Page 194 - Gulf Precis (VI)_Neat

1G8 Part III.
Hie elaborate report and maps were sent to the Bombay Government and by
them despatched to tho Court of Directors. The Governor of Bombay (Lord
Claro) expressed great satisfaction at tho work dono by Lieutenant Orrusby in
tho face of tho greatest difficulties. The Government of India also expressed
their satisfaction at tho surveys and stated:—
“ Tho addition of this knowledge obtained to the geography of an important
tract of country will doubtless bo valuable and cannot but ho of high interest,
indepondontly of tho specific objects in connection with navigation by steam,
with a view to which tho information has been collected.” (Letter from tho
Government of India to the Bombay Government, IsTo. 54, dated 2nd January
1832.)
9. It must he noted that in tho survey of tho rivers Lieutenant Ormsby
had, in the absence of a steamer, to contend against tbo greatest difficulties. Do
and his party bad to travel on horseback or other means of conveyance and when­
ever they had to take a passago on the river, couutry boats bad to bo resorted to
with all tho inconvcnionces attending them.*
(iii) Chesney’s Euphrates and Tigris Expedition, 1834—37.
10. In the year 1834 an expeditionf was organized under tho patronage
of King William IV, which as briefly stated by the American author Hilprccht
in his Explorations in Bible Lands had the following purposes iu view
(1) to survey the northern part of Syria,
(2) to explore the basins of both tho rivers Euphrates and Tigris, and
to survey the adjacent districts,
(3) to test tho navigability of the former river, the Euphrates,
(4) to examine in the countries adjacent to these rivers tho markets
the expedition might be thrown into contact.
** The Suez canal not yet existing, England ” remarks Hilprechfc “ jealously
watched by Prance and Russia, advanced this important step, apparently in
tho liopo of stirring tho national energy and enterprise by the results to bo
aobieved to such an enthusiasm as to lead to establishing regular railway
or steamer communication with tho Par East by way of tho Euphrates Valley
and to restoring life and prosperity to a region renowned for its fertility
in ancient times and generally regarded as the scats of the earliest civilization.”
The Parliament sanctioned a grant of £20,000 for the expedition.
11. The following letter of Lieutenant R. A. Chesney on the state of the
country between Syria and tho Persian Gulf at this time will bo read with in­
terest—
Letter from Lieutenant R. A. Chesney,
Bombay Political Department, Volume C45 of 1835.
dated 8th September 1834, to Lord
Palmerston:—
° In opening a communication between England and India through Arabia there will in
the first place be a land journey of 187 miles from the Mediterranean at Scanderoun to Bir
on the Euphrates and a fubscqoentone of 1,100 miles along the river from that town to Kourd
or Basrah that whole being through the dominions of the Porte.
It is unnecessary to observe to Your Lordship that the Sultan's real authority is very
limited in this portion of his territories, but his unreserved support will always have great
moral so long as tho Moslem religion shall exist and therefore the Firman of tho Porte is of
essential consequence in the outset of an undertaking tho success of which must depend mainly
on .the effective support, of tbe Pashas of Baghdad and Egypt during the proposed negotiations
with the Arab Chiefs who in fact possess tho real power of assisting or annoying the progress
of the expedition.
The district of Aleppo gives the Pasba of Egypt the uncontrolled power over the country
between the Mediterranean and the river along whicli his authority extends nearly 209 miles
further in consequence of occupying at present the disputed Landjacs of Orfa and Itncca and
there can bo little doubt of obtaining the Pasha’s efficient support throughout their important
portion of the lino tho moment tho Sultan lias given his nominal sauction.
• Lieutenant Ormaby'a adventures aro doscribcd in Wellitcd'i Tra nh to tlu City oj Caliph*.
f <?/. Cheiney, “ Tho expedition of tbo Survey of tbo Kiveri Euphrstos and Tigris." 2 Yola., I860,
Cherny, "The narrative of Euphrates Expedition," 18G8.
Ainsworth, •' Kcscorchcs in Assyria, Babylonia and Chaldea.
JLinttrorih, "A Poruual Narrative of tho Euphrates Expedition." 2 Volf.