Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-11-12
HERCULANIEUM.

HERCULAN4EUM.
correspondent Of the London Athen@um, writing
from Naples gives the following account of the recent
excavations at Herculanmum:
Months have now elapsed snceI called your attention
to the fact that Government had recommended the exca
vations of Hefculaneum Wonderful it is indeed that
after the discovery there of such miracles Of arts as now
enrich the Museo Borbonco these excavations should
have been long suspended and equally wonderful is
that being renewed the work should be done
parsimonous, wretched scale One-half Of Hercu-
laneum may be considered as lying under the modern
city Of Resna and therefore lost to the world for the
present at least the other half lies under vineyards
The portion which has hitherto been excayated is but
minute portion mere corner of this latter, this access
sble half To the restoration to the light of what may
influence much the taste and bear much the
forts and convenences OF mankind the Neapotan Gov
eminent has at length resolved to devote 400 or 500 du
cats year-a grant equal to about ESQ, or As. 3D.
dayenablng the directors to put not than ten
or twenty men, Still the smallest instament of what is
due to the world is better than nothing Before, how
ever, speak of what has been done during this year,
shall give hasty glance at the past
1t is Of well known in England as in Naples
that all the ched enre Of art and Of antiquity which
have produced such happy revolution in the taste of
entire Europe, and much affected domestic ornaments,
and utensils found during the last century in
Hercuaneum. Until very recently the excavations have
been conducted by burrowng rather than minng thus
enabling the anquary to abstract what interesting
or valuable in art but leaving the city as far removed
centuries 1t length resolved in 1897 to lift the
and expose the city to the ght-a suggestion for
which indebted Cavalier Bonucci who for many
years has been director the excavations Of the kingdom
Of the Two Scilies and who is well known to the world
by the many important discoveries which he has made
The revolution Of 1852 was, of course death blow
to all proceedings connected with taste for the fine
arts and the excavations of Herculanaum and Pompe
suspended The objects Of interest which had been
discovered in them and deposited in the Museo Borbo
nico voted national property and If party repre-
sensations be depended were in danger of chang
ing hands Every thing, however, has now returned to
the administration Of the Royal House, and one OF the
first consequences is the renewal of the work both at
Pompe and at Herculan@um To direct the latter, Boz
nucci has in particular manner been destined
and though such paltry has been devoted to so in
porant object yet hope that the little that can be
done will have the effect of stimulating to greater effort
The new excavations commenced in January last have
already brought light part of the old arsenal near
the Port of Herculanaum, famous in the times Of Au
gustus and Titus. Formerly the sea washed the walls
it has receded full half mile so that the bare men
ton of the Port Of Hercuan@um is enough 70 awaken
smile Of increduy the face of one who is unacquant
cd with the changes that have taken place the coast
Of the Mediterranean. On visiting this spot few days
since found myself in series of small rooms apart
mens with kitchens attached which had just been laid
open apparently they had been quarters for marines
The entrance roof which is level with the
present surface of the ground and, descending few
steps the left found four FIVE other steps, at the
bottom Of which entrance to probably cellar,
over whose roof had entered Here there found
much salt water surgng up that the works had been
for the moment suspended direction therefore, lay
straight forward into the small rooms of which have
spoken The roof is vauted, and very lofty; whilst the
partition walls very low showing that one large hal
space had been hastily rudely arranged with view
to the convenience Of numbers In the first small room
which kitchen, still exist the stoves and CRATES, pre-
cisely of the same form to be seen in every
part Of Magma Graca. Beneath the stove lay fragments
of pottery, which sovery cook might have thrown
there an hour before, to put them out Of the way;
whilst the bones Of the poor cook it be- found
mixed up with ashes and the instruments of hsrade Ii
the place, also found bones and minute frag
of iron plates indicating, in the opinion of Cava
lier Bonucc that in the awful of this cty de
sruction surprised and overwhelmed OF
this very spot But few remains could be preserved,
utterly destroyed they by time and mingled
moulded en- aase with the fine ash which had beer
perhaps carefully enough removed. All, indeed, that
could well distinguish portions of ribs and skull
bones Yet what melancholy interest have these, espe
cialy connected with history Ii is said Of Piny thu
elder Who at the time Of the eruption Of Vesuyus in 20
was admiral Of the Roman fleet in the Mediterranean tina
he went in I" liburnica" from Misenum to some
''cassari" His nephew, writing to Tactus, says tina
all the efforts Of his uncle useless in consequence
4 the raging Of the Volcano and that he obliged t
turn the PROV of his vessel TO Stabia Casteamare
where he died. the victim of his love Of natural science
From the kitchen on which have so long dwet pass
ed through small room and entered another kitchen
On the CRATE lying pieces of charcoal thu
mark OF the smoke fresh upon the stove Below
by the side oft sink for receiving dirty water
III
one or two other small rooms and then our pro
/ gress stopped by mountain of nduratei ash Ii
this they mining burrowing passage and Of dis
coveres in this direction shall have to speak, hope il
some future article. or ornament these appear
to be almost entirely destitute; indeed the only
of any thing of the kind entrance passage wal
wherein discovered faint traces Of perpendicular paint
| ed lines / must not omit to say that silver anG
bronze coins of the times Of Augustus and Titus have
been found here, also bronze coin with Punic char
acters 1t doubtless Of the elements of the
merce which was carried between this coast Of Italy
| and the opposite African Carthaginian coast.
AS fresh matter of interest turns up l shall forward
| it, but the works go on slowly, of course
ASTOUNDING ELECTION FRAuD.-The most stupendous
fraud ever perpetrated the purity of the elective
chse was enacted in Perry county at the election
An exciting local question the immediate cause.-the
removal of the of justice from Somerset to Lexing
ton At the last Presidential election the whole vote
| poled was $3.50; at the late election 6,657l
The population Of the county 2o077 according to the
last census This would give about 1890 legal voters in
the county all told consequently at least 1900 illegal
votes cast.
The full Democratic majority is under 800, but it has
been swollen this election to $40 for Myers who
the lowest on that ticket Somerset township which
contains about COO voters cast 2lS5 votes Thorn with
1ewal will