The Sun.
London, England, 1863-11-21 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONbON, SATURDAY EVENING, NOVEMBER 21, 1863.1

THE KINGDOM OF ITALY,

FROM TURIN TO FOGGIA.
(From the Special Correspondent of the Voles.)
FOGGIA, Nov. 9.
The sceptic who doubts that there is an Italy, and that
that Italy is monarchical, ought to have seen the King of
Italy traverse his dominions from to south-east
for 600 miles. The abstract idea of national unity may be
all very well for the philosopher and enlightened patriot of
Italy, but the imagination of the masses requires a symbol
to bring ideas home to them. They cannot pray unless
they have a rosary, an image of the Madonna, or of their
peculiar saint before them, and they cannot conceive an
Italian nation without coupling it with some visible repre-
sentative. The journeys of the King of Italy through his
newly-annexed dominions aro therefore more than a simple
show—they have a political bearing.
The thing seems so plain that it is only surprising it has
not been understood. Had it baen, each Parliament since
1859 would have voted a few millions a year for the special
purpose of enabling the King to show himself to his new
subjects. No more effective propaganda of Italian unity
could have been devised. One smile of that manly and
good•natured face would have converted thousands, and

one kind word would have done more than a dozen prefects
with all their subordinates and several regiments of gen-

darmes. Possibly the importance of these shows has been

appreciated, but then their application to political purposes

round difficulties in the well known dislike of Victor Mu-

manuel to playing the King. Fond of war and sport, like
hie ancestors, he never seems happier than when he can
throw off the restraints imposed by kingly etiquette, and it
always requires an effort on his part to figure in one of these

shows. They are reduced to the strictly necessary, and got
over in the shortest possible time, fatigue being a conside-
ration which is left out of the programme.
Go down to Pescara in one day without stopping, open
the railroad to Foggia on the next, go on the next 90 miles
across to Naples, review the fleet, go off to Piombino, on
the Tuscan coast, open the railway to San Giuseppe, have a
couple of days' shooting in the preserves near Lucca, open
the railroad between Florence and Bologna, and return to

Turin—such was the original programme, and not a bad

one either for nine days. The last part of the programme
had to be given up, owing to the impossibility of finishing
the works on the Bologna-Florence line, and no more time

was allowed than that originally fixed. The road lies mostly
over new ground, the King never having been since the
annexation further south on the'Adriatic coast than Ancona.
He, indeed, joined his army on its march into the Neapoli-
tan territory, but it was by another road.

A Royal express train goes tolerably fast even in Italy,

and is therefore not exactly the way to judge of the state of
the country. I left therefore the day before by what is
called here an express train—that is, one calculated at the
rate of about 20 miles an hour, with plenty of stoppages, so
as to allow the guards a good chat at every station, and
time for their friends to arrive.

A Royal progress through the old provinces is very much
ike a journey of the Queen through her dominions, for

there is no other country on the -Continent where there

exists so deep an affection for the dynasty and so warm a
feeling for the ruling Sovereign. There is scarcely a man,
woman, or child who has not seen him, or who would miss
an opportunity of seeing him and cheering him again.

Little need is there of any preparation; their hearts are
always ready to receive him who is their pride.
Having just come back from Lombardy, and having been
much struck by the increase of wealth and wellbeing in the
capital, I was rather curious to see how the Southern por-
tion of the old provinces had been affected by the changes.
As far as appearances go, little or no change is visible in
all those little towns through which you pass on your road
until you arrive at the frontier near Piacenza. This is so
much the more remarkable as all this portion of Piedmont
has gained considerably by the increased consumption in the
capital, and above all by being exempt from the grape
disease, which still prevails in other portions of the penin-
sula. Thus, for instance, while in former times Lombard
wines were largely imported and consumed in Piedmont,
now the reverse is taking place.
The changes become visible as soon as you cross the old
frontier. Considering their geographical position in the
riJa valley of the Po, and their position as polit,cal centres,
the little Duchies of Central Italy were undoubtedly the
most wretched portion of the peninsula. All they could do
was to carry on a dreary struggle for their lives. They
were considered and treated as the patrimonial estate of
their rulers, not a few of whom had a taste for ruining
themselves. Shut out from the rest of the world, and thus
not even allowed to make the most of their opportunities,

