The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1878-05-25
Amsterdam.

Amsterdam has been styled the 'tNorth-
en Venice /" but It is Venice destitute
Of the semi-oriental architecture, the
color, the poetry aud the associations
which make the memory Of the Queen
Of the Adriatio o Joy forever 70 one who
has .'swum in q gondola" Yet Amsterdam
10 an opulent, curious, picturesque and in
teresting city-a splendid and substantial
testimony of the energy, industry and per
severance of the Hollanders, the most ener-
getic, tenacious and industrious people OF
the face of the globe. Other enterPr:s'ng
peoples select q tract of territory and
eroct q city on Il; the Hollanders had 70
make their Ian before they could build
their cities. q think Arnhem is the only
town In Holland built on natural soil.)
Amsterdam takes its name from the Rive.
Amstel, and WIS formerly called AmstelJam,
p dixie Of the Amstel which divides thu
CITY into two parts. A glnnce at the map
shows Its resemblance to q huge opera fan.
Even the lace fringe is figured by the broad
canal which surrounds II and follows all the
meanderings indicated by the salient redans
of the Notifications. The Ouds Herk (old
church, formerly st. Methodist is the pivot
Of the fan-sticks. From the belfry Of this
church you obtain o fine bird's-eye view Of
the city, as you got such q view Of Venice
from the campanile on the piazza of st.
Mark You gaze down on ths vast city.
with its s reefs, the parallel canals which
intersect them, the numerous bridges cross.
ing them, the trees which adorn the quays,
the gabled houses, and, towards the sea,
the Thousands Of ships with their forests Of
masts, the docks and shipyards with their
huge surrounding dikes, the arms Of the
sea, the 7 and the low shores Of North Hol-
land. The architecture Of tho city is
cumbrous and inelegant, Ike that Of oil
the towns In Holland. The lover Of art
VIII ind In the museum q precious col
lection OF pictures by many of the great mas
ten OF the Dutch school, including Rem
brandts vorld-renowned might Patrol"
The Wander Hoop (~prorounced Hope) Mu-
SCUM h also o treasury Of art
The cutting and polishing Of diamonds Is a
specially Of Amsterdam, the annualv value of
the business being about S2l, 600, 900. Ii
seems TO be monopoly Of he Isrnelifes
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 forms, besides O magnificent
present from Queen Victoria. An expert
enced diamond-cutter easily earns fifty dol
lars o week.
In January, l795, the French entered Am
sterdam under the command of PicheRru,
who, compelled TO obey the formal orders
Of tho committee Of the French nation, un-
willingly conquered Holland. He was afraid
Of exposing his army to certain destruction,
Il In case the Hollanders once more cut their
dikes, but the severity of the winter allowed
him 10 cross the frozen rivers with his artil-
lery, and soon, squadrons Of cavalry, cross
ing the solidiied waters, marched 70 the
extremity Of North Holland, and captured
the Dutch feet which was Imprisoned by
the ice In The port Of Helded--a unique
fact OF history which certainly authorized
Pichegru's troopers TO DO entitled Horse
Marines, and perhaps originated that ex-
p~ression- Tho call Of AL hands on deck
to repel mounted hoardersi" must have
astounded the heavy-sterned ancient mar
inen Of the Batavian navy. Think Of
an admiral striking his Eng to q colonel
Of drsgoons, or a company or nussars Dick.
citing three rough-shod horses on tue
sPar-deck Of q frigatei The Amstel, a vast
edince OF brick, is perhaps the very best no.
tei m Europe, very like an American hotel
In Its extent and arrangements.