of forests of great trees, as contrasted with thickets or moderate sized woods, there is no evidence at all. The total rainfall of Palestine* does not average "about 40 inches per annum.' In the higher mountain region the mean is about 26-27 inches, in the plains less, and in the Jordan Valley very much less. Probably the mean rainfall on the whole surface of Western Palestine is well under 15 inches. No one who has passed even one year in Palestine could possibly describe the "remaining nine months of the year "as having a sky" practically cloudless." Rain falls off and on for quite six months and March is at times the wettest month. During all the late months of summer heavy banks of clouds pass across the sky to the great mitigation of the climate. It may be of interest to some present to know that at certain spots near the mouth of the Jordan and where springs flow into the lake, a few small fish may be seen at times swimming about, but they cannot live at all in the undiluted Dead Sea water. Mrs. STRUTT said :—It is a great pity that a concession of such a far-reaching character should have been granted to a Russian Jew, to the exclusion of other Nationalists. So far nothing appears to have been done. I was informed he had gone to New York to endeavour to raise £200,000, but was not successful. Any concession to do any good would require 10 times that amount, and different undertakings should be granted to different pioneers, and so give as much employment as possible. AUTHOR'S REPLY. I beg to express my thanks to the gentlemen who honoured me by discussing this paper, and for the kind criticism and valuable fresh thoughts and suggestions. I quite agree with the Chairman, as to the most convenient places for the irrigation; but in my plan the water from the canals was never expected to reach the Dead Sea-being exclusively reserved for the irrigation (p. 138, 2nd para.; p. 140, 5th para.). Mr. Finn says that only Divine power can bring about these stupendous changes." As pointed out (p. 143, last para.) an earthquake might be the material means for creating the "tunnel." *These remarks about the rainfall have been added as the speaker had not time to finish. Lieut.-Colonel F. A. Molony: The slight raising contemplated of the actual level of the Sea of Galilee (and a corresponding lowering of the actual lowest ebb) will drain a very considerable volume of water to the canals, without submerging any city of arable lands. In each of the tributaries several dams should be built at suitable places, one above the other, in order to avoid pumping and thus utilizing as far as possible gravitation, the cheapest of means fordistribution of the water (p. 138, para. 1). The lowest of these reservoirs could be united by the cana (shown in dotted lines on the map). Lieut.-Colonel G. Mackinley: The said African depression does exist. A power-scheme like the one suggested by the speaker will in all cases really depend upon the cost of the power generated, the length of the tunnel and the depth of the depression, also the eventual use of the power on the spot will have to be considered. The Rev. E. P. Cachemaille: I beg to thank the hon. speaker, from whose books I have derived so much biblical knowledge, for his most instructive suggestions. I heartily agree with Mr. Theodore Roberts in believing fulfilment of Prophecy (Biblical) as both past, present and future. In lectures I demonstrate this graphically by moving the white screen from the lantern towards the opposite wall, every epoch in history can thus be shown its own particular fulfilment, until in focus the final, complete-future-picture appears, leaving all the preliminary, then historic, pictures as imperfect, indistinct, partly only visible ones from the past. Up to the present day historicist, I must be "Futurist" as regards future, but allowing no "gap." I quite agree with Doctor Masterman, that the pumping of water up some 3-4,000 feet is absolutely impracticable, and I never did contemplate such curious and lofty plans, of course; that very idea is to be credited to my learned opponent. As to the funds to be raised, be it even millions of pounds, I never doubted the possibility of raising the same, as the Owner of The Land and The Lord of The People, yea, The real Owner of the wealth of all peoples, certainly will know how to find the funds for carrying out His Purposes (Exodus xii, 35, 36). 66 (Three years ago the press informed us that Baron Rothschild had given half of his fortune to the Colonization of Palestine.) As to the variation of the level of the Dead Sea, I expressly stated that the different authors did not agree (p. 139, para. 1), and, as none of the authors I have consulted have devoted ten years to careful measurement" of that waterline (entirely unimportant in this question), I will thankfully adopt the esteemed speaker's figures. My figures as to the ancient population, are-I am sorry to seedeemed "quite impossible." To believers in the Holy Scriptures, I venture to quote one or two passages, viz.: 1 Chron., xxi, 5, and 2 Sam., xxiv, 9, where we are told of nearly one and a half million " men that drew sword." Any member of this Institute may from this figure easily approximately compute the total number of inhabitants. 