they had to pay heavily without having the means of earn
log. Nowhere, therefore, was stagnation more glaring than
in the little town of Piacenza, Parma, Reggio, and Modena.
They were cities of the dead, and yet long habit had led to
the idea that these places would be all ruined and deserted
if the little Courts, who spent with one hand what they
took with the other, were withdrawn. Those who had a
share in the spoil have undoubtedly suffered, but the mass
have decidedly gained; the free communication with the
rest of Italy, and the connection by rail with Lombardy,
Genoa, and the east coast, have more than compensated for
the loss of the benefit derived from the little Courts. Of
course these little centres hadialways only a factitious exist-
ence, so that they can never hope for a great development
unless Italy becomes a manufacturing country, in which
case cheapness of labour and provisions, together with faci-
lities of communication, would point out this part of Italy
as the most convenient for the purpose.
Circumstances are somewhat similar in the Romagna.
There, too, political circumstances have created a number
of artificial centres, which had little cause for their exist-
ence, unless it be as residences for one or other successful
feudal family. But the Romagna has one great advantage
over the Duchies, and that is the tradition of a bustling
municipal life which has produced a large middle class and
an aristocracy wealthy and independent, a portion of
which has taken the lead in the political events which
have occurred of late. All this part of Italy is divided
into two distinct camps—on one side the stirring middle
classes, with one portion of the landed aristocracy; on
the other side the priests leagued with the rest of the
aristocracy. Between the two floats the peasantry, impulsive
and intelligent, but woefully ignorant, and therefore suspi-
cious and difficult to deal with. It is the struggle of pro-
gress against bigotry and class interest. All about the
centres, above all Bologna and Ancona, the battle is gained,
and everywhere you see the signs of a new life; towns
which have been confined within their narrow walls, as the
minds of their inhabitants were, in ignorance and prejudice,
are bursting their limits. All the towns along the railway
line, Bologna, Imola, Faenza, Rimini, Sinagaglia, and
Ancona, are more or less participating in this movement.
The whole district owed once its wealth and celebrity to its
potteries, and it seems as if there was a tendency to take
up again its old industry. Everywhere that rich clay is
being turned into one or another shape. Old ground, aban-
doned for years, has been stirred up, and new ground
broken in many places. You have only to look right and
left to understand the necessity of this. It is not merely
pots and pans which are made of that clay, but bricks and
tiles likewise, and there is scarcely a country house, farm,
or even cottage, which does not show signs of a greater or
smaller consumption of these articles within the last three
years. Indeed, the country shows in this respect a decided
superiority over the towns, which seems rather surprising,
but which, at least as far as the towns or the coast are con-
cerned, is explained by the delay which took place in the
annexation. These towns lived by importing goods for the
Romagna, and they enjoyed the privilege of free ports for
certain portions of the year—usually a month—during
which a fair was held, at which the dealers and buyers
coming from the interior could provide themselves with the
commodities they wanted. As soon as the annexation of a
portion of the Legations took place, in 1860, the Genoese
took advantage of the circumstance, and drove from the
market those who supplied the Romagna before. Even
now that the whole Romagna is annexed, trade has not
changed the route it had once taken. The Tiiesto goods
which formed the chief supply provided by the coast
towns on the Adriatic are now subject to import
duties, and the goods from Genoa can be sent to the
upper portions of the Romagna cheaper from Bologna than
from any of the coast towns. Yet, strange to say, Ancona,
which has suffered most by this, shows marvellous signs of
life. The old walls have been pierced in every direction,
and a new enceinte is in process of construction; new
houses and quarters as springing up towards the west,
where there is more space between the hills and the sea ;
the new mole is rising gradually out of the sea ; indeed,
taking everything together, I have not seen a town in Italy
which shows the signs of progress more visibly. There is
no loss without a corresponding gain in these Italian annexa-
tions; what Ancona has lost in the north it has already
regained, and is more likely still to regain, in the south,
where in time it must get the whole import trade down to
the southernmost point of Calabria.
The King in his passage hurried through all these pro-
vinces without stopping. Everywhere preparations had
been made, but they were in a great measure thrown away,
for he stopped only a few minutes at Bologna and at
Ancona, without getting out of his carriage. Although the
journey took place at night, the stations were crowded, and,
above all, Ancona distinguished itself in illuminations.
The line passes for some distance along the new town of
warehouses which is springing up near the railway, and
all along the passage coloured lights showed oft to great
advantage what Ancona had done since the annexation.
The inaugural ceremony really began at Pescara, in the
ai_, F
Neapolitan territory, where the King, with his suite and
the corps diplontatique, arrived this morning at seven.
Rating,....l arrived an hour before I had time to look about,
and confess the first sight was not promising. Here were
ee
all the official
Parte_ft nta
al preparations, and in these Caribineers, sol-
diers,inGuuad
n:foromnsl),,aandsmDaelpl Deputies in
blue coats and
a re. Even of the
Nationalft
white ties, formed the most prominent fea-
was visible along
either, for almostthe line, and this was not the best portion
are no doubt useful, but,
third man wore spcc:,acles, which
display. The fine battalion
ti,of Chieti, on the contrary, was
if it had been put out of the way station, so that it looked as
population was likewise kept oittonorrpose. Whether the
sight, or whether it
was too early, I don't know ; but certain
little traces of it. All looked as chilly as morning,tihteisl c,Eaild see
did not prohaiso won. Sumo bishop was there to rej andorin

