Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-04-27
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.

special correspondence 80.
ponifazio Corsica. March 10TH l9Ol'--
The rivalry that used to exist between
S. PAU and Minneapolis, Chicago and
ST. Louis. omaha and Council Bluits'
was as nothing compared to that which
for more than a century has ragged be-
tween Bastia in northeastern Corsica
and Alacclo. midway on the western
coost IN other countries time decides
those strfcs, aud when one city mas
indubltably forged head, the other good
naturedly gives Up its claim, But never
in Corsica, where grudges always grow
in magnitude. Nowhere else would 1t
be considered sufficient cause Tor
deadly duel Il two men from the rival
cities happened 10 meet on the hlBh-
way. one of the other Is likely to be
Killed. and then the relatives Of the
murdered man are in honor bound TO
take up up the feud and both families
are involved In endless vendetta,
Bastla on the northeastern coast,
Just below the long and narrow PENN
sula known az Cape Corso-ls stun the
largest and most important town IN
Corsica, though no longer lis capital.
Early as the ninth century, the Genoese
made II the seat Of government; and 30
It remained until ligI when French rule
divided the island into two depart
ments. named after the two principal
rivers. the Colo and Liamone. Even
then Baslia remained the capital OF
Colo. the most important department,
but only for q few years. when those
divisions We're abolished and Aiaccio,
the smaller town. became the perma-
nent seat Of government The truth Is
that nature got some ages ahead Of
the French ir dividing Corsica. The
great mountain range did the business
FOR all time, and the people Of the
north are as unlike those Of the south
as the nations that live on either side OF
the pyrcntes. While civilization aud
agriculture are considerably advanced
In the northern half OF Corsica, its
southern portion Is much wilder Of as
poet. altogether uncultivatcd. and its
people not many degrees removed from
barbarlsm
To The stranger approaching by sea-
Bastia puts her best foot foremost"
and poses as a much more important
place than she really ls From the
port, the whole city is In evidence at
glance, all the streets making a rapid
descent from high horseshoe ridges
70 the shore To the left Of the Gala, or
landing place, a quay runs out into a
long molo, tipped by a light house. TO
the right The small harbor is closed
by an enormous rock, black as ink called
Leone, tthe lion) crowned by a dis
mai citadel and donjon.ke When the
Genoese governor LomelllnO, built
those Notifications in 1883, Bastia was
then grey with age; and so the settle
ment that quickly grew up around the
citadel was named Terra Nuova, New
Town, ~ to distinguish It from the an
Client town along the beach The lat
ter Is known as Terra VecchIa, (Old
Town0 and lis tower-shaped houses.
often seven stories high. crowded close
together and broken out an over with
balconies, seem TO stand on top OF one
another as they mount the Hill. Their
appearance was accurately described BY
an English visitor as "Gnawed. like so
many bones, by the hungry dogs Of
time Black with antiquity and rich
In grimy basreliefs they are more than
Italian they are medieval. many OF
them dating back to the earliest per-
Tod of Genoese occupancy. Yet in re-
cent years this Oldest town has be-
come the most modern Of the two
having the best streets. the public
buildings, and all the business there is
Bastla you know. Is the commercial
metropolis OF Corsica. and has consider
able trade In ollve-oil. crude wines as
bestos preserved cedrats in the form
OF candled peel, and a few other arti-
Giles, which are mostly absorbed bv
France Its Via Traverse is one Of the
streets in the island, fol-
lowing the curve Of the shore and built
up with comparatively modern edlnces.
Among the latter Is tho Palace Of Jus
tco surrounded by Arcades Of pillars
In beautiful blue marble quarred near
Corte, But their effect is ruined by n
great deal Of badly painted imitation
Of the same marble all over the build
ing unnecessary DETACHMENT, when
the whole island IL SO rich in the finest
marbles. alabaster periphery. serpentine
and granite, all scarcely used because
the people are too lazy TO quarry Il.
Yet-who win believe 1.-THE whole
town ~ Bastia Is paved with marble,
reddish stone Of extraordinary beauty,