Washington telegraph., 1855-05-02
immense Inuniation on the Rhine---Seventy
Villages Submerged.
ROTTERDAM. March 7. IS

ROTTERDAM, March 7, 1855.
Accounts from the provinces of Guelderlsnd and
North Brabant state that in consequence of the
driving ice of rivers having fixed itself rious
points INTO barrcades, vast quantity of territory
lies now entirely under water. As many as 10
villages are submerged: and when it IS considered
that the inhabitants OF these villages are mostly
of the poorest class, some idea may be formed OF
the great distress that prevails and will for long
time prevail. among them.
Since 1920 such inundations have not been
known in Holland At Arnhern enormous dams
have been constructed in all haste to prevent the
entire town from being submerged The Rhen-
Ish railway will, it is apprehended, become i'm
passable. In the village of Veenendaal the water
covers the tops OF the houses, most of which Will
be left undermined and In ruins. In most places
however. the water has simply over1owed the
dams. which have hitherto resisted the pressure
of the accumulated waters. In those districts.
should the damage continue 70 be so limited, the
consequences will be b:it temporary: but in some
cases the dams broken, and the water has
burst into the ad joining lands with fatally ire
sis.ible power.
In those districts the consequences will be of
very serious character; vast quantity OF land will
be thrown out of cultivation for many months.
and vast mum bers of IA boring men Will be thrown
out OF employment Many cattle have been
drowned. but in consequence of the excellent pre-
cautions used in sgnalfzirs to the people the mo-
nlent of positive danger, comparatively few of
felcw-creat;res have lost their lives by these la
ulentable casualties A telegFaphic message has
Just arrived from Bois-le-p Due. TO the e.Fec. that
one OF the dams in the neishborhcod has given
way. and that others expected to give way.
and that great part OF the city is entirely under
water.
ROTTERDAM. March 10.
Accounts from the lower and Upper Rhine. and
from the province OF North BIatant. contiHue to
be of the most distressing description We hear
Of houses undermined and beaten down by the
inundating waters, while others more capable OF
resisting their violence. stand with their roofs
peenng above the surrounding flood In one in
stance, in a village near Dusseldorf, the inhabt-
ants had not the time to effect their escape before
the waters dashed in. sweeping all before them.
Many poor creatures were drowned. though
not so many. happily, as under the circumstances
might have been expected. To those who escap=
ed the only place OF safety in the higher sto-
res of their dwellings; and many instances occur
red of people beiGg obliged 10 seek safety the
roofs OF their cottages, whittier assistance could
be conveyed TO them in consequence OF the enorm-
oas masses of ice dashng about on the surface of
the eucroaching waters. The village of Veenen-
daal has suffered severely; the inhabitants have
been driven from their homes nasSc. and may
be seen bringing with them their children, their
furniture, and what provisions they could save
seeking shelter in the neighborins villages.
The church, w hIch is situated rising ground
and it is consequently filled with poor creatures
shut out from any other shelter. hear many of
them there unable to move through sickness
Even when the water may have returned to its
ehannel-and at the time ! write it has begun to
fall-a fearful scene ofdevastation will await the
return of the inhabitants OF winter crops there
will be none-not potato nor chair remains;
the village must In a manner be rebuilt. reprcvis-
ioned and refurnished, before its inhabitants can
occupy it again
In North Brabant the food is not so general
but it has broken down the dykes. that the
damage caused will prove of fearful character
Several bridges have been carried away. and the
town of Bois-le- Due is a dimnutive island amidst
4 waste of water and ice The surrounding vii
lagos are deserted bat. hen the dykes repaired
they will again. for the most part, be hahisable
In one village, however. twenty houses were at
once swept away by the food. aud seven OF their
occupants were drowned. It is 144 years ago
since Holland was before visited with similar
destructive flood.