the prayers customary on such an occasion. I cannot tell
you whether he did so. Then there was a rush to the break-
fast-room, and the train was eff again. By the time it left
the sun had got up, and a brilliant ono it was, asit illumi-
nated the outskirts of the Appenines, which come down to
the edge of the sea, and as it reflected itself in the
Adriatic, which looked lovely, but lifeless, In the dis-
tance you saw the snow-clad range of the Majella, one
of the back-bones of the Appenines, which extends
over the main portion of the province of the Abruzzi Ultra.
Close to the remaining Roman territory, it has been for a
longtime one of the nests of brigandage, but little brigandage
now remains in these parts ; it is the merit of the much-
decried Pianelli to have cleared it out, From time to time
you hear of a small band of a dozen or so making a coup,
but so little support do they find among the population that
they have soon to take refuge on the Roman territory. The
inhabitant of the Abruzzi has found something better to
do. He always had rather a worse reputation than he de-
served, for he worked whenever he had an opportunity.
Formerly he went into the Roman territory at harvest time,
and even last year military measures had to be adopted to
keep him back. This year scarcely a man showed a dispo-
sition to go, for there was the railway, which gave plenty of
employment, and paid 4 or 5 earlini, or about 25,, per diem.
The greatest portion of the men are from the Abruzzi, and
all the engineers agree in thinking them intelligent and
easy to manage.
It was as if the people of Pescara had been kept away on
purpose for the sake of contrast, for during all the rest of
the journey down to this ?lace the whole population had
turned out—men, women, and children—to greet the King.
There were none of those precautions usually adopted in
Continental countries on such occasions, and the difficulty
was only to keep back the eager, shouting, joyous crowd.
Above all, the women indulged in outbursts which seemed
almost puzzling, for they reminded one of Southern Italy
and Garibaldi in 1560. There they were, throwing up their
hands, beating their breasts, and uttering shrill cries, as it
they had an hysterical fit. I cannot but think the appari-
tion of the King on the railway had something to do with
this. It had on these countries—which have never even
seen a decent road—the effect which the guns of Columbus
had on the aborigines of America. You could see they
looked at it as something almost supernatural, and no better
pomp could have been devised to impress their Southern
imaginations than the first appearance of their Northern
King drawn by the steam horse. The sight was unique.
Upon the hilltop the towers and all the slopes were covered
with people, the women in their white shawls drawn over
their heads, and the men looking like so many Figaros on
a third-class provincial stage. There were of course the
induced
d onlyth e
Bing
usual addresses from the authorities, and a shower of peti-
tions from all those who could get near. Along the line
were detachments of troops and National Guards, the latter
one case, at Lan-
of whom had come in large numbers from the interior.
a nT The
an stoppageselociuento get out and
visit the pavilion, which had been erected at this as at al
weret
Sn dsahcoortin;
the other stations. When this took place there was an end
to all restraint. The Nationals left their ranks and pressedt
towards the steps, from which the gendarmes had all the
trouble in the world to keep the people away, So striking
was the sight that one could but regret a few minutes were
not allowed at every station.
Pickets and detachments of horse and foot, Regulars and
Nationals, increased as we passed the river Biferno, which
forms the southern boundary of the Abruzzi. The character
of the country changes, the mountains retire into the dis-
tance, and only throw out occasionally a spur which reaches
the sea and forms a promontory, while the space between
them is occupied by large undulating valleys, sand dunes
near the seashore, and alluvium higher up. There is little
cultivation, in most cases nut more than a third of the soil,
the remainder being left for pasturage, or taken up by what
looks like a mixture of heath and coppice wood, bushes of
myrtle, juniper, and oak, with a full- grown tree from time
to time, the whole looking like a jungle, with only a few
pathways. No road leads through them, for hum the
Sangro down to the Fortone, or about 60 miles, there never
has been more than a track. It is the very place for bri-
gands. If they can rarely find a prey on the spot itself,
they have always a sure retreat, where it is impossible to
follow them.
Having passed the river Fortone, you cross a low lime-
stone ridge, and enter the plain of Apulia. If you look at
the map of the Adriatic coast you see, about half way down
the Boot, a spur projecting into the sea. It is caused by the
Monte Gargano, which hangs together by a lower belt
with the chain of the Apennines, and encloses a basin of
at least 30 square miles. Even if you did not still see two
or three lakes in the neighbourhood, you could have no
doubt that the plain of Apulia is the bed of an ancient lake
which has been drained by nature, leaving a rich deposit
of black loam for the use of man, who knows so little how
to take advantage of her bounty. As you come down from
north to south on the Adriatic coast you cannot help ob-
serving that the race of men is degenerating, while that of
animals is decidedly improving in beauty. The transition
is gradual, se you don't observe it, perhaps, until you get
down some way. Those magnificent women and handsome,
well-made men of the Romagna, have dwindled down into
a small, ugly race, by the time you get into Apulia. There
