crops.
Every part of the Euphrates delta,
from Hit to the Persian gulf" said Sir
William Willcocks, has been called
Eden-that is, the cultivated and irri-
gated plain. The Garden of Eden Of
our own Biblical tradition lay, be-
lieve, on the upper Euphrates, between
Annax and Hit. The Garden of Eden
Of the people of Sumer and Akkad lay,
probably, just north of Ur Of the Chal-
dees."
At any rate, Sir William Willcocks
maintains that the Euphrates- -Tigris
delta can be reclaimed. eff we wish
to reclaim Babylonia without tens Of
thousands Of captives weeping by its
waters. we must provide the Euphra-
tes, between Anax and Hit, and the
Tigris, with efficient escapes. The Eu-
pirates can be mastered thus: The
ancients controlled it by an escape
into a depression 500 square miles in
extent and fifty feet deep northwest Of
Kerbela. A belt Of shells gave me
the clue, and 1 rediscovered it, and
now the Habbania escape, under con-
struction by Sir J. Jackson and Co.,
waters Of the Euphrates into it again.
1.-The Tigris is more difficult prob
lem. Professionally 1 have suggested
to the Turkish government to sacri-
floods, and to create a very massive
canal and dyke along the right bank.
On the other hand. an escape could
be constructed. If we could overcome
the objections of the Shammar Arabs
we could utilize a salt-pan southwest
Of Samara, in which, as we have dis
covered, the River Tarthar termi-'
mates. We should have to raise the
level of the Tigris in food by eight
meters. and the two barrages and ca
nal needed would cost 5000, 900
pounds.
But there would be a splendid re-
turn. The value Of every acre Of land
in the delta would be doubled; 1t
would be a godsend to Baghdad, and
allow the Baghdad railway to traverse
the cultivated land instead of the des-
would be richer than the delta Of the
Nile. and a safer place for the invest
ment of capital. Indeed, I should say
that, as the Egyptians are so eager to
return to the protection of Turkey.
England would make a good financial
bargain to exchange Egypt for Baby
lonia.
THE first direct irrigation works to
be carried out will be the Feluja and
Hindie barrages on the Euphrates and
the canals and drains dependent on
them. On the Tigris the canals to ir-
rigate the country northwest Of Bagh-
dad will be taken off above the pro-
posed barrages near Nimrod's dam.
which are, I hope, to provide the es-
cape into the Tarthar depression. The
second barrage on the Tigris will be
made at Koot. to convert the Hal
branch of the river into a permanent
canal. Further down, at the junction,
regulating works, dykes and canals are
proposed to reclaim the land from Bas-
ra to Khor Abdalla"
Sir William Willcocks pointed out
that various ruined dams could not be
reconstructed. and that once flood
protection was secured silt prevention
would present another problem. The
two rivers in flood carry five times as
much deposit as the Nile. "On the
subject of navigation" he added, II