ITALY. 



451 



of a reconciliation have, however, not ceased 

 their quiet agitation for the restoration of the 

 temporal power of the Pope. A coarse ex- 

 hibition of anti-clerical feeling, which was 

 manifested on the occasion of the removal of 

 the remains of Pius IX to the Basilica of San 

 Lorenzo on the night of July 12th has again 

 widened the breach between the Quirinal and 

 the Vatican, and furnished the Pope with a 

 substantial ground of justification for his per- 

 sistent isolation. It was expected that the re- 

 moval would be conducted with simplicity, and 

 that none but priests would attend. Instead of 

 this, a splendid funeral-car bore the remains, 

 and a procession of some two thousand people 

 followed it, bearing torches and chanting pray- 

 ers. The people gathered from all parts of 

 the city to witness the imposing spectacle. 

 After the train had advanced some distance a 

 band of from fifty to one hundred men ap- 

 peared, who sang popular ditties in derision, 

 hooted and jeered, jostled the torch-bearers, 

 and attempted to put out the torches; and 

 when the procession reached the place in front 

 of the church they rushed in and created a 

 scene of confusion and of terror to the numer- 

 ous ladies who were among the torch-bearers. 

 After this the Eadical and Republican clubs 

 started an agitation in favor of the abrogation 

 of the law of the Papal guarantees, while the 

 Pontifical Secretary of State, Cardinal Jaco- 

 bini, in a circular to the nuncios, and the Pope 

 in an allocution, protested that the guarantees 

 were of no effect that the Government was 

 responsible for the outrage of the 13th of July, 

 and that the Pope's person would not be safe 

 if he abandoned his seclusion. The possibility 

 that the Pope would leave Rome, where he en- 

 joyed neither liberty nor security, was hinted 

 at. After a meeting held by the Radicals on 

 August 7th which was broken up by the po- 

 lice on account of a resolution offered which 

 accused the Pope of lying, in asking permission 

 for the removal of the corpse of Pius IX with- 

 out pomp, and which urged the occupation of 

 the Vatican palaces the Pope declared that he 

 would not leave Rome unless driven away by 

 brute force. Agitation for the repeal of the 

 law of guarantees was continued, and meetings 

 were held in all the principal cities. The po- 

 lice interfered at nearly every meeting on ac- 

 count of language derogatory to the dignity of 

 the Pope and of his guaranteed liberties. On 

 the feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Vir- 

 gin at Rome there were slight disturbances, 

 but the streets were lined with soldiers, and the 

 scoffing manifestations promptly suppressed. A 

 portion of the clergy desired to accompany the 

 pilgrimage to the Roman shrines in August, 

 and other religious observances, with popular 

 demonstrations ; but the Government promptly 

 interdicted every proposal for a demonstration 

 from either side, and, although the liberty of 

 meeting is guaranteed by the Italian Constitu- 

 tion, the interference of the police at every as- 

 sembly to prevent votes being taken on resolu- 



tions in favor of the abrogation of the law of 

 guarantees was sufficient to prevent the agita- 

 tion from spreading among other classes. 



In October King Humbert and Queen Mar- 

 garetha paid a visit to the Austrian imperial 

 family at Vienna, where they were entertained 

 with distinction. The King was accompanied 

 by the Prime Minister, Depretis, and the Min- 

 ister for Foreign Affairs, Mancini, and the jour- 

 ney had a political significance, clearing away 

 for the present the clouds left by the popular 

 clamor for the acquisition of Trieste and the 

 Trentino, and indicating the inclination of Italy 

 for an alliance with Austria and Germany in 

 the event of European complications. 



A great development has taken place within 

 a very short period in the Italian press, both 

 with respect to the number of newspapers 

 printed and their literary excellence. At the 

 beginning of the year, 149 daily papers were 

 published in Italy, and 1,305 journals appeared 

 weekly, semi- weekly, or tri- weekly. Of the 

 dailies, 18 are published in Rome, 16 in Na- 

 ples, 13 in Palermo, 12 in Milan, 9 in Flor- 

 ence, 6 in Turin, and 5 in Venice. 



The town of Casatnicciola, in the Island of 

 Ischia, in the Bay of Naples, was almost totally 

 destroyed by an earthquake which occurred 

 on the 4th of March. Of the 4,000 inhabitants 

 3,000 were left homeless, and more than 150 

 were buried under the ruins of their houses. 

 The first and severest of the two shocks lasted 

 less than a quarter of a minute. Other, slight- 

 er, shocks were felt on the succeeding days. 

 The disturbance was local, and not connected 

 with the eruption of Vesuvius, which was 

 taking place. It was attributed by Professor 

 Palmieri, a distinguished Neapolitan seismolo- 

 gist, to the sinking of the soil consequent upon 

 the undermining action of the mineral springs 

 for which the island is celebrated. Another 

 earthquake was felt over a considerable extent 

 of territory in the Abruzzi on September 10th. 

 Lives were lost and houses shattered at Castel- 

 frentauo, Chieti, and other villages. Many 

 thousands were rendered shelterless. A sec- 

 ond shock occurred at Castelfrentano on the 

 23d, followed by a laud-slide, which carried 

 away the site of the village. The Neapolitan 

 coast was swept during the year by several 

 hurricanes of uncommon severity. 



There was a general census of the kingdom 

 taken in December. The population of the 

 city and suburbs of Rome was 300,292, the 

 males numbering 167,327, and the females 

 132,965. The increase in ten years was 55,- 

 808 souls. Rome contained under Pontifical 

 rule, as at present, a remarkable preponder- 

 ance of males. The proportion was in 1871 

 118, and in 1881 115 males to 100 females. 



A notorious Sicilian bandit, named Randaz- 

 zo, was captured in New Orleans in July and 

 taken to New York, whence he was extradited 

 on the requisition of the Italian Government 

 and on the testimony of witnesses sent over to 

 prove his identity. lie belonged formerly to 



