into the building. But one year, when little more than a
third of the year's work was done, the building operations were stopped
by flood, the canal having overflowed its banks so that the water rose
right up to the wall of the town. In return for the duty of keeping
the canals in order, the villagers along the banks had the privilege of
fishing in its waters in the portion which was in their charge, and
any poaching by other villagers in this part of the stream was strictly
forbidden. On one occasion, in the reign of Samsu-iluna, Hammurabi's son
and successor, the fishermen of the district of Rabim went down in their
boats to the district of Shakanim and caught fish there contrary to the
law. So the inhabitants of Shakanim complained of this poaching to the
king, who sent a palace official to the authorities of Sippar, near
which city the districts in question lay, with orders to inquire into
the matter and take steps to prevent all such poaching for the future.

The regulation of transportation on the canals was also under the royal
jurisdiction. The method of reckoning the size of ships has already
been described, and there is evidence that the king possessed numerous
vessels of all sizes for the carrying of grain, wool, and dates, as well
as for the wood and stone employed in his building operations. Each ship
seems to have had its own crew, under the command of a captain, and it
is probable that officials who regulated the transportation from the
centres where they were stationed were placed in charge of separate
sections of the rivers and of the canals.

It is obvious, from the account that has been given of the numerous
operations directly controlled and superintended by the king, that
he had need of a very large body of officials, by whose means he was
enabled to carry out successfully the administration of the country.
In the course of the account we have made mention of the judges and
judicial officers, the assessors and collectors of revenue, and the
officials of the palace who were under the king's direct orders. It is
also obvious that different classes of officers were in charge of all
the departments of the administration. Two classes of officials,
who were placed in charge of the public works and looked after and
controlled the public slaves, and probably also had a good deal to do
with the collection of the revenue, had special privileges assigned
to them, and special legislation was drawn up to protect