White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1929-08-30
ROMAN SHIP Barred
IN DRAINED LAKE
Caligula's Galley Disap.
points Italians

Rome. - Caligula's galley. about
which so much has been written In
Italy and elsewhere, is proving dis
appointment to the Italians, and a
source Of worry to the peasants of
Nemi, whose medieval city overlooks
the lake In which the galley was sunk.
Now that several million gallons
have been drained from what was till
recently the most beautiful lake near
Rome, the hulk has appeared In all
its dilapidation. Its worn beams, en-
tirely bare of those ornaments Of mar.
BILE, copper and mosaic that were de.
scribed with such glowing color. have
been kept together only by the mud
of the bottom of the lake. Now that
they have been exposed to the sun,
they are in danger Of crumbling away
altogether, and the two firms that
have undertaken its salvage at theiI
own expense hastily had II boarded
up, while continuing pumping opera
lions, though on a reduced scale, as
the rapid pumping Of the last six
months not only caused landslips, but
may throw the beams of the hulk
apart altogether.
Hope to Reconstruct Galley.
Archeologists and antiquarIans are
not so disappointed as the general
public, nor do they share the anger
of the Nemi peasants, whose famous
strawberry beds. which used to reach
to the waters edge, are damaged by
the withdrawal Of moisture and the
frequent landslides.
They point out that once the water
Is drained from the galley's keel, and
the cooler weather makes II possible
to remove the boarding, 1t will be sim
pie enough to remove the hulk beam
by beam and reconstruct" II on the
shores of the lake, where small mu
scum Is to he built for its reception
Whether the operation will solve the
riddle of how galleys of ancient Rome
were propelled remains to be seen
Former attempts to save this one die
more harm than good. Large quaint
ties of wood taken from 1t were sold
for fuel, and the better parts made
into "keepsakes," such Us snuff boxes
and walking sticks.
Emperor is Playful.
AS to the precious marbles ana
bronzes with which the barges were
covered, local rumor has It that the
Emperor Caligula, being In play
full mood, sunk the boats on purpose
with his friends on board to see what
they would do when in danger OF
drowning, but carefully had every
thing of value removed. The dlscov
cry Of large VOLTS head in copper,
a few tiles and some long copper nails
does not entirely refute this legend,
for the heads were used as figure
heads, and the tiles may have Gov.
cred cabin. One head evidently the
twin of that found near the hulk re-
Gently, has been In Terme museum In
Rome for some years The copper
nails were purely ornamental, as ex.
perts who examined the hulk found
| the beams we're kept together by
dove-tailing one into the other
Now that the barge near the shore
has proved disappointing. archeolo'
gists' hopes are centered on the one
further out which. they say will he
in better condition. as neither peas
ants nor relic hunters could get at II
so easily. But the two firms who are
undertaking their salvage for purely
patriotic reasons have already spent
over 100000 liras (S75OOO) against
an estimated 2OO.000 liras (S100OO)
And 1t is not certain that they will
be able to attack the second vessel
which would prove even more costly
The estimate was that both would be-
laid bare by next October.