The Andrew County Republican. [volume] (Savannah, Mo.) 1871-1876, 1871-11-01
Coliseum at Rome,

The Emperor Vespasian, after his return
from the Jewish war in the year ~ of the
Christian era, caused this wonderful Am
phftheater to be built in that part of ancient
Rome where were the ponds and gardens
of Nero. 1t was completed in four years,
ard his son Titus dedicated it by the slaugh-
ter of five thousand wild beasts in the arena.
Adrian caused the colossal statue of Nero
to be removed from the vestibule of his
own palace, and placed in this amphithea-
ter. where it was wOrshiped as Apollo.
The Coliseum derives Its name from its
colossal dimensions, being about 100 Eng
lish feet in circumference. The form is
oval. 1t was built of immense blocks ei
Travenline stone, and consists Of four
stories. The first story is adorned with
D1ric columns, the second with Ionic, the
third and fourth with Corinthian. The en-
frances were eighty in number, seventy-siX
being for the people, two for the gladiators
and two for the Emperor and his suit
Within the walls were twenty s;aircases
leading to seats appropriated to the differ.
ent classes Of the people. The seats arc
said to have held eighty-seven thousand
spectators, and the portico or gallery above
them twenty thousand. There was an
awning which covered the entire ediiice in
case of rain or intense heat. In the wall OF
tine uppermost story are open holes sup
posed 10 have contained the rings for fas-
iening the cords OF this awning.
Cha;caubriand in his Martyrs, says,
'',Therc were rails of gold before the seat
of the Roman Senators TO guard them from
the attacks Of the wild beasts. The air was
refreshed by means of machines ingeni-
ously coutriyed 20 throw up wine and SAT
from wafer which again descended iii an
odorfcrous dew. Three Thousand bronZed
statues, fine pictures. columns Of jasper
ard porphyry, crystal belustrades, vases OF
precious workmanship, decorated this scene
OF savage cruelty"
4 hippopotarlus and some crocodiles
swan in an artificial canal which surround
ed the arena. Five hundred lions, forty el-
ephants, tigers. pantllers, bulls and bears,
kept Tor the inhuman purpose of tearing
human beings TO afford amusement to their
savage species, We're heard roaring in the
caverns of the amphitheater.
Such were the sports OF the Romans
when their empire was in the plentitude OF
its power.
European enterprise has laid 4 atelegraphic
cable between Hong Kong and Nagasaki,
and over that cable Travelled news from the
far East. Nothing interfered with the tran
sit OF the lightnin. for several months; then
the electric current began to grow weaker
er. The batteries were carefully examined,
and the instruments tested, in order to as
certain if possible the cause of this strange
interruption. But batteries and instruments
proved 10 be in unimpeachable condition,
and ut last the management concluded 10
look after the cable itself. It was gone.
What could have become of it none were
able to guess, for neither whales nor min
rows care to eat twisted wire, nor could the
tides of the ocean carry it away. Finally,
when the puzzled mechanicians we:e about
to charge the business 10 "a mysterious dis
pensatiOn of Providence" a shrewd detec-
tive ascertained that the Chinese in the
neighborhood had sailed out in their boats.
rished tor the cable, caught il, brought it TO
the surface, cut OF small piece few miles
long and carried the same away as Legitimate
spells. In the presence of such sublime steal.
ing as this, the Hong Kong and Nagasaki
Telegraph company stand agbast and know
not what to do. They can not guard the
bosom of the deep from China to Japan. and
unless they DO, John Chinaman will draw
from said bosom the precious cable, and sell
it in the market as though it were lobster
The countrymen of Coniucius are evidently
more than u match for the " outside barbar-
inS."
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