The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-08-21

covering the wealth of the Caesars that
has been at the bottom of lake since
the early years of the Christian era
Yet a company has been organized in
Rome for that very purpose. 1t has a
capital Of $l000l0, and purposes to drain
Lake Nemi, a small body OF water occu-
plying what was once the crater OF a VOL
cano IN the Alban Hills, upon the estate
Of Prince Orsini, about thirty-two miles
from Rome. Its object is to recover a
pair Of the most extraordinary house
boats built and used by the crazy En-
peror, Caligula. about forty years after
Christ. They appear to have been in the
nature Of floating gardens. and are de-
scribcd by Suetonus as constructed OF
cedar wood adorned with jeweled prows,
sails OF purple silk. bathrooms OF ala
baster and bronze and other equally novel
and costly features. Upon these floating
gardens werc vineyards and fruit trees.
They were not only places OF amusement.
but temples in which the mad Emperor
worshlped himself The floors were paved
with glass mosaic. the window and door
frames were of bronze. many of the dec
orations were of almost priceless value.
and the ordinary equipments were or
beautiful design and costly Workmanship.
These floating palaces were attached to
the shore by chains. and bridges were
stretched across the water for purposes
of communication. Upon them occurred
some of the most extraordinary orgies
that human being ever INDUCED IN, in
which cruelty, murder and the most re-
voting depravity were mingled with mu-
sic and sport Callgula Is said to have
spent in a single year on his fantastic
amusements a sum amounting to about
800, 600 600 In our money, which had been
left him by Ttberius.
The Roman treasure hunters have one
advantage over their American brothers
In that there seems to be no doubt that
the treasure they ire looking for Is re-
ally there. Then again 1t Is compare
he
search Is to be conducted not by diving
or wrecking. but by draining 1t would be
considerable of an undertaking to drain
the ocean.
For some reason or other, probably dur
ing the wars that followed the reign Of
Caigula, these palaces were sunk and
now lie in the mul 200 yards distant from
each other in Ave fathoms Of wafer: one
is $50 feet from the bank and the other
about $50 feet One measures $50 feet in
length and 80 feet in width and the small
er is 119 feet long and % feet wide.
The first attempt to raise them was
made in the thirteenth century, but 1T
was found impossible. In 1446 Cardinal
Prospero Colonna employed Leon Batistd
Albert, the greatest engineer of that Pc
rlod but his mechanical appliances were
totally inadequate. He used pontoon
bridges, windlasses and inflated blad'
ders. In 1855 Francesca de march, OF Ro-
losna a great military engineer, the in
ventOr Of the modern system Of fortitica-
lions. made another attempt. an account
Of which is given in his work on Mill
tary Architecture" He was unable to
do anything. nut obtails1 accurate meas
urements and other valuable information
concerning the objects of his search.
diver who spent several months in their
Axamina tio1 brought up samples of richly
wrought bronze which had become de-
tached from the decorations. Nothing
further was done until 1877, when another
engineer succeeded in breaking Of the
prow of the vessels to it's permanent in
jury.
antiuuarian obtained permission from the
Orsini family to make another attempt.
and although he was unsuccessful in ac-
compIishing his purpose. he maE1ged.
with his graph lg irons. to zip up the
palaces pretty generally and has proDably
w. He took out many beautiful decoFd-
tiOns CT bronze and marble before ne was
stoppel by the MilIsteF of Public In
stIucti )n who has charge Of antiqudrill
re searches in Italy. The articles are now
hidden away to escape confiSCa ton by
the Government, which has been trying
10 get hold of them. There has been
a bitter controversy over the matter in
the newspapers and in pamphlets. and
any further methods that wlll injure the
boats. BOrghi has therefore organized a
company and is now offering the shares
for sale in order to raise money to drain
the lake far enough to allow him to get
at the ships and dredge the bottom for
fra gments that may have become de.ach-
ed The boats are made of cedar, with
a thick coating of pitch ana covered with
cloth. on the outside Of which skin Of