Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-09-12

as the enormous French indemnity TO
satisfy the aspirations Of a people re-
joicing in their century-sougnt uaion.
Italy, on the contrary, for hundreds OF
years prior TO it's union I'm 1870. had suf-
fered from foreign misrule, petty princely
divisions. and other stognatlng influences.
1t is, when we contrast the condition OF
Italy to-day with what II was forty years
ago, that we are made not only to sym
pathize with its peculiar problems, but
also to appreciate the heroic endeavors
for the national uplifting on the part OF
all classes of society, exclusive of those
attached to the Church. Perhaps the
largest gain which we brought back with
us was a somewhat more intelligent and
active interest in the life and destiny OF
the countries which we visited.
We left Naples on the steamer ENNIS
on August 9th, for a sail OF twelve days
across the Mediterranean and the At
lantic. At Naples we were interested
in seeing four hundred immigrants. strug-
Cling TO board the ship, as II glad 70
make their way to a land whose name
is Opportunity" You could easily make
out the family groups, and they APP
pealed strongly TO you, as you watched
the father helping sympathetically the
burdencd mother in caring for the tiny
children who were TO grow up m a world
so strange to their parents and In rela-
lions so vital TO ourselves. The best
enigrants from Italy hail from the north
ern portion Of the peninsula, and so to
South America, whereas chiefly those
from the enfeebled South come 10 the
United states. A large Italian warship
was anchored very near US. The itallan
Government is not yet rich enough 10
construct docks, such as we have III our
American ports. and so our ship Lad 10
lie at anchor out in the bay.
A LITTLE ITALIAN GIRL
On the barge alongside the boat was
little Italian girl, dressed IN a flowing
green gown, and having an exquisitely
beautiful face and graceful form. While
two bows accompanied her upon the gull
tar md mandolin, the attractive little
nrina donna sang, danced, and acted to
the great delight OF the passengers
aboard. who showered pennies into the
old yellow umbrella held up reversed
by the little girl. The following day
we coasted along Sardinia. whose sterile
mountains were plainly seen. on tha
third morning, as we stepped upon the
deck, there stood before us the perpen-
dIcular rock of Gibraltar, rising more
than fourteen hundred feet abruptly from
non. that by their range easily sweep
the entire straits. After our ship had
anchored in the bay we went ashore for
some hours, enjoying a delightful drive
through the straets. filled with motley,
jostling crowd of Moors, in their strange
costumes of Spaniards in their broad
brimmed hats. and soldiers in English
and Scotch uniforms. ] had an instruc-
tive conversation with two OF the SOL
diers. who had recently been trans
ferred hitler from the service In India.
In that trying tropical cline they got
p cents clear a day, but in Gibraltar
they received but l6 There are seven
thousand troops stationed I'm this fort
ress. in addition to the splendid line OF
battleshlps at anchor, which we saluted
on entering the bay, while our band
played, God Save the Queen"
FORTRESS ON EARTH.
Gibraltar is the strongest fortress on
earth. The vast rock is so tunnelled as
as to permit the mouth OF cannon TO