Explorations in Bible lands during the 19th century - H. V. Hilprecht

DURING 19 CENTURY: ASSYRIA AND BABYLONIA 57
at drawing maps of the countries traversed, with the courses
of rivers, the ranges of mountains, and the relative positions
of the places and ruins examined. But no two maps could
have been found which agreed with each other even in the
most essential and characteristic features. It was therefore
very evident that government support was needed, and
the methodical survey by a well-equipped staff of experts
required, in order to change this unsatisfactorv condition.
Most naturally the eyes of all who were interested in the
resurrection of Assyria and Babylonia turned to England,
where at this very moment peculiar constellations had arisen
which were prognostications of systematic action.
THE EUPHRATES
EXPEDITION
Under the especial patronage of King William IV., in
years 1835-37, an expedition was organized by the British
government, in order to survey the northern part of Syria,
to explore the basins of the rivers
the
Euphrates and Tigris, to
test the navigabilitv of the former, and to examine in the
countries adjacent to these great rivers the markets with
which the expedition might be thrown in contact. The
Suez Canal not vet existing, England, jealously watched by
France and Russia, advanced this
important step, apparently
in the hope of stirring the national energy and enterprise
by the results to be achieved to such an enthusiasm as to
lead to establishing regular railway or steamer communications
with the far East by way of the Euphrates valley, and
to restoring life and prosperity to a region renowned for its
fertility in ancient times and generally regarded as the seat
of the earliest civilization.
This expedition, then, owed its
origin mainly to commercial
and political considerations, with the ultimate view of
securing the Euphrates valley as a highway to India. But
though its purpose was a practical one, it deserves a more