Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1861-01-09

Severity of the Times in the Rternal City.
A letter to the London Times, dated at
Rome, December 20, contains the following
The Romans declare that if the present
state of things endures, it will be impossible
for them to live. In q former letter mem
toned the distress among the numerous
body of the lawyers, who find their oceupa-
ton gone, in consequence of the severance
from Rome of all her best provinces. But
this is only small portion of the picture.
Rome is like big watering-place, depend
ent on its foreign visitors. Having neither
commerce nor manufactures worth speaking
of it relies on the money spent in it annu-
ally by strangers five OF six months out of
the twelve. In ordinary years, up to 1889
go, exclusively, it is estimated that the
floating population of foreigners from the
latter part of November till the end of April
or beginning of May was about $4,000. The
majority of these were persons having means
to live well and indulge their caprices. 1t is
scarcely possible to establish an estimate
that would be worth any thing of their av-
erage expenditure per head; but even if we
place it at an extremely low figure its null
tiplication by 10000 will give very impor-
tant sum.
The classes are numerous which depend
wholly or in great measure on that expendi-
ture to live, not only while the foreigners
are absent. Foremost among them are the
large class of lodging-house keepers, the
hotel-keepers the livery-stables and hack
ney-coachmen, the manufacturers of mosaics,
canoes, scarfs, beads, and other small arti-
cles, for the most part pretty, and OF little
use, of which foreigners are the chief pur-
chasers. The shops of all kinds reckon on
the strangers for an important portion of
their winter custom, but the venders of Ro-
man kniek-nacks and intutilities, rely on
them almost entirely. So, of course, do the
| lodging-house and hotel-keepers, who, in
| their turn, when their apartments are occu-
| pied, afford employment to many servants
| and persons of the lower orders, who would
| otherwise be idle and starving, perhaps beg
| ging or robbing.
AS if to make the Door Romans feel more
keenly the change that has come over their
city, the season of 1889 was partly on ac-
| count of the Prince of Waless visit one of
the most profitable and brilliant they had for
years. known. The place was crowded, as
many will remember; high prices were OF
course obtained, and the Roman counten-
ance was radiant. Probably the gains OF
that prosperous season enabled many to
endure without much repining, or, at any
rate, without positive distress, the total
failure of the one that followed. But they
were not prepared or provided against
second poor winter, which the present as ye
threatens to be, although not SO bad as thu
| last.
Rome may be said to be already full
enough to afford society and make it pleas
ant to foreigners, but the number of thos
who have as yet come is still very far below
the average, and quite insufficient to fill th
place or satisfy the Romans. These say tha
+ to make it a fair season, the number of for
eigners now here should be at least quad
rupled. The arrivals, however, have by nj
means terminated, and, indeed, the best tim
to come here is only now beginning. No
vember is frequently wet month in Rome
and this year it not only sustained its repu
tation, but left a great 6eal of rain still
disposable for the use of December.
Within the last ten days we have had som
tremendous deluges; low parts of the tow
were flooded, and the Pantheon, of course
was full of water. But, according to all ap
pearances, the bad weather is at an end
crisp air and bright sun have replacet
clouds, rain, and the siroceo, and seem likel,
enough TO last. In the course of the mex
three weeks it is probable that there will b
a good many arrivals January being, for va
rious reasons, a favOrite month in Rome.
think that in O former letter | remarked tina
there are no grounds whatever for stunning
Rome this winter more than in any other.
, would be childish to fear disturbances i
presence of the French garrison now here
and even if that garrison left, of which eel
tainly there is no appearance, the Sardinian
would at once enter Rome, and there is n
/, reason to think that there would be th
!. slightest disorder.