The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1873-08-26
ON THE CONTINENT.
wanderfngs I'm Europe-HO1land-
Beigium-Germany In Rot.
terdam, ,BrusseIsand BerIl n-Rem-
1niscenccs OF Waterloo.

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Special Correspondence ofthe Register.
BERLIN, August Let, 1873.
Having spent two weeks in London
and intending to spend few more
there on our return, we will pass by
that place for the present and make it
the subject Of future communication
after having visited other cities and
countries.
Aiming ourselves with travelling
coupons for q tour OF the Continent, we
sailed from Harwich to Rotterdam,
there being no steamer that day for
Antwerp our first objective point on the
Continent. At Rotterdam we witness
ed the several species of Dutch, the
high Dutch and low Dutch, the white
Dutch and black Dutch, Rotterdam
Dutch and Amsterdam Dutch-damn
the Dutch-they are thicker here than
the hair on a dogs back. They don't
understand a word of English, and are
too thick-headed to understand panto'
mime. Here we see women wearing
great wooden shoes, harnessed in little
wagons or trucks resembling the bag
gage trucks at our railroad stations,
drawing them and their loads along like
horses, while q man or woman holds
the handles behind like wheelbarrow.
The greater portion Of the produce OF
this place is transported from the
whsrves to the warehouses and stores
in this way. Many OF the streets OF
Rotterdam have cata|s cur through
their centres, and the chipping IS nearly
all anchored within the city. These
canals or whsrves are shaded by rnws
OF beautiful trees, artlstically planted
along both sides, and the ships ot all
nations receive and discharge their
cargoes beneath their shade. A poro
!; ton of the waters OF the Rhine finds It's
way to the ocean through this city.
This city is said to be much lower than
, the ocean, and is protected from over
: flow by high embankments. 1t is a
, place Of considerable Importance IN
COMMERCIAL point of view. 1t has
: delightful park, affordiug fine walks,
rides aud drives The people on the
streets >reaent a dirty, slovenly APP
peara" oe, while those sitting inside the
windows G, most Of the houses looked
little more neat and tidy. The ex'
terror OF the houses is very plain, while
the interior appears cosy and comfort
able. Some are built on the modern,
while most OF them are built on the
old Spanish style OF architecture.
Many Of them belong to merchants
who occupy the ground floor for busl-'
ness. Their store rooms are very
small, being very little larger than one
of our railroad coaches After driving
through the park and principal streets
we purchased our way out OF Holland
as cheaply as possible, after coming 10
the conclusion that there was nothing
to interest American tourists and no.
body there to show it if there was
Taking the train and bidding the Dutch
farewell by hurting a few emphatic
words at them and their dirty stuplt
smoking habits, in three hours we were
in Antwerp,the commercial centre OF Bel.
GUM Here we find mixture Of peo-
rle consisting Of Flemish, Walloon and
French, with a small sprnklirg Of
German. Here we had TO exchange
our Dutch money for French, an an
noyance and nuisance to which all
travellers are subject. The people Of
Belgium are much more active and
enterprising than those Of Holland.
They carry on an extensive commerce
with all parts of the world. 1t now
bids fair to recover the prosperity and
splendor which it enjoyed in the 10th
century, vixen it is said to have con-
tanned 100000 inhabitants, and was
the richest commercial city in Europe
1t owes its revived prosperity to Napo.
leon |. who spared no pains or expens,
in improving the river, enlarging the
haruor and strengthening the tortitica.
tions. 1t is said that he expended
100000 pounds sterling in construct.
ing docks, dockyards, and basins
These basins still remain, the larger
containing an area Of II acres, the
smaller 7 acres. They are now convert.
ed into commercial docks and are
lined with large and commodious ware
houses. The docks and dockyards
were demolished after Napoleon's de-
feat at Waterloo.
Antwerp was the base Of Wei
lington's supplies when he march.
ed to meet Napoleon on the
borders OF France in 1914, when tn.
brilliant career ofthe great French En-
peror, was terminated at the battle Of
Waterloo. A new addition is being
built to the city known as New Ant
werp. A boulevard is laid out and
partially constructed through the cen-
ire and across one end The new thea
tire, q most elegant and massive struc-
! ture, in the modern style OF architecture
is the most prominent and striking Of
the new buildings. III this city as ii
all others we hsVe yet visited on the
continent. a cathedral is about the fret
object Of interest to claim our attention.
Notre Dame ia large and most beau
tiful specimen of gothic architecture.
The exterior is remarkable for it's i'm.
posing simplicity. rs spire is estima,
ted at about 405 feet, but many claim its
height to be 492. Its chief attraction
ia the celebrated painting by Rubers,
The descent from the Cross" which
il generally considered his masterpiece.
There are also numerous other paint.
ings of a similar character by the same
artist. AS your correspondent had seen
since be came to Europe, as many paint
iugs representing the c.ucitixion as
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