Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1867-03-20
The Powder Magazine Explosion
near NapIes-Terrific Loss of

near -NaPAeS-A errInAc Loss Oh
Life. .-e ..4Ea
NAPLES Correspondence London Times, Feb 24l
1t was necessarily an Incomplete. report
which [ sent you yesterday of the tragedy
of Posilippo. Since that was made fifteen
more bodies have been dug out of the de-
brs, and baskets full of limbs have been
gathered in the gardens of M. de la Haute
and elsewhere, which renders it impossible
to calculate the number of the dead. The
work of disinterring still goes on, and must
be continued for some time, with the prob
ability of making fresh sad discoveries, for
it is to be observed that, though according
to the police report only forty persons were
close to the spot several hundred were at
no great distance, and no inquiries have
been made by friends for the victims. The
inference is that many others have lost their
lives. To understand the full extent of the
ruin, it should be known that the explosion
of the powder brought down the cliffs and
buried those around under masses of tufa,
sand, and soil. While many, therefore,
were killed neutrality-suspicious. into frag-
ments, and some out TO sea-yet more were
buried Under the debris, and these it will
take long time to discover. There seems,
therefore, some reason for fearing that a
hundred persons and upwards have been
deprived of life by the atrocious crime OF
cdpo cuStode. D'Acunto, as he was called,
was formerly petty officer in the artillery
and was, doubtless, one OF the many who
recommended themselves to Office by their
zeal for political changes and the loudness
of their 0iods. He began his caTeer with
out farthing, and, though his salary was
small, he managed to keep a villa in the
Strada Vittorio Emmanuel, and a carriage
and pair. 1t is the history of many
others in Naples besides D'Acunto. Of
course, there are those who attribute the
numerous pecnlations which have oc-
fn ha
new political system introduced. think
some administrative changes may have
| given greater facilities for such delinquen-
| eies; but, when all is said, every one who
knows the people must feel that, under
any Government whatever, such delin-
| quencies must occur where the people are
utterly corrupt. have heard the Govern
ment blamed, and with good reason, for
having established a powder magazine at
| Posilippo. AS you know, it is one of the
del gle OF this neighborhood; the soil is very
rich; there is great acquired as well as
natural wealth there; beautiful villas stud
the whole of that lovely district, and there
| is large scattered population. Under
meath all is deposited, in one of the large
] tufa grottoes, that which by accident or
design would send the whole country into
| the air. The Count of Aquila, when he
bought Terra Nuova, took the precaution
to have all the powder removed, and when
| M. dc la HauCe purcnaSeu IL OF his Royal
Highness it was with the understanding, or
under the impression, that it would never
be brought back. The value of his proper
I ty has, of course, been greatly diminished
bv the change, and after the disaster and
crime of Thursday few persons will remain
quietly in their pleasant retreats.
Among our recent arrivals is the old
King Ludwig of Bavaria, as fresh and as
| green as ever. He is ordered to Naples for
the benefit of his health. and two davs ago
visited the National Museum. Visitors
continue to flock in, and make good sea-
son. The same may be said of Rome, from
which an old resident writes and tells me
1 thai " its gaieties were never exceeded at
any time. Balls, balls, and an everlasting
round of balls, have most ignominiously
buried private receptions, concerts, sc. Ii
we are sitting over volcano, can assure
you that it is ostagreeable seat at pres
| ent."