Add MS 8505

PAPERS relating to the proposal for a canal from Faenza to the Adriatic Sea; circa 1754. Italian. Copies, after 1756 (death of Cardinal Enriquez). Includes two plans (ff. 27, 28). Papers relating to the construction of a navigable canal between the inland town of Faenza and the Adriatic Sea, as proposed by the civil engineer and professor of mathematics Romualdo Bertaglia of Ferrara. The proposal (art. 1) and the project (art. 2) were presented by the town of Faenza to Pope Benedict XIV (1740-1758), and the MS. includes the related comments (art. 3) of Cardinal Enrico Enriquez (al. Henriquez de Herrera), papal legate to Romagna, the reply (art. 4) from the town engineers, a topographical plan of Faenza territory (art. 5) illustrating the layout of the canal, and a relief profile (art. 6) of its water levels drawn by Giambattista Migliari, civil engineer of Ferrara. The MS is listed in Palma di Cesnola, no. 1556, p. 122. Title (f. 1) '[...] Progetto umiliato a Nostro Signore per fare un canale navigabile dalla Città di Faenza al Mare Adriatico mediante il Po di Primaro', first word of the title cut away. Owned by Frederick North, 5th Earl of Guilford, but lacking his armorial bookplate. '648' in pencil in upper left corner of front pastedown. Purchased, together with Add. 8503, 8562, 8577, 8584, 8585, 8587, and 8602, from R. H. Evans, 8 Dec. 1830, lot 648 (part).

Contents as follows:

1. ff. 2-6. Proposal presented by the town of Faenza to Benedict XIV; n.d. Inc. 'Beatissimo Padre / Fra le molte Provincie, che formano lo Stato fioritissimo'.

2. ff. 7-13. 'Modo di preparare una Navigazione da Faenza al Mare Adriatico del Dottore Romualdo Bertaglia Perito Ferrarese', project by Romualdo Bertaglia; 1754. Inc. 'Il bel genio ed industria de Cittadini di Faenza ... Questo di 18 agosto 1754 / Romualdo Bertaglia Pubblico Perito Idrostatico'.

3. ff. 14-16. 'Osservazioni della chiarissima memoria del Cardinale Enriquez sopra il Progetto di formare una Navigazione dalla Città di Faenza fino al Mare Adriatico', comments on the proposal by Cardinal Enriquez; before 1756. Inc. 'Essendosi fatte le più minute osservazioni'.

4. ff. 17-26. 'Risposte date alle Osservazioni della chiarissima memoria del Cardinale Enriquez', reply to Cardinal Enriquez's comments; before 1756. Inc. 'Per mettere in maggior chiarezza'.

5. f. 27. 'Pianta topografica demostrativa della situazione della città di Faenza e del luogo progettato per condurre un canale navigabile ...', topographical plan of Faenza and its territory; n.d. Scale: 6 Roman miles to the inch [approx. 1:422400]. No surveyor named. Depicts the road from Bologna to the coast, towns along the road, marshlands and rivers to the north of the road, the Valli di Commacchio, and the coastline from Porto del Goro to Rimini. Ink on paper. 258 x 332mm.

6. f. 28. 'Profilo in cui si dimostra l'acqua del nuovo canale di navigazione da Faenza al Po di Primaro sostenuta di tratto in tratto da diversi sostegni', relief profile of the water levels of the canal, drawn by Giambattista Migliari; n.d. Scales: approx. 400 perches to the inch [approx. 1:79200] horizontal and 20 perches to the inch [approx. 1:3960] vertical. Ink and watercolours on paper. 232 x 544mm.

Paper; ff. 28+ii. 272 x 194mm. Horizontal catchwords on each page. One Italian hand. Contemporary binding of vellum, decorated by a gilt-tooled frame along margins of covers; gilt-tooled spine in compartments; edges mottled in red and green.