was the whole neighbouring population turned out along
the road, and you looked about in vain for even a tolerable
face. Above all, when excited, as on this occasion, there
is something almost bestial in them. All animals, on the
contrary, have gained, if not in size, in beauty and sym-
metry. You could pick out among those white cattle
specimens which would not disgrace the most fastidious
farmer in England, Then, again, there ate those very
little black ponies scampering along the fields, or the
picturesque brown goats and asses, such as I never saw
in size or shape.
The plains and table land of Apulia—indeed, the whole
province of Capitanata—have acquired is bad repute since
the annexation. It is one of the last strongholds of brigand-
age. The nobility, who aro almost in exclusive possession of
the soil, are averse to progress, because in their ignorance
they think it threatens their interests, and the peasantry,
who are more corrupt, indolent, and miserable than in any
other part of Italy, are always ready to aid and assist him
who goes against the established state of things. Under
these circumstances a Royal progress seemed rather a
hazardous experiment. Yet the success was complete—
nay more, there was almost too much of it.
Scarcely did the train stop at San Severo, the first town
we came to, when the whole crowd, men, women, and chil-
dren, rushed like wild beasts, shouting and vociferating
towards the Royal carriage, climbing up, haranguing and
pushing each other in the most furious manner. In vain
did the gendarmes on foot try to keep back the crowd, the
resistance seemed to make it only more eager, and at last
some Carabineers were called in for assistance, who, by the
evolutions of their horses, at last succeeded in clearing
the rails sufficiently to let the train pass. The whole was
a most unpleasant sight, but, except for some ill-featured,
scowling priest whom you could observe among the crowd,
the thing was well meant. The people evidently thought
the opportunity for petitioning too precious to be lost, and
in their eagerness burst all bounds of restraint and became
an ungovernable mob. But San Severo is one of the
nests of brigandage, and the story here at Foggia
is that Caruso's band, not knowing that the jour-
ney had been deferred, had made on Saturday a
reconnaissance towards the railway, which led to
an engagement with the troops. If there had been
ill-will, nothing was easier than to do mischief and escape
in the crowd.
By the time we left San Severe the sun went down and
we crept cautiously along the rails to Foggia, where we
ought to have arrived at 4 30, instead of a quarter past 6.
The arrival being expected to take place by daylight no
preparations had been made for lighting up the pavilion,
which was erected on the spot where the station is to be.
A number of Roman sights throw their ghastly and evanes-
cent glare over the dense crowd of anthorities, people, sol-
diers on foot and on horseback, and Nationals, collected
from all the surrounding district. A scene of unearthly
confusion was the result, from which the King hastened to
escape into the carriage which was waiting for him. But
not even then was there safety, for the crowd almost upset
the carriage and made the horses ungovernable, so that the
King got out and walked to the church. The religious
ceremony was to have been performed at the station, where
a temporary altar bad been erected, but to attempt this
was hopeless, so the priests packed up their things and every
one hastened to the town. A great dinner for 300 persons
had been arranged by the railway company in the theatre,
at which the King was to have been present;
but ho pleaded fatigue, and only made
his ap-
pearance for an instant late in the evening, which is to con-
clude with a ball. The scene at San Severn and the
confusion at Foggia were not calculated to leave an agree-
able impression. To morrow the King is to review the
National Guard early in the morning, and then go on to
Avellino, where he is to sleep, so as to enter Naples the day
after.
If the Royal progress, as a demonstratim, was, in spite
of the contretemps toward the end, a decided success—nay,
as I almost too decided—the opening of the railway line
from Pescara, or rather Ortona, is more difficult to charac-
terise. 111-natured people would have a right to call it a
farce ; good-natui ed people must think it a wonderful tour
de force; the shareholders may think it rather dear, and
for the directors it was an arithmetical problem. If the line
was not finished by the beginning of November the com-
pany was subject to a heavy fine, besides being minus the
29,000 f. per kilometre which they receive as a subsidy from
the Government after the opening of the line. The line
might have been ready had not the late rains destroyed two
of the tunnels, one being of considerable length. That this
happened seems no fault of the company or of its engineers,
for they had to adopt the tracings which were made by the
Goverment engineers before the railway was given over to
them. Even at first sight there can be no doubt about the
most natural line along the coast. In most places there is
sufficient space between the sea and the hills, and even
where the hills come closer upon the sea the line might
have been cut in the soft sandstone, or bed of clay, and only
very
short
tunnels would have been required to avoid too
rapid curves. Instead of this, the engineers who made
the tracings seem to have delighted in scooping out tun-
nels in the soft stuff, where they have little chance of
lasting.
When two of these tunnels gave way, a temporary road
had to be improvised. The question was whether the road,
improvised as it had to be in so short a time, would cost
more than the fine and the loss of the subsidy. The board

