The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-02-19
The FamOu, Dyke, of Holland.

To the dykes Holland owes its cxis-
tcnce, They are immense rImparts Of
earth and stone raised all along the coast,
aud sufficiently strong to prevent the sea
from forcing its way THROUGH them. amp
high enough to defy inundution. They
are also required To restrain the chan
nels Of the rivers, which are nearly lis
perilOus to the kingdom Us tue ocean it.
self. The first thing necessary to the
dykes is Il solid foundation. obtained by
nmming down the soil, aud by lying Il
substmtum Of clay, or, when that is not
possible, by driving piles. The dyke is
formed Of such earth as will cuhere
most readily, and its face is protected
by the Interviewing Of willow twigs,
whose interstices are filed with puddled
clay. This wickcr-wOrk, being renewed
every three or four years, makes such
an active demand for willow b0ughs
that the trees are extensively cultivated
in Holland for that purpose. Not ire
quently the dykes are planted with trees,
because their spreading roots aid great
ly in holding the earth together. Some
times their base is faced with masonry,
and strengthened by huge heaps Of
stones brought from other countries,
while the upper part Of the dykes, rising
in some places as high as forty feet, is
thickly covered with turf. The wstest
of these artificial projections ARE at the
lIolder, and ut the western end Of the
island Of Walcheren. The annual eX-
pense OF keeping in repair each of those
stupcndous dykes is not less than 10000
guilders-about $4,000, and taking care
Of MI the dykes of the kingdom and
regulating the water levels cost from t..
100000 to s, 100000 glilders-S2, 400, 900
to So, 2O0, 900. A special corps Of cngl-
neers Iwatcrstaat), numbering many men
Of science, receive regular salaries for
guarding the country from all danger Of
inundation. During the winter, when
great storms are common, these engi-
neers are stationed ut the points where
nm irruptiOn of the waters is most to be
feared, and ample supplies ure at hand
TO resist old Neptune in case Of need
Watchmen ure posted day and night
along the line threatened with attack to
give instantaneous wIrning ofapproach-
ing peril, and to summon from the
neighbOring villages workmen appoint
ed by the authorities to the scene of
danger. The rising tide at such times
is watched with intense anxiety; and
when the calamity is anticipated an
alarm.bell is rung, aud every man hur-
ries to his duty. II the sea still rises Il
new rampant is built on the top Of the
dyke, and so rapidly that the water il
almost always kept out. Should the
strength Of the dyke be doubted, or a
breach be made, sheets Of sail.cloth or
mats Of rushcs are placed on the outside
to resist the nction Of tue scn. In the
event Of all these precautions failing, u
semicircular mmpnrt is thrown up be.
hind that part Of the sen.wull which has
shown signs Of weakness, thus presenting
an inner barrier TO the rcmorselcss foe
There have been numerous instances in
which all these efforts have been in.
eilectual. aud entire districts have been
overwhelmed and lost with thousands
of lives, in the great rivers or in the
ocean. What is now the Zuydcr-Zcc
wis dry land up to the thirteenth cen.
tury, and the Gulf of Dollnrt, in the
province Of Gronibgen, was made in
1877 by an inundatiOn which destroyed
not less than forty.hye villages. The
average height of the Holland dykes i,
about thirty feet, and their breadth
at the base seventy feet, with room
enough ut the top for a roadway. Theu
total cost is estimated ut 81, 200, 900, 600.