New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-01-15
ITALIAN AFFAIRS.


CONTEMPLATED PURCHASE OF THE RAILROADS
BY THE sTATE-THE NEW PENAL CODE.
lVRoM THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF TnE TRIBUSE.i
ROME, Dec. 21.-I have a very curious and
really important list of artistic news TO give you.
which must not delay in inparting, or you VIII not
be the first to receive it, intend you should be-
For though my information is at the present mo-
ment Exclusive" cannot expect that IL shoulu
long remain So am told, then, on authority which
cannot doubt, that TorlOnio-Prince Alexander the
present head of the House-has for very many years
past been secretly engaged in making collection oil
.ntiouities mainly Etruscan, Greek, and Roman
marbles and bronzes, which has now reached de-
Vree of extent and importance, placing 1t second 10
90 collection public or private IN existence, save
nerbaps 10 that of the Vatican! My informant
,peciallv mentioned colossal Minerva III bronze,
some twelve OF fourteen feet in hight, and absolutely
perfect "a remnant of ancient art altogether I'M
paralleed by any thing that has been discovered
hitherto The facilities at the disposition of Prince
Torlonio for the gathering together of such mu-
seum are very great and special. He possesses land
I'm very many varied sites on all sides OF Rome, and
throughout the Roman Province; aud 1t would
seem that for quarter Of century OF more past he
has been quietly, and, indeed, one may say secretly,
pushing on excavations and explorations with the
utmost assiduity and an unprecedented measure OF
success / have not this marvellous collection
It is to he understood; nor, far as can learn has
anybody else seen it. am assured, moreover, that
any application to be allowed TO do so would have
no chance of being successful. Nor will any silver
kew be found applicable to the lock that guards
these hidden treasures For to obviate the POSSIBLE
ity of any indiscreton. the Prince, as am assured
keeps the key absolutely in his own possession!
The collection il stored in vast old house IN the
Trasteyere But why all this secrecy 1t may well
be asked. Why should the owner of this match!ess
collection deprive the world of his contemporaries OF
the pleasure of feastng their eyes on II Why de-
rive himself of the pleasure of showing 1t to them,
and of the glory Ofbeng its possessorf Why should
Prince 1orono carefully conceal the fact that lie
has been for years putting his colossal wealth To
pnrpose which all the world would with one con
sent deem honorable and admirablef To all which
questions echo may answer, Why! For it does not
seem likely that any other reply will he forth
coming! Can il be that the Prince has been planning
n ooup de fhAre a surprise for the world; that, dis
dainng the vulgar praise awarded TO this, that, ana
the other fortunate discOverer of statue OF vase
or an urn, or a sarcOphagus, he could only content
himself with revealing himself one morning to the
artistic world the pOssessOr of the finest coiec-
ton in ChristendOm; and must 1t be supposed that
the grand effect is not ready vet for the drawing
up of the curtainf If so, we can only hope that
the moment of revelation be not much longer de-
lavcd
Here is an appreciation of American Journalism
which NAV amaze some of our readers, and which !
take from the OpiRions of this morning. The OpiniOEe
rs YOU are probably aware Is the most important of
our ministerial organs
" The newspaper reporter Is a new produce OF the
American soilw Qondoners would probably say
that they were not unaequainted with the ones at
home. But the Italian writer probably means that
the genus has been produced on your side of the
water in previously unknown perfection.) En-
dOwed with an extraordinary activity and an I'M
limited curiosity, he possesses mind rapid III com
pretending an event in all its varied relations and
the mastery of an artist in describing it. He has All
instructive prescence of great facts, and capacity
for finding himself wherever such are about to hap
pen. To-day al New-YOrk, tomorrow at Washing
Ton OF Chicago next day he is ut San Francisco.
You think he is fully occupied in explaining the
policy of Grant or in describing the mines of Cali
fornia when he suddenly appears at Paris, at Lon
don OF at Berlin He discusses the Eastern question
with Gladstone and Disraeh; the hc,utia dc Listc
with Theirs and Buffet; the pretensons of the Nat-
can or the revelations of Count ATnlm with Prince
Bismarck At Rome he has one confidential con
ference with Mnghetti and another with Antonelh;
or at Milan makes his entry in the suite of the Ger
man Emperor If matters 90 at this rate, the
private dispatches will be superseded by his
reports addressed to the public" The Opinione
hardly seems TO be aware to how great a degree
this has come to pass already "The statesman OF
the future will no longer need TO write dispatches
or make discourses in Parliament in order 10 make
his ideas known to the world 1t will suffice TO have
half an hours conversation with American
porter to divulge from pole to the other with the
CELEBRITY of the electric spark all that he desires to
make known to the world. / may cite
fine example of the energy Of an American reporter
the case of a spirited young man connected with
The Tribune who, having heard some time since
Of grave abuses which took place in certain mad
house in the city, fcgned madness in order that he
might be confined in that hospital and experience
in his own person the horrible treatment in ques-
ton. He did So and after few days came forth
to denounce to public opinion the cruel institution
by the narration of the horrors he had suffered and
witnessed"
Your reporter, you see, will Ike Byron wake some
morning TO find himself famous-Only that it would
have been but fair ia the OpiROne to give the name
of so devoted a martyr to duty.
Our session has TO conclusion very abruptly.
for no other reason than that honorable members
were in hurry to get out of school for their Christ
mas hOlidays The session first division of
the session, to speak more techncally-has
been a very quiet and uneventful one. The
Opposition have barely put in an appear
ANGEL The necessary routine work of passing
the accounts of the various ministries has been got
through with very little discussion; but scarcely
anything else has been done. And now it seems
that In all probability the Chamber will not be
called together again till next March, very unusual
course, which is occasiOniDg a very considerable
amount of discomfort in the country, Of which even