The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-12-16
I'LL.

In his fourth chapter, which deals with
the struggle for supremacy in Italy, DR..
Hill directs attention to an interesting
project, formed at Venice in the first decade
of the sixteenth century, for the excava-
ton of a canal across the Isthmus Of Suez.
In the summer OF 1901 a Venetian Ambas-
sador at Lisbon sent to the Signory a de-
tailed report of the rounding Of the Cape
of Good Hope by Vasco da Cana, in which
the dangers and the advantages OF the new
route TO India were indicated. The wise,'
aid a Venetian chronicler OF that time,
regarded it as the worst news that has
ever reached them; for they zee in it the
ruin Of their own commerce." The fear
was well grounded. Three hundred ships
her foated the standard of San Marco,
but by the end of another century Venice
had almost ceased to be OF maritime inn
portance. Our author goes on to recall
that in 1902 a commission was appointed
TO study the question Of reviving the COM
mercial supremacy OF Venice, and the
Venetian Ambassador in Egypt, Benedetto
Sanuto. was ordered to treat with the Sultan
and point out TO him how much his W
trade with the East vas endangered by
the progress of the Portuguese. II seems
that already in the fourteenth century
Marine Sanuto, the elder, had advised the
conquest of Egypt with a view Of making
il a naval base. In 1904 a still more brilliant
enterprise was conceived for the rescue
of the declining trade Of Venice. Classical
writer's had recorded a canal which at one
time had connected the Nile with the Red
Sea. and had thus opened a water COM
t-..-v. ...tl Aha MoIttavranaan The
plan now proposed by the Venetians was
superior TO the ancient one. They ad-
vocated the cutting Of the lsthmus Of Suez
in such a manner as TO open a direct pas
sage for ships between the Mediterranean
and the Red Sea. thus shortening by thou
sands of miles the route to India discovered
by Vasco da Cana, which required the cir
COMMUNICATION of the entire coast Of Africa.
We are told that Bernardino Giova was
cent as a special ambassador to discuss
the proposition with the Sultan of Egypt,
but either the magnitude Of the undertaking
or failure TO convince the Sultan Of it's i'm
portance appears to have prevented the
realization Of the scheme.
In the same chapter is depicted the effect
upon Europe of the contest for Italy. The
wars by which the Italian peninsula was
devastated during the half century follow
ing 1888 we're prompted by no fixed princi-
piles. Neither national interest nor public
morality nor religious zeal had any place
in them. Personal ambition, rivalry or
resentment was the only spring Of action.
The infantile diplomacy Of Louis XII,
actuated solely by a passion for the con-
quest of Milan and Naples and by the candi-
Hos, 81 "a rdinal d'Amhoiaa for Tho pa ma ~.
the s~elishnees of Ferdinand the Catholic.
i'll concealed by a fiimsy hypocrisy, and the
impotent greed of the Emperor Macmillan,
az Unsuitable as he was impecunious--these
were the elements that ave direction 20
the international development OF Europe
for an entire generation. All three Of the
competitors for a~scendency in Italy prac-
tised duplicity and promised where they
had no intention 10 perform. The differ
ence between them was that Louis XII.
and Macmillan would deceive when there
was nothing practical to gain, while Ferdi-
nand applied deception only when II made
for his interests. He was a more skilful
dissembler also than his rivals. Upon one
occasion, when he was informed that Louis
XII. had complained OF his deceiving him.
What" he cried with contempt, does he
complain Of that? Why, I have deceived
him ten times without his knowing it,
DR.. Hill points out that the methods Of