of directors thought it was cheaper, and this point once
decided, they set to work like men. Sugani, the secretary- '
general, went down himself to expedite the works. As
there was a want of skilled workmen in the country, they
were brought down from the northern provinces. All the
workmen who could be got in the country were engaged,
and their pay increased. Rela, sof these worked day and
night, and, in order to enable them to do so, electric lights
were used. lam told the effect produced by these lights
was astonishing. Even the workmen from Apulia obeyed
the conjuror who could turn night into day. By dint of
these exertions, 11 kilometres of railway—including the
temporary bridge over the Sangro, 300 metres long—were
constructed in 15 days, so as to enable a train to pass over.
But this is all that can be said, for months must pass before
the lino can be opened for traffic. You may judge from one
circumstance. From Pescara to Foggia it is about 100
miles ; we started at a quarter to 8 in the morning, stopped
only a few minutes at each place—in all certainly not an
hour, and arrived after 6 p.m. at Foggia. Above all, in
the last portion of the line there was scarcely a trace of
ballast; we went over the rails at a snail's pace, and yet the
carriages shook at every step. There is not a station begun
on the whole line, and there are, above all, those tunnels,
which may yet give greater trouble. So convinced has
every one become of the bad tracing, that there would be a
disposition to keep permanently to the temporary road were
it not that the permanent bridge over the Sangro, which
leads to the tunnel, is half finished. In the meantime the
company can boast of having begun the road to civilisation
in these neglected countl les, and of having achieved a mar-
vellous feat, the cost of which, however, is estimated at
2,000,0001.

