The never-ending rain which has wearied and depressed all Western
Europe, has in the South, and especially in Italy, wrought still more serious mischief. The rivers, many of which are above the plain, having been dyked for centuries, have buret their banks, and rushing down the valleys, have swept away everything, trees, houses, and even churches, in their course. The Po in particular has flooded villages 20 feet deep, and it is said that two-thirds of Mantua are underwater, and sixty thousand people rendered home- less. The Government, the municipalities, and the troops have exerted themselves to the utmost; but the same catastrophe occurs in every year either of unusual rain or unusual heat, the latter melting the snows too fast. Local observers attribute the evil to the gradual denudation of the hills, and as the experience of Persia and Spain demonstrates, they are in the right, but North Italy needs some remedy more speedy in its effects than replant- ing. All dyked rivers need artificial channels to carry off the overspill, channels which are extremely expensive to build and therefore are neglected, but which will control any flood.
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