'The Expedition for the survey of the rivers Euphrates and Tigris, carried on by order of the British government, in the years 1835, 1836, and 1837; preceded by geographical and historical notices of the regions situated between the rivers Nile and Indus. In four volumes. With fourteen maps and charts, and embellished with ninety-seven plates, besides numerous wood-cuts. Volume the first.' [‎447] (532/905)

CHAP. XVIII.] PROPOSED IMPROVEMENTS.
447
ports, and, in the case of England, nearly 13 times as mucli : l Balance in
the difference being made up by cash, the drain of the latter, Europe?*
and the consequent disadvantage to the country, are great.
Moreover, the want of returns frequently obliges British
vessels to proceed from Iskenderun to Smyrna and other
places to complete their cargoes. A more moderate scale
of duties on the products of Syria would in time remedy the
evils by drawing out the resources of the country; for, if
agriculture were improved, and the natural riches, such as
iron, native steel, goats' hair, silk, olive oil, madder, saffron, &c.,
were turned to more account; also, if the sheep's wool were
more carefully washed and prepared for the British market,
there would be ample returns for a flourishing commerce.
In 1831, All Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. , now the chief of Baghdad, and then Navigation of
governor of Aleppo, with a view to the commercial prosperity &c.,^ropo r sed S '
of the latter city, was about to clear a part of the ancient
port of Seleucia^ and to give at the same time another great
outlet for goods by re-opening the navigation of the Euphrates.
Ibrahim Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. also proposed to equalize the bed of the Orontes
so as to make it navigable for track-boats to Antioch, and this
last is quite practicable, notwithstanding the great strength
of the current The windings of the river give a distance of
nearly 41 miles from Antioch to the bar, and as the difference
of level between these places is 269 feet, there would be a
gradual fall of about six feet and a half per mile: a row of
piles running into the sea in a line with the western bank of
the river, would probably keep the bar sufficiently clear to
admit country vessels with facility, and the northern branch
of the Orontes might then be ascended to Murad Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. at
least; whilst the southern could be navigated by means of
light boats to Jisr Shugher, if not much higher up. None of
these improvements have been, however, carried into effect.
But with such a harbour as that of Iskenderun, the finest on road
the coast of Syria, as far as regards commerce by sea, nothing Fr
is wanting but an improved road to facilitate the intercourse.
1 Six or seven years ago, the imports from England to Aleppo amounted to
about 160,000/., and the exports were roughly estimated at about 12,000/.