The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1868-08-22 00:00:00

INTERESTING LETTER FROM ROME.

The following is from a correspondent in the Pall Mal
Gazette, under date Rome, August 9:—

If the Pope first went to the camp of instruction
through perils of flood, his second visit will be attended I
with perils of robbers, the roads being now infested by
a swarm of brigands, composed partly of deserters
from the Pontifical army, and partly of the adherents
of Francis 11. Taking courage from their numbers,
these desperadoes have made forays in the very streets
of Frascati, attacking the villas and assassinating tra-
veller'. Perhaps this is the first time that a band of
robbers, regularly organized, has carried on its depre-
dations within a few yards of a camp of instruction, ,
occupied by 5,000 Zouaves. Signor Santovetti, a resi-
dent in Frascati, was attacked soon after leaving the ,
camp, and owed his escape to the adroitness of his
coachman, who put the Ivirses to a gallop. This was
effected under a volley from the brigands, which riddled
the back of the carriage' and inflicted a severe wound
on Signor Santovetti. The robbers all wore masks.
Thetsame band attacked the villa Muti, near Frascati,
which is occupied by three English families, but were
here frustrated by the alertness of the porter, who,
meeting thenj on their way, contrived to warn his wife
within the villa. The woman gave the alarm to the
other inmates at the same tune barricading the door,
and the rush of the brigands proved futile. But they
revenged themselves for their failure by killing the
porter in a barbarous and revolting manner.
From these miscreants the Pope vii be protected
on his journey by the famous Garde Urbaine, which
lust October was the terror of Rome, and which has
reorganized itself to furnish the escort. This band of
fanatics and legitimists, numbering 250 young men,
is under the command of the Marquis Patrizi, Prince
Lancellotti, Prince Borghese, and the Duke of
Salviati, and will proceed to the camp on asses instead
of chargers. Possibly the ass has been chosen for
the service to symbolize the humility lif the Head
of the Church, but 3 report is current that slime
of the band declined to trust themselves on horses,
and thus made the choice a necessity. Meanwhile, the
camp is draining the Pontifical exchequer, to which
General Kanzler had just appealed for an additional
three millions of francs to defray expenses; and, what
is worse, the whole army is in a state of disorganiza-
tion. The desertions are very numerous, both from
the legion and the Zouaves, and recently a detachment
of the legion at Ciprano broke into open ninthly. The
other day some legionaries overtook three Zouaves on
their way to Term, when the whole party embraced,
drank to each other, exchanged c vngratulations at
their escape from Rome and the camp, and crossed the
frontier together.
The night before last the Tiber overflowed the
plains bordering on the Umbria, which were swept at
the same time by a terrible tempest. Great damage
was inflicted on the railway, particularly between
Spoleto and Feral, and between Ferni and N'arni, and
for twenty-four hours communication was interrupted.
It is feared that the Umbrian torrents may have caused
much loss of life. The inundation has behn very de-
structive at Rome, where the river has risen to a great
height, and is strewn with trees and the carcasses of
beasts, with occasional human bodies.