Wyandot County Republican. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1869-1903, 1870-09-23
Sketch of the PapaI Territory

After q rule extending over n
period of more than eleven hundred
years, the day seems at hand when
the Pope shall cease TO exercise tenn
poral power, and when Rome shall
once more become the capital of
Italy. Ten years ago the greater
part of the Papal territory reyolted
and was annexed to the Government
of Victor Emmanuel. In 1859 the
Pope's temporalities covered 1929
square miles of territory, containing
a population of {, 3,124,66S A revolt
in 1850 took away everything but the
civil divisions of Rome and Comarca,
Viterbo, Civita Vecchia, Velletri and
Frosinone-the whole containing
4 ,599 square miles and a population
of 692.163. Geographically the
States of the Church are bounded on
the north by Tuscany, on the east
by Umbria and Naples, on the south
by Naples, and on the south west bv
the Mediterranean sea. Their great
est extent from north to south is
about 120 miles, with a breadth
varying from eighteen to fifty miles.
The coast line measures about l60
miles and is lii nearly all places low
and often marshy. Although it is
broken bv numerous bays, nearly
all so small and shallow that they
are totally unfit for harbor purposes
Civita Vecchia is the single excep-
ton, and even that place possesses
but a few natural advantages as q
commercial seaport. 1t has been.
however, since 1860, the only sea
port held by the Pope, and has
served as the principal means of en-
trance and exit to and from Rome.
Civita Vecchia is situated on the
Mediterranean, some thirty eight
miles north west of Rome. and con.
tains 4 population of 1000 souls. 1t
is surrounded by walls, it is well
built and contains numerous con-
vents, churches and hospitals, an
arsenal. building docks, theatre
and convict establishment. The En-
peror Trojan built the port. Tue
harbor is formed by two large moles
a d outside is a breakwater which
protects the shipping from heavy
seas, brought 10 by western gales
For many years Civita Vecchia has
been 4 free port and at one time car
ried on an extensive trade. Since the
dismemberment of the Papal terri
tory, however, its commerce has
been declining, and and at the pres
ent time its business is comparatively
small. Nevertheless, the town has
communication with Mar
seilles, Goena, Leghorn, Naples,
Greece, Egypt and Turkey. A rail
road connects it with Rome.
The physical aspect of the States
of the Church is mountainous, save
on the sea coast, where it is fiat and
marshy. Tie principal river is the
ITber, which rises in Tuscanny, and
pursues tortuous course east and
southeast to within twenty five miles
of Rome, when il flows south and
to the Mediterranean. In
of the difficulty of dis
the land from the sea
the mouth of the Tiber is dangerous
to approach, and the danger is in
creased bp the prevalence of thick
fogs during the greater part of the
year.
As general rule the soil of the
country is possessed of great natural
and with ordinary care pro-
duces large crops. 1t is doubtful.
however, if there is any other part
of Christian Europe where cultIva-
ton is more primitive than here.
The principal productions are grapes
olives, silk, rice, tobacco, coriander,
anise seed, mama, sugar cane, indi-
go and cotton. Live stock is abund-
ant, goats and sheep being in large |
numbers. They are valued princi-
paily for their milk, from whicn large |
quantities of cheese are made. 1u |
addition 20 these productions there
are several manufactures of silk, !
woolen and hosiery,perfumery jew
alry, mosaics, &c, but none of them i
,an be said to flourish. One great
drawback to industry in the Roman
States is the want of good roads.
There is but one short railroad, and
md the ordinary highways are in a
very bad condition. Communication
across the Appenies is exceedingly !
litficult, and is carried on mainly by |
mules. The present Pontitf has
several times exerted himself to
larry out plans of Improvement, but
las never succeeded in doing any
hing, principally because of his
want of funds, and partly from the
political agitations which have re-
,elled capital from seeking invest
nents in this part of Italy.
or Rome it is unnecessary to say
There is hardly child in
he United States ignorant of the
history Of the most famous city in
he world. 1t would be well here to
afalse impression which is
current with many persons,a and some
we'll informed ones among them. In
Rome and throughout the Roman
erritory facilities for education
Ibound to a greater extent than in
my other part of the continent, ex-