The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-08-06
An AMERICAN IN EUROPE.
Observations Upon the Life and Politics
of Twenty-Five Years Ago.
d. THE LATE
JAMES SHEPHE RD PIKE.
Holland na Seen In 1904.

low water Is found for long way out into tn,
North Sea. In some places tho coast 10 nc
cretinR. in some II washes away. No uniform
rule prevails But. on the whole. the country
has lost ground during the last two thousand
years The wholesale destruction caused By
the foundations OF the thirteenth century.
which scooped out tho Xuyder Zee. swept away
aprodigious breadth OF land. But aside from
that great disaster. much more has been
gained than lost. The rivers which run into
that sea are constantly sitting up at their
mouths and adding to the area OF land by
sedim ntary deposits. IL Is even anticipated
that little by little tho solid ground will keep
gaining on the sea until tho islands which belt
tho coast as they did in the time OF the Ro-
mans. will be united to the mainland. And as
the art OF preserving what Is gained Is now
well understood, 1t is not unlikely this result
will be finally achieved. But the most interest
ing features OF the coast are to be found whore
fits wasting away 1t is plain that there are peat
beds under the sea Off the coast that have sunk
or have been submerged by tho rising wators.
1t Is even alleged that the nets OF the fisher
mon have sometimes berome entanged In the
branches Of trees which have shared the fate
OF the peat beds. or the mouth Of ono Of
the branches Of the Rhine. which, by some
strange caprice. Is denominatod the True
Rhine. It Is said tho romans OF an old Roman
prevent mischief this mouth Is now damned
byprodigious works. and the sea flow k pt out,
whilo tho fresh water brought down by tho
river is allowed to escape only through gates
at low tide.
This waste OF the coast is now greatly
thwarted. II not entirely arrested. by the little
contrivances. OF one kind and another. to check
the inroads OF the sea.
Inland there have always been reclamntions
going on. Marshes and ponds dyked out aud
pumped dry. and converted into arabic lands.
has been practice since tho use of windmls
has become common. which is now between
300 and 400 years. Nearly 100000 acres were
recovered In this way before the grand attack
on the Lake of Haarlem. commenced in 1889.
when. at the end Of thirteen years. some
$4,000 moro acres were laid dry.
Tho drainage Of lake containing seventy
square miles OF water was q vast undertaking.
But it had to be done The lake was gradually
encroaching on its banks. and threatened to
unite itself with tho ocean and inuudate Am
sterdam. When tcame to this it was determined
to extinguish the lake. 1t was first surrounded
with an embankment until every tributary
was cut off and the lake itself rendered per-
fectly isolated sheet Of water. Three prodig-
fous pumps. run by steam. each lifting 800
tons OF water minute. were then set in mo-
tion. and for four years. without intermission.
piled their gigantic task. Through fair wealth
Or and foul. In summer ami winter. through
rain storms that attimes deposited on the sur
face OF tho lake immense quantities Of water
In an hour. the engines ceasslessly worked.
With the end OF the fourth year tho vast
reservoir had surrendered its last pailful. and
Haarlem Lake WAS more.
The land recovered sold for enough to de-
fray tho expense OF drainage. though many
purchasers. anticipating great richness in the
deposits OF the lake. suffered great isappoint-
ment In many places only sand was found
when the land came to be titled. So that,
though the undertaking proved prof table to
those who set it on foot individuals were losers.
Though this lake. by its gradual enlarge
ment had from time to time swallowed several
villages. and had been the scene OF numerous
wrecks. no remains indicating such events
have ever been brought to light. though its
entire bod has been subjected to the searching
scrutiny OF the plough. The pumps which
drained the lake still remain to hold It's
always accumulating waters in subsection.
The sen fisheries OF Holland. which origin
ally laid the foundation OF her maritime great
ness. are now nothing In comparison with
those OF the great maritime nations OF Eng |
land and the United States. But there are |
Interesting souvenirs connected with them. |
For example. there is to be found In Holland
monument to the man who first discovered
the art OF sailing behring's. He lived in 1880. |
and his monument was erected by Charles " |
in 1885. Again. they point out the place whore |
the first fish net was made. 1t Is that where |
the Dutch navigator was born who first |
doubled the southern Cape OF America and |
gave 1t its name-Hoorn.
The inland fisheries OF Holland. OF which |
We should not expect much. are by |
no means despicable Tho Zuyder Zee
Il lab In "a.
waters are shoal. no vessel navigating it to
Amsterdam drawing twenty feet OF water but
they arc filed with herrings and eels and
sprats. and are covered with q thousand boats
engaged day and night whose catch supports
population OF 10000 people,
The great river which flows by Rotterdam to
the sea. called there the Mas. but known
further up and in all history as the Rhine,
affords valuable salmon fishery. This sim
gular fact exists In regard to that fishery:
The salmon, originally plenty. were all driven
away by the introduction OF steamboats, on the
river. After short period they returned. and
now disregarding the great Increase Of
steamers. which they have found harmless
are as plentiful as ever.
Holland being without quarrles or stone OF |
any kind. the towns are all built OF brick and
the roads are also paved with them every
where. 1t Is amazing to sec what enormous
QUANTITIES are used In country where the
ground Is too soft to admit OF macadmising
the roads and where not wooden building is
to be found. For halls. for bridges for culyerts,
ns well as barns. houses and edlAces. for every
thing In which stone is used In other coun-
tries, brick Is employed In this. Where the use
10 so common. 1t is not strange to find the
workmen sometimes unskilful Even In the
chief cities the walls Of the houses arc fire.
quently constructed without any regard to
the perpendicular. And 1t would almost seem
that such thing as plumb limo was formerly
unknown. At Rotterdam and Am sterdam the
buildings often incline at fearful angles tow
ara the street. Astrauger would think great
earthquako must at some time have occurred,
which suddenly ceased lust at the point when
the buildings were about to be pitched over.
Earth for bricks and turf for fuel are the only
raw materials Holland furnishes to mako tho
country an abode OF civilized man. Wood Is so
scarce as to be OF litto account Happily tho
brick earth and the peat earth are found In |