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18 September 1904 — Ca’ Capello, Venice | |
Sunday. 18th [September 1904]. We went to church in the morning some of us in gondola & some put across the canal by our gondola, walked to S. Vio. Monty took the organ & played as usual very well. When we came out of church Riccardo our 1st gondolier told us that a general strike had been proclaimed that all the canal steamers had been stopped or order of the socialists & working classes that all gondolas had been forbidden to come out– The shops were closed & that the police were doing nothing. When we got home we saw that the gondoliers at the traghetto were leaving their posts & tying up their gondolas. They gave orders to our men to do the same– When Cecil & Monty & the 2 girls & Mr Hailstone who had been at the picture gallery after church arrived at the steamer station opposite this house they could get no one to ferry them across– Our gondoliers were gone to lunch but we managed to find one of these & he came & fetched them in our gondola– It appears that the socialists in order to prove the power of the people have decided on ordering a strike the chiefs having first made a compact with the Prefect that if he allowed the strike they wd undertake to promise that there should be no rioting but on condition that all troops & all police should be withdrawn– It is a monstrous thing that the Govt should consent to this & thus we are now in the hands of the socialists. It is said the Gioletti’s aim is thereby to curry favour with the populace against the coming elections when he hopes to again come in to power. It is believed that the course he is pursuing will have a contrary effect. The socialists have also chosen this moment just after the birth of the heir to the throne to disturb the general satisfaction. After luncheon Prof. Malagola came to call & proposed to take us for a walk to see what was going on in Piazza so we made our own gondoliers ferry us across the canal. The shops were all shut & there were crowds going about to the meetings being held but there was no special crowd in the Piazza– A large Austrian Lloyd ship was embarking travellers by means of their own boats & an idle crowd of Venetians were looking on. When we were returning home we called our gondola across to Campo S. Angelo to ferry us back– A man sitting on the steamer station started up & abused us saying we had no business to use our gondola as it was forbidden. Malagola said we knew nothing about it & asked him who he was—whether he was a member of the police &c& c. He angrily retorted that he was “Presidente della Lago” & was evidently a gondolier. At wh Malagola said “We know no League & will receive our orders from the Prefect.” The man continued to rave & storm at us the further we got from him & never offered to touch us as we left the shore. Towards evening the roar of voices in the distant grew louder & there was evidently much excitement in the town. At about 5 the Genl de Horsey passed up the canal in his two oared gondola quite quietly & we were delighted to see that it required an English soldier to set the example of calm & bravery before the crowd. There were no other gondolas to be seen only boats of roughs making a kind of patrol to prevent the gondolas going out. Admiralty steam boats went up the canal now & then with troops—& one patrolled the Gd Canal most of the night– Abt 11 a great roar was heard & from these windows we could see the crowd rushing along the Fondamenta of the Municipio & then the lights were extinguished—then came a shout of victory. The town is in the hands of the mob. | |
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