The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-08-29
ITALIAN Government CONFISCATES
PALACE OF The KAISER AT ROME
Copyright, 1917, by the international
News Bureau.)
Especial Correspondence

lSpSCIdl Correspondence
By ]. c. Perizzo
The City Council has been called
upon to approve Of the demohfion OF
the Palaszo Caffarelli. the seat of the
German Embassy to the Italian court
The building is Of no architectural or
historical value; but it occupies the
site on which was built the temple or
jupiter on the Capitol The plan Tor
the isolation of all the vestiges of an
cient Rome so as to form monument
tai zone of the Capitol and the Fora
necessitates for its execution the DEM
clifton of a certain number of build
ings, including the Palazza Caffarelh4
Senator Lanciani, the world-famed
archaeologist, in supporting the mo-
ton at the meeting of the City Coun~
ell stated that the throne of the kais-
er in the large reception room OF the
German Embassy is exactly on the
same spot where the throne OF Jupi-
ter existed in the ancient temple. The
remains of the temple are for two-
thirds enclosed in the property of the
German Embassy. The City Council
voted unanimously in favor of the
dem clifton of the building and this
will soon be carried out.
The question of right on the part
of the Italian authorities to seize the
property of the German governments
has been settled in the sense, that, as
the site of the building was given ori-
ginally by Charles ", in 1900 to AS
canio Caffarelli. the gift on the part
Of foreign invader of Italian prop
erty can be legally contested. The
question of compensation-quite an
Independent one from the former
will be settled later on, and it IL quite
probable that the material value OF
the property will be paid to the Ger
man government after the war.
An interesting anecdote is related
in connection with the Palazzo Caffa-
relli. Alderman B1anchi told the City
Council that on the occasion of the
last visit Of the Kaiser to Rome the
German Emperor lunched at the Pa.
| 1azzo CaffarelI, which had only re-
| Gently been bought by his govern
ment. After lunch he went out on
/! the balcony with Prince Bulow to adj
mire the splendid panorama Bulow
remarked: cit has cost MS much time
and trouble to secure this building
for our embassy. Let us hope that
they will not ask us some day to give
/ it up" The Kaiser answered: 81 will
give up this palace when give mp
Alsace." The time seems to have come
when he will have to give up both.
Ancient Treasures
! The demolition OF the Palazzo Caf-
farel1i will perhaps put the Italian
government into possession OF q. val
liable and unique collection OF gold
coins and trinkets. The temple of Ju-
piter Optimus Maximus on the Capt.
toll, originally built by the Last King
of Rome, was rebuilt In 824 by YES
passion. Tacitus tells us that the
whole of Rome attended the most sol
emn ceremony of the laying Of the
foundation stone. Besides the politi-
cal and religious authorities, hundreds
of thousands of citizens competed In
offering articles and coins OF gold.
which were thrown in the hole made
to receive the foundation stones. The
value of this commemorative treasure
is estimated at a very large figure. &c
is only fair to add that the treasure
is supposed to be buried under the
ruins of the temple within the zone
belonging to the Italian state. It seens
superfluous to lay stress on the i'm
] mfnent decision Of the Rome City
fCouncil, which viii be sanctioned by
the Central Government. Whether
1.-THE Kaiser was 30 deeply attached to
4 the Pa1azzo CaffareI1i or not is q
lquestion of secondary importance, but
1.-THE fact remains that, as In the case
fof the seat OF the Austrian Embassy
to the Holy See, the Italian authori-
/ ties are giving further evidence Of
their firm intention not to allow any
consideration for the feelings of their
ex-allies to interfere with the steps
that may be considered necessary for
the preservation of the material and
artistic patrimony of the nation.