The mirror., 1921-01-27

rived in Jerusalem to take up his new
duties, not the least of which will con-
Germ the solution of questions relating to
the different religious bodies in Palestine.
Under the terms of the Treaty these diff
cult matters are to be settled by special
commission, appointed by the League of
Nations.
Physically the region of Palestine and
Syria consists of (1) the long coastal
plain; (2) the long limestone backbone"
separated by the fertile Plain of Esdralon
from the Syrian Highlands and Mount
Lebanon; (3) the deep rift of the Jordan
Valley and the Dead sea (whose surface
is 1922 feet below the level of the Medi-
terranean) and az the strip on the high
plateau system east of the Jordan.
The railways are now linked up with
the Egyptian system via GAIA, Ell Arish,
and Kantara. The most important routes
are those which lead inland from the
Mediterranean ports-(D from Jaffa to
Jerusalem; (2) from Haifa, through the
plain of Esdraelon, to the main line from
the Bagdad Railway at Aleppo, via HONS
and Damacus to the Hejaz Railway, the
pilgrim line to Medina; and (3) from
Beirut to Damascus.
From the Mediterranean to the Dead
sea is only about 50 miles; from-the spurs
of Lebanon to the desert at Beersheba is
only about 10 miles. Yet into this small
country there has been crowded from the
days of Abraham till our own, so much
history that takes prominent place in the
ANIMALS of mankind. From the low noun
tains few miles north of Jerusalem, the
traveller can see as he looks northward a
far-of summit carrying snow for eight
months in the year. 1t is Hermon, nearly
10000 feet high, whose fountains feed
the rivers of Damascus.
The land is relatively poor in natural
resources. There are few minerals-no
coal, iron, copper, or silver worth work
ing; but asphalt beds and petroleum wells
have been discovered and are being
worked in the deep rift of the Jordan
Valley. There are no great forests; even
on Lebanon there is but sorry remnant
of the magnificent cedars which Hiram
King of Tyre, sent by sea to Solomon for
his Temple. Only comparatively small
area is suitable for tillage, and this is
worked by the most primitive methods.
The most productive belts are the coastal
plain and the Plain of Esdraelon. Wheat,
barley, sesame, olives, raisins, figs, and
oranges grow in these regions. The
orange groves of Jaffa are world-famous.
The vine Aourishes in fertile spots, and
raisins and apricots are grown. The date
palm yields well in the oases, and along
the desert fringes In the south-facing
valleys of Lebanon the mulberry is culti-
waited, and silk worms are reared.
Sheep and goats thrive on the scanty
herbage that clothes the dry hillsides, and
on the eastern side of the Jordan Valley
the "strong bulls of Bashan" are reared,
as in the days of old. Bees are kept, and
furnish large quantities of honey.
Rain falls chiefly in winter. In sum-
mer the grass is scorched, and the land is
"a dry, parched land, wherein no water.
is" Even the vineyards, orchards, and
olive yards seem to hold more stones than
fertile earth
Lord Bryce, writing of what Palestine
might be says: "Under a better govern
ment-a- government which should give
honest administration, repress brigandage,
diffuse education, irrigate the now desc
late, because sun-scorched, valley of the
lower Jordan by water drawn from the
upper course of the river-Palestine might
become a prosperous and even populous
country, and have its place in the civili-
cation of the present.
Under Jewish rule nrotected nv the