The Canton mail. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 18??-1882, 1875-04-03
Rome's Danger OF Inundation.

A writer says: 1t is surprising, as
De Fournon says in his learned and in
teresting work, "Etudes Statistiques, +"
that people so powerful as the Ro-
mans, SO truly skillful in all great
works, such as drains, bridges and
aqueducts, should have done nothing to
protect Rome against the scourge of
inundation. To be sure, the part of
the city most exposed to the overflow
had not in early times any great monu-
ments. But it is inexpGcable that
Agrippa should have placed his superb
Pantheon in such a low spot, which is
now only little over six metres above
the rivers level, and must have always
flow Of the TIber. The Temple of
Vesta was between the Forum and
the Velaorum. The Velabrum was the
whole of the low ground lying between
the Tiber, the north point of the
Avantine, the south point of the Capt.
toline and the west point of the Pala-
tine. This space, together with the
Forum and the hollow between the
Capitoline and the Palatine which con-
meets them, was a swamp In very ancient
times. It was frequently over9owed
by the river until the stagnant waters
were carried off by the famous drain,
known as the Cloaca Maxima besides
the Cloaca, the riv,r was confined with.
in its bed by strong bulwark faced
with hewn stone. This parapet and
the Cloaca are amorg the few works Of
that early epoch which still remain,
entire. At the southwest end of the
Velabrum, near the opening of the
Wallis Murcia, was the Forum Boarium,
or cattle market, under the Aventine
was the Emporium, or wharf, where
vessels loaded and discharged
their cargoes /; it was likewise large
marble wharf in imperial times, when
large quantities of costly stones and
marbles were brought to Rome for
public and private palaces. This EN-
pOrium was buried under the accumu-
lation of river mud and sand. For CEN
turtles only the tradition of it remained. |
Seven years ago it was discovered, and |
excited great interest. 1t brought us |
very near to those far-off days whom we |
drove to the ancient Emporium, and |
walked over columns and fragments of |
costly marbles, which had on them the |
quarry stamps, nearly two thousand |
years old. The whole of that quarter
was connected with the Forum by two |
great streets, the Vicus Tuscus and |
he Vicus Ingarius. Thus it was very
Easy for old Tiber to sweep up into the
,ity."
IT is believed that Fohi, the first
libg of China, is identical with Noah.
The Chinese themselves claim that
Fohi has no father and Noah, although
'ubsequent to the flood the great pro-
,enitor of the race, was himself at that
ime fatherless. The mother of Fohi
s said to have borne him encompassed
With rainbow-an evident allusion to
he bow of promise revealed to Noah as
he sign of Gods covenant. Fohi is
presented to have reared seven kinds
# creatures, which he sacrificed TO the
treat Supreme. Noah also took into
he ark clean beasts and fowls by
evene, which he offered to the God of
eaven as offerings Fohi is represented
s drawing off the waters which had
eluged the earth, thus identifying him
nth the food.
THE Piano Harp Cabinet Organ is a
ew invention combining three and
ne half octay of pianoforte, or of
n instrument with tones between those ,
the piano aud the harp with the or [
nm. It is b autiful instrument, cost I
lg but little more than the organ. The
Iason & Hamlin Organ Co. are not t
Die to manufacture it rapidly enough 6
.