New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-06-20
HOW MESSINA APPEARS.
Correspondence Of The London Times.

MEssISA May 3d.
The idea which one Involuntary connects with a
country in resurrection 10 that Of stir and movement
the impression, on the contrary, produced by
trance into the haIbor of Messina that OF dead
lethargy. When you enter the place IN ordinary TIN
there the beats from shore cruising about and lying
in wait for helpless travellers there would have been
an additional reason for arouspg the activity of St
ian boatmen yesterday morning, as the Messager'es
steamer Neya from COpstaDtinope had come IN before
us; and yet, with the exception Of single boat car
rying couple Of soldiers across the harbor to the
forts nothing was seen in movement dozen or 80
Of sailing briggs moored close 10 the quay the sad Mes
sage ries boat couple of small Nespolitan steamers
with their blue paddle-boxes, and towering above all
her Majesty steamer Scyla, II, not large herself but
looking, under the circumstances, ike giant
among pigmies-us constituted the ensemble OF the
shipping. D..
There is nothing more tedious and vexng in ordinary
times than the sanitary and police authorities in Sicily
ULYSSES in bis Jambles could not have been received
more unwingly than ordinary traveller is on these
Dhospitable shores. IL is as every newcomer was
an intruder and enemy. One conld not but suppose
that under the circumstances The authorities would do
all in their power to make themselves even DIS
agreeable than usual. You may, then, imagine my
surprise at neeDg not only with no delays and annoy
ances but with kind Of nervous civility. That
air Of great importance and consciousness OF their
bullying power which characteriZes, more or less,
in all continental countries, the authorities in
trusted with the passport formates, has altogether
disappeared, and no old friend meeting you after
uOhlllt OF CVulu give 1ttih
the police authorities at Messina. 1t is 30 broad that
you step back in voluntarily in order escape being
embraced. The first idea suggested is Of course thai
general order has been sent from Naples ordering
general gr1n, but you perceive, from the nervous
manner III which 1t is done that il is attempt 70 dis
guise long faces by broad g1ns. They sufficient
al your very first step in Sicily throw considerable
light ON the state of affairs. IL was the worldly wis
dom eff the steward in the parable who knowing that
the end of bis rule has come looks anxousy about for
friends The wonderful civilty of these Cerberuses
impressed me more than anything | saw afterward 10
the same effect 1t showed consciousness Of their
doom and general Generalization which should
scarcely have expected.
The town itself offered, at first sight, nothing
markable The streets seemed 10 bear their usual APP
pearanee; about tie same number Of people marrying
about with their usual viyscity collected In am
mated groups among them officers and soldiers, walk
ing about, or intent buying provisions; but you
looked little attentiyely you would see many
curious signs of the times The rs, thing which struck
YOU was that every third fourth shop was closed,
and that the others seemed TO be open rather Ms mat
ter of form than with any hope Of attracting buyers
Neither in the Strada Ferdinanda nor on the Corso
although roamed about them for good while, did
see single buyer except in the provision shops On
most of the shops closed you found an inscription
stating that it was "Propreta Ingltse' "Ffancese,
&C. On many of the doors Of the houses you could
read an inscription to the same effect. BY look
ing up a little higher, you were struck with the
silence which reigned In those upper regions, and
If You observed more closely you found that one only
perhaps, out Of two houses was inhabited Yon bad
not 10 go far discover the of this mystery for
you could not help seeing carts, mules and conkeys,