Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1912-11-15

much was saved from it by its inhabitants or
dug out and dispersed by Pliny's contemporaries
and by the barbarians who followed them
in civilized times. On the contrary, Herculaneum
was sealed in it's tomb in few hours by the
mixture Of mud ashes and scoriae, and
has even been able to reach it, so high is the
mountain of debris and hardened stone by which
it was covered. "The entombment Of Hercu-
laneum" says Mr.. Waldstein, was sudden, COM
plete and secure, and this not the case with
the other Campanan Cities with Pompeii."
From the excavations under Resina treasures
have already been obtained. 'All Europe wrote
correspondent of the Mercure de France in 1851,
'impatiently supports the suspense in which 1t
Is held the discoveries in ancient Hercu-
laneum, Heraclea, as it is termed in Ma
pies" But only at present has the Italian gov
eminent been able to think of accomplishing the
gigantic task of unearthing the entire city and 1t
is most probable that the new 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
knowledge of the existence of and project of Mr..
j. Pierpont Morgan for excavations at Hercu-
laneum. Mr.. Morgan's name has been mixed up
with this question owing to the fact that Mr..
Charles Waldstein, the author of international
project for unearthing the buried city, delivered
a 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 lecturing in New York Mr. Wadstein
had visited Rome and spoken the matter with
the king Signor Giolitti and Signor Orlando, then
minister of public instruction. He had even OBJ
tanned from Sgnor Orlando letter warmly COM
mending the project, but in no way engaging his
responsibility. AS the idea became
known in Italy the press raised violent protests
and Signor Orlando was obliged to withdraw his
moral support from Mr.. Waldstein.
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 a commission had been appointed with
this object and funds supplied to the general di-
rection of fine arts and antiquities, the direction
of which had just been placed under Signor Cor
RADIO Ricci world renowned writer on art.
MI Waldstein later published an account of
his i'll luck in Italy and America in book upon
Herculaneum which much appreciated ('Her-
culaneum, Past, Present and Future" by Charles
Waldstein; London; Macmillan & Co.. 1909.
l saw Signor Giacomo Boni this morning at
the excavations on Mount Palatino. where he has
just made some lucky finds. which led him to ask
humbly: Am l worthy of it," He declared to-
me that he knew nothing Of any project OF Mr..
J. Pierpont Morgan in regard to the question of
excavations at Herculaneum-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 VIII
never-I repeat nevergive permission to any
one whatever to search the soil of the fatherland
We are not Turkey! Even though foreign gov
ernments should express the desire to excavate IN
certain places complete their studies; we should
hasten to undertake the work ourselves, at our
own expense and to place the material uneartned
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 was
hidden under the soil of Loeria, In Crotona. ID