The Sun.
London, England, 1861-11-13 00:00:00

DES7RUCIION OF A BRIDGE NEAR

BO MR

An eye-witness gives the following account of the
destruction of the magnificent bridge at Civita Cas-
tellana, 40 miles from Rome, which traversed the
ravine, at the entry of that town from Narni, at a
height of 120 ft. above the torrent, and was con-
structed upon more ancient foundations by Cardinal
Imperiali in 1712, in the reign of Pope Clement
XI. :—" You are doubtless aware of the tremendous
rains and the damage produced by them here in
Civita Castellana on the 29th and 30th Oct. There
are in our territory three important bridges, among
which is the renowned one known as the Clemen-
tino, close to the city, a hich Napoleon I. declared to
be the best of the kind in Italy. It was extremely
lofty, supported on five pilasters of grandiose dimen-
sions. These three bridges, struck by the impetus of
the waters after mid-day on the 30th ult., were all
carried away. On that morning the Clementine-
bridge was visited by numerous spectators, curious to
behold the increase and the violence of the rushing
element below. About 3 p.m. I also, accompanied
by my friend, Signor Ferdinando G—, repaired to
the bridge to gaze upon the headlong course of the
swollen torrent. We stopped to look over from the
projecting recess on the centre of the bridge to the
right hand. At that moment the handle of the um-
brella which I carried in my hand got entangled in
my coat, I turned round to disentangle it, and in BO
the act
and were el're still on the last arch but one
splitting. I shouted out to 6—, Escape for the
going, I saw the ww.aellfloefdtahsefarsetc easssoiunr
bridge began to give wo would
recess,webedryng e
theuwis h ere we had been
standing,ay at the
falling in the direction of the city, towards which
we had fled, so that we saved our lives by having a
start of 10 or 12 yards. The catastrophe produced
the greatest consternation in Civita Castellana, it
being feared that a great many persons had been
precipitated into the torrent, but I was able to calm
the general apprehension by the assurance that my
friend and myself were the only two persons on the
bridge at the time. It is a terrible thing to see laid
low a bridge which, from its appearance, promised
an almost eternal duration. Only one pilaster is still
upright, the last on the Narni side, which also I
saw oscillate twice after it lost the support of
the other masonry. It now seems firm again. We
have an inspector and some engineers here, and a
new supplementary road is already being_
com-
menced on a convenient track by. Santa
ancient Etruscan city of Phalleri), which_he road
will be completed in about a month.
T
al-
luded to will cross the torrent and ravine about four
waretah(otphee
miles higher up, and so re-open
between Rome and tho provine the communication
of Umbria.

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YORKSHIRE linuNos.— The magistracy and
clergy of the North and East Ridings have formed as-
sociation for the purpose of establishing a system of hinting
servants by registrars in the towns, instead of at statute
fairs, where many demoralising influences are constantly at
work. The association commenced operation at the Malton.
Statutes on Saturday, but although meanwykilicullnwdreasdsspoefeisaelrly,
vants of both sexes were in the open market-place, but very
office. The masters,
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statutes yet to be held,