Italian Railway Progress.

Very marked in recent years has been the progress effected in every branch of the railway industry in Italy. One of the leading aims of the Rome authorities is the shortening of the railway routes between the principal cities, the opening of a new direct route between Rome and Naples a year or two ago, marking the first big accomplishment in this direction. Following the completion of the Rome-Naples new main line, there has recently been opened a new 54-mile route affording direct connection between Florence and Bologna, two of the leading centres in Northern Italy.

This railway, costing approximately £20,000,000, is really one of the engineering wonders of the world. The Florence-Bologna line pierces the heart of the Apennine Mountains. There are twenty-three miles of tunnels on the route, and thirty-eight bridges and viaducts. The longest tunnel, through the highest point in the Apennines, is 111/2 miles in extent, and is actually the longest double-tracked railway tunnel in the world. The famous Simplon tunnel is three-quarters of a mile longer, but this really consists of a pair of single-track tunnels. As a result of the opening of the new direct Florence-Bologna line, the journey between the two centres has been shortened from over three hours to under two hours, while the through journey from Rome to London and other centres has been cut to correspond.