Connecticut western news., 1877-06-22
Amsterdam.

Amsterdam has been styled the
 "Northern Venice - but it is a Venice destitute of the. semi-oriental architec- ture, the color, the poetry and the asso- citations which make the memory of the "Queen of the Adriatic joy forever to one who has ''swum in a gondola '' Yet Amsterdam is an opulent, curious, picturesque and interesting city-a splendid and substantial testimony of the energy, industry and perseverance Of the Hollanders, the. most energetic, tenacious and industrious people on the face of the globe. Other enterprising peoples select a tract of territory and erect a city on it ; the Hollanders had to to make their land before they could build their cities. .> q think Afnheta is the only town in Holland built on nat ural soil.) -
 Amsterdam takes it's name from the River Amstel, and was formerly called Amsteldanl,n the dike of the Amstel whichdivides the city in two parts. A glance at the map shows it's resemb- lance:to a huge opera fan. Even the lace fringe is figured by the broad canal which surrounds it and follows all the meanderings indicated by the salient. redans of the Qualifications. The Dude Kerk Gold church, formerly St. Nich- olas) is the pivot of the fan-sticks. From the belfry of this church you obtain a fine bird's-eye view of the city, as you get such a view of Venice from the campanile on the piazza of St. Mark. You gaze down on the vast city, with its streets, the parallel canals which in- terseet them, the numerous bridges crossing them, the trees which adorn the quays, the gabled houses, and, to- wards the sea, the thousands of ships with their forests>of masts, the docks and shipyards with their huge sur rounding dikes, the arms of the sea, the ' and the low shores of North Hol- land. The architecture of the city is cumbrous and inelegant, like that of all the towns in Holland The lover of art will find in the museum precious collection. of pictures by many of the great masters of the Dutch sehool in cluding Rembranlt's world-renowned Might Patrol. .','. The Wander Hoop (pronounced Hope) Museum is also treasury of art.
 The cutting and polishing of diamonds is speciality of Amsterdam, the an- nual value of the business being about $21 ,00O, 900. It seems to be monopoly of the Israelites. One old man, living and at work in 1867, was very proud of having cut and polished the Koh-i-noor For this work he received ten thousand forins, besides a magnificent present from Queen Vicsoria. An experienced diamond-cutter easily earns fifty dol lars week. s-slz... : = .,'.--.-
 In January, 1795, the French entered Amsterdam under the command of Pichegru, who, compelled to obey the formal orders of the committee of the. French nation, unwillingly conquered Holland. He was afraid of exposing his army to certain destruction, if in case the, Hollanders once more cut their. dikes, but the severity of the winter allowed him to cross the frozen rivers with his artillery, and soon, squadrons of cavalry, crossing the solidified waters, marched to the ex- tremity of North Holland, and cap tured the Dutch fleet which was im- prisoned by the ice in the port of Helded--a unique fact of history which certainly authorized Pichegru's troop CTS to be entitled Horse Marines, and perhaps originated that expression. The call of call hands on deck to repel mounted boarders!'' must have as founded the heavy-sterned ancient mar iners of the Batayian navy. Think of an admiral striking his flag to colonel of dragons, or a company of hussars picketing their rough-shod horses on the spar-deck of frigate! The Amstel a vast edifice of brick, is perhaps the very best hotel in Europe, very like an American hotel in it's extent and ar engagements. ties