The morning call., 1892-08-21
THE DUTUH TAKING HOLLAND.

The largest work OF land reclamation now
going OF in the world has just peen started
in that land of change. Holland. oil the
Netherlands BY the expenditure OF
hundred millions or Whereabouts IL is pro-
posed to add to Holland a territory of
$50 600 acTeS-about equal in area to Rhode
Island.
At some remote period in prehistoric
times an unusually powerful fioodtide, ac-
eompanied with a fierce southwest wind,
broke down the limestone wall which con-
nected Dover with Calais. and sweeping up
the North Sea tore from the flank of Hol-
land and from the coasts Of the Zuyder Zee
an area of dry land equal to nearly million
acres. The old shore line is still visible on
the bluffs and surroundings demonstrate how
far the land then extended into what is
now sea- From that time until the
beginning OF the nineteenth century,
the sea continued 10 play the same
pranks with the coast OF Holland, now
carrying away villages, and again piling up
sand at the mouth Uf rivers and bays. AM
sterdam, the seaport of the Zuyder Zee,
more than once SAW her outlet choked up,
and had 10 protect the mouth Of the Amstel
with long jetties, which. after enormous
labor and expense. proved futile. A few
years ago it became apparent 70 the
merchants Of that opuent seaport that there
was no remedy for the danger except sup
plying Amsterdam with q seaport on the
west coast OF North Holland, and a ship
canal was dug to q point near Houlem.
This, together with sea dikes which were
built along The coast, answered the purpose
OF keeping out tile hungry sea so well that
the Dutch began to think of turning the
tables, and Of recovering from the sea some
of the land ii had gained. a seawail along
the FTiesland Islands, connecting the north
point of North Holland with some point on
the east sbore of FrieSland and converting
the Zuyder Zee into lake, was proposed,
but it was found that no human construc-
ton would stand against the rush of the
current of the North Sea when driven by a
west wind.
The original scheme was thus abandoned,
and in its PLACE project has been set on
foot to build dam across tile Zuyder Zee
from the island of Weiringen to Hindelopen,
on the coast of Friesland. The whole length
Of the dam will not be more than twenty
five miles, and the sinking of the founda-
tions will be an easy job for engineers fa-
miliaT with submarine constructions. When
it is completed it is proposed TO pump out
the Enclosed sea, leaving channel for the
escape of the waters of the Essel, and the
result Will be, as stated above, the creation
of tract of new land as large as Rhode
Island. There is nothing iDpraeticable in
the scheme.
Over half the soil of Holland, Ike that of
our prairies, is pure aiiuyium; Of tie rest
large portion is covered with gravel and sand
diluvium. But the elays, where OF too largely
mixed with sea sand, are very fertile; it is
assumed that the land which would be re-
claimed by the drainage of The Zuyder Zee
would be worth $500 an acre The Dutch
have embraced systems of diversified agri-
culture which get maximum yield out Of
their land.
If the population of Europe continues to
increase it Will be necessary to enlarge the
area OF productive land. for immigration
can only prove at best temporary relief.
Only one-half the area of Germany is under
the pl0w, quarter is in forest and the
other quarter is in pasture land or ire
claimabe. The total area Of France is
about 132, Coo eco acres; oil this about 70, 000.-
GOO acres are under the plow, leaving 81
Ooo,o00 for forest, pasture land and land
not arabic. 1t stands to reason that there
must be an increase in the area of produce
tive land If the people are to live. In France
that area has been increased within the past
30 years by the engineering devices which
have put an end 10 foundations in the south
eastern departments; the work of reclama-
ton Is going on year by year. In Germany
the area engrossed by forest is dispTopor-
tomato; some day it will be curtailed ana
the Germans will then find, as we have
found that it is cheaper to irrjgate than TO
clear farm. Probably the cheapest and
most effective way Of enlarging the produc-
tive territory is the one which the Dutch
are adoptiDg-to ravish land from The sea.