271
Secchi concluded his reading with an exhortation that is still relevant nowadays:
Such, oh gentlemen, are the thoughts that have repeatedly come to me traveling around our
region and talking to the most educated people. I cannot directly contribute to this work, but
many of you can, and we must all try to make it happen with our advice and our words, for
the common good and the health of the public is the ultimate law; and although sometimes
it is necessary to play an unwelcome part to those who are lazy, or slothful, or poorly educated, or blind to their best interests, one must take risks with courage to do what is right.
13
16.6 The Fire Prevention System of the Basilica of St. Paul
Outside the Walls (1868–1878)
At the beginning of 1868, Secretary of State Cardinal Giacomo Antonelli, president
of the Special Commission appointed for the rebuilding of the Basilica of St. Paul,
asked the architect Luigi Poletti to present a proposal for the protection of the building against the risk of fire. Poletti took advantage of the knowledge of Father Secchi,
and that February he presented a project for an integrated fire prevention system
(Calzolari and Marsella 2018a, b).
The archival papers and various publications reveal how Father Secchi took to
heart the protection of that edifice, an example of contemporary art which he considered to be just as valuable as an ancient monument
14
(Fig. 16.4).
Having just returned to Rome from his trip to Paris, where he had presented his
meteorograph at the Universal Exposition of 1867 (Calisi and Mangianti 2012:
211–219), Secchi decided to apply himself to the problem of prevention and protection against fire. His interest grew out of his experience in the field of hydraulic
pumps and forced pipelines which he had developed in the previous years, and some
technological innovations that he had seen in Paris, which he reported in “La scienza all’Esposizione Universale di Parigi.”
15
His idea was to apply the same principles and innovative technologies that had been invented to secure property and
people in the economic and social sectors, to the protection of the artistic good.
To that end he installed a telegraph system, powered by the manganese batteries
just invented by the French engineer Georges Leclanché (Paris, 1839–1882).
Connected to this system, electric thermometers (like those installed in warehouses)
13 Tali, o signori, sono i pensieri che più volte mi si sono presentati viaggiando pei nostri dintorni e
parlando colle persone più istruite. Io non posso direttamente contribuire a tali operazioni, ma
molti di voi lo possono coll’opera, e tutti dobbiamo procurare di farlo col consiglio e colla parola,
perché si tratta di bene comune, e la salute del pubblico è la somma legge; e quantunque talora
occorra prendersi una qualche parte odiosa presso chi è pigro, o infingardo, o male istrutto, o cieca
mente interessato, pure bisogna arrischiarsi all’opera buona con coraggio (Secchi 1865b: 19).
14 (APUG, Carte A. Secchi, cart. 2, fasc. XI [Padre Angelo Secchi. “P(adr)e Angelo Secchi S. J
Memoria per tutelare dagl’incendi la nuova Basilica di S. Paolo”). [“Father Angelo Secchi S. J
Memory to protect the new Basilica of St. Paul from fire”]).
15 (APUG, Carte A. Secchi, cart. 9, fasc. VI “Articoli, Comunicazioni, Riviste etc” [“Articles,
Communications, Magazines etc”], cc. 28–45: minute of the report; Secchi 1867). (APUG, Carte
A. Secchi, cart. 9, fasc. VI “Articoli, Comunicazioni, Riviste etc” [“Articles, Communications,
Magazines etc”], cc. 28–45: minute of the report; Secchi 1867).
16 Secchi’s Science in the Service of the Public
Secchi concluded his reading with an exhortation that is still relevant nowadays:
Such, oh gentlemen, are the thoughts that have repeatedly come to me traveling around our
region and talking to the most educated people. I cannot directly contribute to this work, but
many of you can, and we must all try to make it happen with our advice and our words, for
the common good and the health of the public is the ultimate law; and although sometimes
it is necessary to play an unwelcome part to those who are lazy, or slothful, or poorly educated, or blind to their best interests, one must take risks with courage to do what is right.
13
16.6 The Fire Prevention System of the Basilica of St. Paul
Outside the Walls (1868–1878)
At the beginning of 1868, Secretary of State Cardinal Giacomo Antonelli, president
of the Special Commission appointed for the rebuilding of the Basilica of St. Paul,
asked the architect Luigi Poletti to present a proposal for the protection of the building against the risk of fire. Poletti took advantage of the knowledge of Father Secchi,
and that February he presented a project for an integrated fire prevention system
(Calzolari and Marsella 2018a, b).
The archival papers and various publications reveal how Father Secchi took to
heart the protection of that edifice, an example of contemporary art which he considered to be just as valuable as an ancient monument
14
(Fig. 16.4).
Having just returned to Rome from his trip to Paris, where he had presented his
meteorograph at the Universal Exposition of 1867 (Calisi and Mangianti 2012:
211–219), Secchi decided to apply himself to the problem of prevention and protection against fire. His interest grew out of his experience in the field of hydraulic
pumps and forced pipelines which he had developed in the previous years, and some
technological innovations that he had seen in Paris, which he reported in “La scienza all’Esposizione Universale di Parigi.”
15
His idea was to apply the same principles and innovative technologies that had been invented to secure property and
people in the economic and social sectors, to the protection of the artistic good.
To that end he installed a telegraph system, powered by the manganese batteries
just invented by the French engineer Georges Leclanché (Paris, 1839–1882).
Connected to this system, electric thermometers (like those installed in warehouses)
13 Tali, o signori, sono i pensieri che più volte mi si sono presentati viaggiando pei nostri dintorni e
parlando colle persone più istruite. Io non posso direttamente contribuire a tali operazioni, ma
molti di voi lo possono coll’opera, e tutti dobbiamo procurare di farlo col consiglio e colla parola,
perché si tratta di bene comune, e la salute del pubblico è la somma legge; e quantunque talora
occorra prendersi una qualche parte odiosa presso chi è pigro, o infingardo, o male istrutto, o cieca
mente interessato, pure bisogna arrischiarsi all’opera buona con coraggio (Secchi 1865b: 19).
14 (APUG, Carte A. Secchi, cart. 2, fasc. XI [Padre Angelo Secchi. “P(adr)e Angelo Secchi S. J
Memoria per tutelare dagl’incendi la nuova Basilica di S. Paolo”). [“Father Angelo Secchi S. J
Memory to protect the new Basilica of St. Paul from fire”]).
15 (APUG, Carte A. Secchi, cart. 9, fasc. VI “Articoli, Comunicazioni, Riviste etc” [“Articles,
Communications, Magazines etc”], cc. 28–45: minute of the report; Secchi 1867). (APUG, Carte
A. Secchi, cart. 9, fasc. VI “Articoli, Comunicazioni, Riviste etc” [“Articles, Communications,
Magazines etc”], cc. 28–45: minute of the report; Secchi 1867).
16 Secchi’s Science in the Service of the Public