Of  one  of  these  there  is  a  suggestion  already  in  the  pro-
posed construction  of  "  the  first  railway  in  Palestine " !
For  a  year  past  there  have  been  rumors  of  a  negotiation
on  the  part  of  bankers  in  Beunit,  probably  with  the  aid  of
bankers  in  Constantinople,  as  the  result  of  which  it  is
finally  announced  that  the  Sultan — in  consideration  of  a
handsome  royalty,  equivalent  to  a  large  land  tax — has
leased  to  them  the  Plain  of  Esdraelon,  with  the  condition
that  he  shall  protect  it  fi'om  the  incursions  of  the  Beda-
ween  ;  and  that,  as  a  part  of  the  agreement,  they  receive  a
concession  for  a  railway.  Accordingly  they  propose  to
turn  their  large  acqmsition  to  account  by  the  constiiiction
of  a  railway  from  Acre  to  Damascus,  which  would  strike
directly  across  the  Plain  of  Esdraelon.  It  is  suggested
that  there  might  be  a  station  for  Nazareth  (!),  though  it
woidd  pass  twelve  miles  south  of  the  town,  which  might  be
approached  still  nearer  by  a  branch  road  to  the  foot  of  the


148  PROJECTED    RAILWAY    T\    PALESTINE.
Galilean  Hills  ;  while  the  main  line,  descending  the  valley
of  Jezreel,  wovdd  "  pass  over  Jordan,"  near  an  old  Roman
bridge,  part  of  which  is  still  standing  and  in  use.  IVIr.
