Weekly Trinity journal., 1876-05-13
DRAINING OF THE zUxDER ZEE

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In the year 1l70, the waves OF the ocean
driven by hurricane, broke down the
dunes and dikes on the northern boundary
Of Holland, and pouring in upon the low
land, converted thriving and populous
district into an inland sea. There are
scores Of quaint and curious legends re-
garding the submerged cities in the Zuy-
der Zee; and II is said sometimes, that
when the water is still, the turrets and
pinnscles of the ancient buildings can be
recognized protruding above the ooze
and mud on the bottom. For seven CEN
turtles this great lake has existed and
long before close o. the present century,
the islands OF Uik and Schokland, once
hills, will again be hills, and where now
the storms beat up waves, rs high and as
dangerous as any in the North Sea, will
be broad e1panse of fields and pastures
There is no country in the world which
possesses a greater interest to the engineer
thun does Holland. Her sea shores are
lined with the great dikes buitof Norway
granite, timbers, turf, and clay, hespsd
up to height OF thirty feet or so, and
broad enough at the top for two wagons
to drive abreast. Over n billion and a
half OF dollars have been expended in
making these vast embankments. The
canals, which form perfect network OF
water ways over the country, are wonder
fully substantial so also are the country
roads, with their triple line Of trees, be-
tween the leaty arches OF which one can
drive for miles in the shade. But the
greatest OF Dutch engineering work is
the draining OF the lakes, ninety Of which
already have been converted into arabic
land. 1t took sixteen years OF continuous
operations, including three years OF pump
ing by gigantic engines, to remove the
water of Haarlem Lake, which covered
an area of seventy square miles. Now,
however, in the draining of the Zuyder
Zee, Il task has been begun which throws
all previous undertakings in the shade,
and which, as a colossal piece of engi-
nsering, will take rank with the Susz
Canal, and the Mont Cenis and British
Channel tunnels.
The Zuyder Zee covers an area of 200
square miles, about equal to that OF Rhode
Island, less Nsrrsgansett Bay. OF tn,
provinces which constitute the Neither
lands, North Brsbant, Gelderland, Fries.
land and Overyssel, extend over larger
area. North and South Holland, Zealand,
Utrecht, Groningen, Dienthe, and Linn
burg are smaller. All tho area Of the
Zuyder Zee will then rank tenth in point
OF size-Zesland and Utrecht being
er--and will render Holland about abou
one eighteenth larger than it is at present
The preliminary soundings have re.
Gently been made, and have shown most
satisfactory results. With the exception
of along the coasts and about the sand
banks, the bottom of the lake is a deposit
OF 100 feet Of clayey earth. This soil il
rich almost beyond description. 1t may
DO used for crops for century without
impoverishment. We have been in-
formed that at tho time OF the separation
of Belgium from Holland, when for four
years tho countries were in state OF war,
tho frontier cities Of Holland were pro-
tected by large, inundated ditches.-
When peace returned, these bodies OF
water were drained, and the soil devoted
to agriculture. The deposit precipitated
even in so short time resulted in enrich
ing the land so that never before had il
yielded such enormous crops, and even
now that section is one Of the most fertile
in all Holland. Now, with 100 feet Of the
richest earth ut his disposal, IL may easily
be imagined, that with his proverbial ag-
ricuitural skill, the Dutch farmer will
some day astonish the world with the ex
tent and magnitude OF the vegetable pro
ductons CLEANED frsm tho bed OF ;h,
Zuyder Zee.
In few months the plans for the whole
work, now being made by Heer Lee
mans, Of Kampen, will be submitted IA
tho government, and operations will
shortly follow. These will last probably
some sixteen years. Pumping will con
tinus for two years and eight months
The average depth Of the lake in the por'
ton to be drained is l4,4 feet. The vol
ume OF water to be lifted and discharged
on the other side Of the dixie is 3O6, sos,
OOO, 900 cubic feet. The pumping ma
chinery will aggregate a force of 9,44C
horses, and will lit l5S, $50 cubic feet OF
water per minute, or 22s, 7S7, 200 cubic
feet OF water per day Of "A hours.