Douglas Island news., 1909-09-15
Kemnais Visits Eur ope

INSIEU1uS V lSktS LSbA "
 Mir. J. A. kemmis, who was business man in Douglas for number of years having sold out to Messrs. Feusi & Bloedhorn, has been travellng in Eur ope. in a recent letter to MT. John Henson he gives an interesting account of the places he has visited which we quote in part.
 LONDON, ENGLAND, Aug. P, 1909.
 FRIEND HENsoN:-Your favor of the 18th ut. directed to Paris, was forward ed to Rome Eand missed me by a day or twoj reached me here yesterday. However, am glad to hear from you and yours and learn that matters and business in Douglas are satisfactory and O. K.
 have managed to cover a considera- ble territory since nay last to you from Vienna, with the result of considerable satisfaction, if not pleasure, laborlng under the disadvantage of not speak ing the language of the countries through which l passed. might men, tion Austria, Italy and France, and for the greater part can say that l was more impressed by their "pleasing" landscapes than grandeur of scenery though Italy and most especially the northern part which borders on the Mediteranian sea, east aud west of Genoa, is admittedly the most attrac- tive part of Europe, but not for agri- cultural possibilities.
 Of the cities which interested me very much will mention only two-4 and that more for widely different en- vironment and surroundings than their historical features. Venice, as you know, is on an archipelago of small is- lands about two and half miles from the mainland-the city assessor states l15 islands, but I didn't count them and connected in part by seventy bridges. The principal street is the Grand canal, over two miles long, and the small steam boat and the gondola takes the place of the bus and motar car. For a city of 150,OOO people they seem to be going somewhere all the Sine and always in hurry. What i'm presses a teuderfoot is that those Ven stians are past masters in the art of handling small water craft. The city has been, and to a certain extent is a "has been" and still is splendid city, and as you know has cut most nota- ble figure in the history of Europe about and during the 14th and 18th centuries. Marble has been largely, if not solely, used in the construction of it's numerous palaces and most preten- tious buildings, which are now utilized for hotels and boarding houses. This city, once the commercial center of Eastern Europe, has been losing it's for eign trade gradually until now--it is largely local. Manufacturing cuts no important figure, if kexcept ornamental glassware, and their skill stands second to none in that line. The city has an old and decaying appearance and one is impressed with the unwisdom of the investment of the millions in it's con struction. Bat to the tourist 1t pre- sents vision of almost ideal beauty on quiet evening, from almost any point of view on the Grand canal, and especially opposite the Inner Harbor Opposite to this place is situated St Marks Cathedral, St. Marks Plaza and the Palace of the Doges. These last two buildings were each, iu their respective ways, thought by the Venetians to be as fine, if not superior, to any other that that the world could boast of. And in the matter of Mossics it probably has no equal. In the day of the Doges, all criminals were tried before the Council of Ten, or their representatives. The Bridge of Signs is still seen, and also the dungeon beneath the palace where many prisoners (msinly politicaD never saw daylight again. The dungeon is ROW no longer in use. Accompanied by an attendant l went through part