American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1872-11-02
Dutch Enterprise-The New Ship Canal
of Holland.

The worthy and wealthy burghers of
| Amsterdam are in Il flutter of pleased eX-
element. Everybody knows that ''the
Dutch have taken Holland" but perhaps
the world at large does not give them de-
served credit for taking it, and. by sleep
less vigilance. keeping it from the con-
slant aggressiOns of the stormy North
Sea. Undaunted by frequent failure they
have diked out their fertile meadows from
the ocean. fencing out his waves with
walls of clay and sand, held in place by
the thick interlacing roots of the sea grass
which they call ''heim.'' Aided by this
most modest vegetable coadjutor, by dint
of unremitting watchfulness, the beaver
like HOllanders maintain their standing
on the map. and X ep fully abreast of their
neighbors in progress and prosperity.
They have taken Holland from the sea by
sagacity and hard work. Mother nation
can truly boast the creation of their land.
The same people have just achieved an
other victory over the forces of nature.
Their great city of Amsterdam was built
in a marsh near the back waters of the
Zuyder Zee, about twenty miles east from
the North Sea. To reach the ocean It was
necessary to thread the narrow channel
between the islands in the Zuyder Zee and
pass to the nOrthward of the Helder,
heavy vessels finding it necessary to be
lightened over the flats by floats. called
camels, the process being slow and risky.
Fifty years ago the enterprismg and
dauntless Dutchmen built ship canal 80
miles long, costing five million dollars,
from Amsterdam to the Helder. Through
this artificial sluice their commerce passed
with less risk. But this canal, of which
in its day they were justly proud had its de
fectS. Its course north and south is at right
angles with the usual heavy west winds
of the coast, which sweep in from the
broad Atlantic. Vessels while being
lowed, dragged against the lee bank. tc
their annoy vance and injury. Besides this
the winds and waves brought into the
channel so much that. in spite of dredg-
ing, its depth has been reduced to nineteen
feet. instead its original twenty-three.
In the best of weather it uses up a aOnS
day to reach the ocean from Amsterdam
through the canal, and storms may pro-
long the voyage indefinitely. This delay
was of small consequence in the slow old
days, but now ''time is money" and the
city if they could not provide her quick
road to the Atlantic. So they, eighty
years ago, begun new canal running
nearly east from the Zuyder Zee at Schel-.
lngwonde across the narrowest part OF
the peninsula to the north Sea at VelZen.
This new canal, which was to cost about
fifteen million dollars, has an immense
bar out the sea, which the Dutch dread
above all dangers. These locks are just
and are described as prodigies
of engineering skill. The canal between
the two points will not be finished within
two years. 1t will be large enough in its
narrowest parts for two ships of the first
class to pass. Its construction has been
a work which only a nation born to fight
the water would have undertaken, and its
has developed wonderful me-
chanical adaptation. When open for traffic
it is expected to bring Amsterdam within
two hours of the ocean and rescue her
commerce from its threatened decline
". 7. Herald, Oct. 10.