The Great Hall of the Ducal Palace where the Nobles of the Golden Book transacted the business of the Republic is an apparent wreck, says a Venice message of July 19. That was due to the German and Austrian air raids. All the glorious pictures which adorned the roof and walls were sent to cities in central Italy for safety and have not yet come back. Workmen are busy preparing for their restoration, but meanwhile the magnificent hall has a woeful appearance.
Li the pictures have not come back the Austrians and Germans have done so. They now call themselves Czecho-Slovaks, Poles, Bohemians, or Hungarians. Their money, at any rate, helps to repair Italian finances. authorities have posted in places reminders to iters of what they tried to with Venice in the shape of plans showing where the bombs fell. The Queen of the Adriatic was simply peppered with bombs, and it is a marvel that so little damage was done. Not a_singie historical building but hadgthe nar-Towest escape.
In all the hotels, restaurants, and cafes are to be seen large printed notices to the effect: "Sone vietate assolutamente lo mande," or, as in one place, "Tips is prohibited." But every one in. the most openhanded way is ready to assist visitors to break this regulation.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.