Mysterious Charge of Attempted Murder

in France.

A. mysterious affair commenced on Wednesday before the 1
Court of Assizes of Montpelier, where a gentleman of for-
tune, named Armand, residing in that town, was charged
with an attempt at murder on the person of his domestic
without apparent motive. The latter,whose name is Maurice
Roux, was found on the 7th July last in the cellar of his
master's house lying on the ground in a state of insensibility,
his legs tied by a handkerchief and a cord round his neck.
The vital heat of the body was almost extinct, and his ap-
pearance gave signs of an attempt at strangulation. On
being taken to the hospital he was gradually brought to a
state of sensibility, but the organs of speech were completely
paralysed, so that when on the next day he was examined
by the juge d'instruction he was forced to reply to the
questions put to 11;m by signs. By means of a dictionary
he declared that on the morning of the day in question he
was in the cellar procuring wood for burning when his mas-
ter suddenly came behind him,and exclaiming "I will teach
you whether my house is a dirty hole," felled bim to the
ground by a blow on the back of the head with some heavy
instrument—the assailant then bound his legs, and encircling
his neck with a cord attempted to strangle him, The ser-
vant further declared that although knocked down by the
blow on the head and rendered immovable, he still preserved
his mental faculties sufficiently to be aware of what was
going on. In this state he remained for 10 hours, until he
was discovered by a female servant of the same household.
M. Armand energetically denied the charge, while the ser-
vant persisted,evan at the moment when, his recovery being
considered doubtful, the sacrament was administered to him
in his accusation. The excitement caused in the town of
Montpelier since the commission of the crime has been great,
and the trial was looked forward to with intense interest.
The popular feeling against M. Armand was roused to such
a pitch that an escort of soldiers was necessary to protect
him when taken from prison before the examining magis-
trate. Dr. Ambroise Tardieu, who was consulted in the
interest of the accused, has declared that it is absolutely
impossible that Roux could have remained for ten hours in
the state in which he pretends to have remained, and his
dumbness and pantomime was only a gross imposture. The
back of Roux's head also bore no traces of the blow he pre-
tended to have received. Rumours of various kinds were
in circulation, some alleging a rivalry between the master
and the servant in a love affair as a motive for the outrage
by the former, while others look upon the accusation as an
impudent attempt at extortion by the latter.
A telegraphic despatch from Montpelier, which announces
the opening of the trial, states that another attack was
made the evening before in one of the streets of the town
on Roux's life, and that he is so much injured as to cause
the trial to be put off to another assize.