Prof. Lanciani's Lecture.

An unusually large audience was gathered in Sanders Theatre yesterday evening to listen to the fourth of Prof. Lanciani's delightful lectures on Roman Archaeology. His subject was the Tiber, etc. It is surprising to learn that almost one thousand volumes have been written about this famous river. As the Tiber is the great waterway from Rome to the Sea, it is natural that Ancus Martius, one of its early kings, should have founded Ostia Tiberina at the mouth of the river.

This harbor was enlarged and perfected by the emperor Claudius. In the course of this work cassions were first used; the great ship which had brought over the obelisk that now stands in Rome, from Egypt, was filled with concrete until it sank to the bottom. Then the stone work was built around it and up to above water-level. On top of the break-water a mighty lighthouse, in imitation of the famous Pharos, was erected. All Rome's demands were supplied through Ostia and we therefore find enormous warehouses there.

In 1874 the late king of Italy, Victor Emmanuel, discovered at Ostia evidences of a regular maritime postal service during the Empire. Rome itself had mighty wharves and warehouses and in fact, Prof. Dressell has discovered the following interesting fact. Near the river in Rome there is a hill some 140 feet high which is entirely composed of fragments of Amphorae which were heaped together after service for transportation. The most interesting part of the lecture was the discussion of the treasures buried in the bed of the river. In the course of the last year it has been ascertained that the river bed consists of archaeological strata arranged in chronological order. The authorities of Rome intend to make extensive scientific excavation of the river-bed in no distant time.

Professor Lanciani closed his interesting lecture with a series of illustrations tracing the river from its entrance into the immortal city to the point where it plows out into the surrounding campagna. The inexcusable act of some one of the audience in disturbing the lecture cannot be too greatly deplored or too severely condemned. Some step should be taken to avoid such disgraceful occurrences.