Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1854-02-25
Correspondence.

Major Dewart's letters to G. B Youngman,
Esq, omitting paragraph in the begin
ming and also one in conclusion, complain
ing that "he understood that some of the
people in Sunbury disliked bis letters and
criticised them" We think, upon reAec-
ton, that the Major himself would have
omitted the latter. We have not heard a
single individual express any dislike OF
these letters, but the reverse. As regards
criticism, every man who appears in print,
must expect it, and the Major, we are sure,
is too much of democrat TO be willing TO
restrain the "liberty OF speech, or the
liberty of the Press" The correspondent
who communicated this idle gossip might
have been, We think, employed in convey
ing more agreeable and useful Information.
But Of Rome and its lions. The greatest
attraction now in perfect state oil preset'a-
ton in this city is the Basick or Churoh o'
ST. Peters. It is on the opposite SIDE of Inc
Tiber TO what is now the main city. iou
approach the Church through the Piazza oil
St. Peter which is 1853 yards'long, The col
onnades on each side are half circles, win
the entrance in one centre and the Church
in the other. They are of The colossal Doric
order, formed by four rows OF columns Oh
each side. The colonnades are hliy-si& iee'
wide and six,y-one high, and contain 2Sl
columns supporting balusirade on whlch
are placed 1872 statues, eleven and hall
feet high In the centre OF the area Is
high obelisk, sustaining cross on It's Top
fonn,ain is situated on each side OF The
obelisk throwing water nine feet above its
apex which falls into two granite basins fifty
fee, in circumference. Passing through the
Piazza YOU come 10 the Church, the lounda.
,ion of which was laid in the year 1906, and
eighteen successive Popes were employed
in its erection Painting, sculpture, mosaics,
the arr Of melting bronze, gliding, carving,
and all the other arts have contributed TO
embelish this Church, the most splendid
rot only in Rome but in the world. In lis
from, are eight columns eight feet and half
in diameter, and eightyeight feet high, sup
porting balus,rade or which are situated
thirteen statues, each seventeen feet high, re.
presenting our Saviour and the Apostles
In the portico are several doors opening into
the Church, one Of which has bronze cross
upon it, and is opened only once in % years,
at the time of the jubilee. The iateror is
in the form of Latin cross, and is divided
into three naves, and a, The end Of The mid
die or great nave is The bronze s'a,ne OF 81.
Peter, with tho great Zoe OF his right foot Ilt-
eraly and truly kissed away by the faithful.
! saw dozens kissing il during the shot, time
was looking al it.
The tomb of St. Peter is under the high
altar, and it is said contains parts of both his
aad 81. pauls bodies. 1t is surrounded by a
circular marble baInslrade, on which ll2
lamps are kept continually burning. The al
tar over the tomb is supported by four
columns of gil, bIonze,, 81 feet hight, and in
the centre is globe supporting the cross
The total height of the ALTAR is sc feet, and
al this altar on Christmas day, heard the
Pope himself, surrounded by his Cardinals
and Bishops and guard Of 500 soldiers, say
High Mass. Over shis altar is the main
cupola OF the church, which is 426 feet high
from the pavement. Above the cupoa is
the ball. reached by an iron ladder, and very
difficult o ascent. | was the only one of my
party that went up into it. The ball, i, i:
said will contain 16 persons, but think they
would have TO be tightly packed in. On the
roof Of the main church are the workshops o
the men who are kept constantly employed
in keeping The church in repair. They are
row of one story buildings. II you desire
to look down from the cornices, you ascenc
TO the cupoia from the roof al Two places
The cornices have an iron railing arouEt
them, and two person can walk on Them
around the cupola abreast with perfect safe
ty From the dome you have beautiful
view OF the city and all the surround
ing country. This church contains l cupo
las 96 marble columns, and l40 statues is
SIS feet long in the clear, and under the
cross, is AIT feet broad. The cost of build
ing is said TO have been over so millions O.
dollars. II is connected with the Vatican
the Popes private residence, by grand hal
aud stairway. The Vatican contains 4OOt
rooms and galleries, enough, one woult
think, for a man who can have neither wife
nor family. In one of the galleries the Pope
keeps number of artists constantly employ
eI making large mosaics Of the old Pope!
from their portraits. These are intended
for the neW church Of ST. Paul, outside the
city gates. Many of the Popes are already
there in the inches, each of these mosaic
being about six feet high and four feet across
1t requires a years time to make one, ant
The price is 500 scndi each, IA scud il
lo3 o. our cenis) The new church Of 81
Paul has already been $50 years in building
and it is supposed that it will take $50 year
more 10 complete IT,
Rome has newer and fresher aspect thai
the other cities Of Italy, and looks more lik'
Philadelphia than any city have yet seen
This is the case from the fact that moderl
Rome is bull, upon The side Of The Tiber op
posile mostof The old city, and what iher
was Of ancient Rome on this side of the III
Der is all filled up. The Forum which is i
the modern city, is thirty feet below the pre-
sent surface, iii was excavaied by Napoleon,