66 "A number, probably much less than it is to-day "-as the learned doctor says will thus hardly do. From a newspaper cutting I see that Sir Alfred Mond expects the land to receive some 3-4 million people, when the plans for the restoration are ready. Some seventy O.T. passages mention cedars as known in Palestine in olden days, that cedars will be planted and grow there in future is revealed to the believer in the Bible in Isa. xli, 18-20 : "I will open rivers in high places, and fountains in the midst of the valleys, I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water, I will plant in the wilderness the cedar..." On p. 136, para. 9, the average rainfall in the highlands is given, according to the official maps and figures, only these districtscapable of supplying surplus water for the irrigation—being here of any consequence. In Wm. Smith's Dictionary of the Bible, one passage runs thus: "Between April and November there is, with the rarest exceptions, an uninterrupted succession of fine weather, and skies without a cloud" (p. 693, Art. "Palestine "). (Italics mine.) My learned opponent denounces the plan here presented as impossible and contradictory, and even employs the epithet “grotesque." The Doctor cannot see how the waters of the Dead Sea can be "healed" and simultaneously salt be produced. Admittedly, to the observer in general, it may seem extremely complicated, that one part of the water evaporates-leaving salt-before reaching the level of the Dead Sea, another part of the water flows through the turbine tubes, developing energy and healing the saturated waters of the Dead Sea; the scientifically trained technical mind will more easily understand this from the explanation and a brief glance at the coloured map. As my personal knowledge and experience of water-power perhaps may be deemed somewhat limited as compared to that of the Doctor (as co-owner and member of boards of companies controlling a little above one million horse-power in Scandinavia and in Iceland, I got part of my practical training in this matter), I venture to quote the opinion of another member of this Society, quite a well-known scientist, fellow-countryman of mine, Dr. Fridtjof Nansen, Professor of Oceanography (G.C.V.O., D.Sc., LL.D., etc., etc.), who said in his letter of November 15th, 1913: "I beg to thank you very much for your kindness in sending me your grand plan of a tunnel through the land between the Mediterranean and the Dead Sea, which I have read with great interest." Dr. Nansen at that time refrained from expressing an opinion as to the feasibility of the plan (he declared himself incapable of so doing), but regarding this special question I asked-and receivedthe opinion of another gentleman, whose scientific ability and authority may perhaps safely be said to approach very closely to that of my esteemed opponent, viz., Sir William Crookes (F.R.S., etc., etc.), who wrote in his letter of September 27th, 1913 (submitted in original to the Victoria Institute), regarding the plan here described: “I have read your scheme of obtaining water power by means of a tunnel from the ocean to the Dead Sea, and utilizing the power so obtained in the production of electricity. The idea seems to be a thoroughly feasible one, and I will not fail to mention it to any of my friends to whom I think it will appeal." 654TH ORDINARY GENERAL MEETING, HELD IN COMMITTEE ROOM B. THE CENTRAL HALL, LIEUT.-COLONEL HOPE BIDDULPH, D.S.O., IN THE CHAIR. The Minutes of the last Meeting were read, confirmed and signed and the Honorary Secretary announced the Election of F. W. Howard Piper, Esq., as an Associate. The CHAIRMAN then introduced Dr. D. Anderson-Berry to read his paper on Occultism-at the Bar of Philosophy and Religion.” OCCULTISM: AT THE BAR OF PHILOSOPHY AND RELIGION. BY DAVID ANDERSON-BERRY, Esq., M.D., LL.D. IN 1975, Madame Blavatsky, aid N 1875, Madame Blavatsky, aided by Colonel Olcott, founded purcelon (1) Establishing a nucleus of the brotherhood of humanity; (2) Promoting the study of comparative religion of philosophy; and (3) Making a systematic investigation of the hidden powers of life and matter. 66 This last is known as Occultism." Looking at all the great religions of the world some unifying principle was sought. From what supreme source did they all spring? And it was determined that they all were so many expressions of one great fundamental truth, which they called " Wisdom Religion." How are we to discern the truth of this ? By appealing, Madame Blavatsky said, to a "Secret Doctrine" and " Exotic Teaching." This, she proclaimed, was the possession for ages of certain mysterious adepts in "Occultism," or "Mahatmas." |