The day book. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1857-1867, 1865-08-08
FIRE. AND UNITED ITALY.

From one,end of Italy to the other "the dry
bones are rattling;" new life is bursting out
everywhere, and progress has already utterly
changed the aspect of the country. Not only
the great commercial centres, but even the
old scholastic towns, rich in nothing but the
traditions of the past lingering about their
| abandoned palaces, and psopling their silent
streets, overgrown with grass, with phautoms
| of ancient discord, are now endeavoring to ob-
tain some share of the benefits secured by the
progress OF commerce. The enterprising
spirit of the re-awakened population is carry
ing them beyond their crumbing walls, and
| they are availiug themselves of resour ces
| which they knew not before bow to employ.
Italian engineers are driving the locomo-
| tivss though the innermost recesses of both
| Apennines and Alps, for the completion OF
that great line of railway which will carry to
Western Europe all the trade of the East. 1t
was but the other day that, by the opening OF
| the railroad from Pracchia, completing the
line from Bologna to Florence and Pistoja,
through the mountains Of Central Italy, one
| could exclaim 1.-THE Apprentices exist no
longer l"And, though long time may still be
required for the completion of a work of such
magnitude, we are conf dent that before many
years have elapsed, the miners, advancing
simultaneously from both sides of Mount
GEMS, will bring to an end an enterprise
| which will intellectually benefit the trade of
the country. and which was boldly begun unA
| der the administration of Count Cavour.
With equal activity the splendid harbors
that Providence has scattered all along the
Italian shore, are deepened, enlarged and for
tilted. naval establishment of the first
rank is now being inaugurated in the Gulf of
Hpezia. Almost unique in the world, this
important work was first contemplated by the
great Napoleon, and finally decreed by the
| illustrous Cavour and ere long q similar es-
| Enlistment is to be created at the other ex-
| tremity of Italy, in the Gulf of laramie,
whose salt lake will be transformed into an
immense dock-yard. Geona and Naples are
charging their busy ports, henceforth to be
devoted alone to their immensely increased
commerce; whilst Leghorn, Messna, Palermo,
and score of their sister seaports, undergo
the came transformation. The Wondering
cities of the eastern coast, restored to connec.
ton with the world by the new railway,
which has arrested their decay, are again ass
suming the appearance of commercial ports.
Ancona and Bari have doubled in importance,
and the old Brindisi of Rome recollection will
in a short time be one of the first stations of
the Adriatic for the trade of the East.
The fleets of young Italy, already the first
after those of Great Britain and France, will
soon require new dockyards, for their IRON
| clads will be equal in number, before few
months have elapsed, TO those Of mighty Eng
land The greatest discipline and perfection
of drill reign on board every ship, and when
the moment for action arrives, the italian
sailors will prove that they still possess the
same daring and skill which won for their
forefathers so great repute AS in the
army, the most complete union exists be-
tween the seamen of the northern and south
ern shores. Forgetful of their ancient. rival
ries, they only remember the glories of those
powerful maratime republics that were once
the masters of the trade of the world, the de-
| scendants of whose populations, whilst bury
| ing even the traces of their old fratricidal
struggles, are intent only on the peaceful pur-
suit of trade and commerce CountMafei.