The Springfield herald., 1912-11-15
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much was saved from 1t by its inhabitants,
dug out and dispersed by Pliny's contemporaries
and by the barbarians who followed them even
in civilized times. On the contrary. Herculaneum
sealed In its tomb in a few hours By the
mixture of mud, ashes and scoriae, and one
has been able to reach it, high is the
mountain of debris and hardened stone by which
1t covered. THE entombment OF Hercu
laneum," says Mr.. Waldstein was sudden
plete and secure. and this not the case with
the other Campanian cities. with Pompeii.
From the excavations under Resna treasures
have already been obtained. "Al Europe. wrote
a correspondent of the Mercure de France in ISL
''impatently supports the suspense In which 1t
is held the discoveries in ancient Hercu-
laneum, or Heraclea as it is termed in Ma
Pies But only at present has the Italian gov
ernment been able to think of accomplishing the
gigantic task of unearthing the entire city. and 1t
is most probable that the tone given to the
national spirit by the may make the charge
appear light which must be imposed upon the
budget in order to obtain complete result
In Roman official spheres there is absolutely no
knowledge of the existence of and project of Mr.
]. Pierpont Morgan for excavations at Hercu-
laneum. Mr.. Morgans name las been mixed up
with this question owing to the fact that Mr.
Charles Waldstein. the author of an international
project for unearthng the buried city. delivered
lecture January 3, 1905, in his house in New
York with the object of collecting the money
necessary for the work. which was then estimated
at 100000 lire annually at least.
Before ecturing in New York Mr.. Wadstein
had visited Rome and spoken on the matter with
the king, Signor Giolitti and Signor Orlando, then
minister of public instruction. He had OBJ
taned from Signor Orlando a letter warmly com
mending the project, but in way engaging his
responsibility. AS the idea became
known In Italy the press raised violent protests
and Signor Orlando obliged to withdraw his
moral support from Mr. Waldsein.
Two years later under secretary of state
for education declared in the chamber OF deputies
that the Italian government reserved to itself
the faculty of making the necessary excavations.
and that commission had been appointed with
this object and funds supplied to the general d.
rection Of fine arts and antiquities. the direction
of which had just been placed under SiSnor Cor
RADIO Ricc a world renowned writer on art
Mr. Waldsten later published account OF
his Ill luck in Italy and America in book upon
Herculaneum which was much appreciated t'Her
cuaneum Past, Present and Future. by Charles
Waldstein: London; Macmillan & Co.. 190S)
saw Signor Giacomo Boni this morning at
the excavations Mount Palatino, where he has
Just made some lucky finds. which led him to ask
humbly: Am I worthy of it?" He declared to
me that he knew nothing of any project of Mr.
]. Pierpont Morgan in regard to the question of
excavations at Hercuaneum-a question. more
over, that has been settled.
Signor Corrado Ricci, general director of fine
arts and antiquities. repeated the same thing to
me He added, THE Italian government will
never-I repeat never-give permission to any
one whatever to search the soil of the fatherland
We not Turkey! Even though foreign gov
ernments should express the desire to excavate IN
hasten to undertake the work ourselves, at our
own expense, and to place the material unearthed
at the disposal of whoever wishes to study them
This is what we have just done for the Grand
Duchy of Baden which desired to know what
hidden under the soil of Loeria. in Crotona, in