The sun., 1893-08-13
An AMERICAN IN EUROPE.
Observations Upon the Life and Politics
of Thirty Years Ago,
BY THE LATE
LANES SHEPH ERD PIKE.
Wolland-On the Rhine.


bor. and back by the Bourse, the Kings palace.
and Kalver street.
Went to the picture gallery. where there are
some good paintings Of Rembrandt tthe glory
OF Amsterdam. as Rubens and Vandyke are
OF Antwerp. and Of Van der Helst. who has here
q remarkable portrait piece There are beside
somo great sea pieces OF Van der Velde. and
dead game OF Weenix: also fowls. birds. and
game OF HonderEoeter, OF wonderful merit,
Paul Potter has also great piece, and several
small ones There are also other valuable pic
lures OF other eminent Dutch artists Teniers,
Gerard. Douw. Dol, Wouvermans. &c.
Visited the Bourse ut high change. whore
there was an immense crowd. with q large
sprinkling Of the children OF Israel. The en-
tire mercantile community. l should think.
congregate there at q quarter pasta
Tho building was erected in 1S45. and Is
very large. There is no gallery. though tho
sdfce is two stories high. The ground floor
is 300 feet long and 140 feet wide. Two rows
Of columns. forty feet from the sides. support
the second story which contracts to coincide
with this dimension. All the light and air
como in at tho second story there being no
windows in the first There Is an inner por-
tico. sixty feet square. supported by large
and high columns. the height OF both stories.
which abridges the before mentioned dmen-
sions OF the hall just so much. leaving 1t. how
ever. Of extraordinary magnitude.
OF all places to obtain variety Of expression.
one would suppose painter would most favor
tho Stock Exchange. for here every human
passion is seen to!play upon tho features OF
the eagre crowd. Five thousand people congre-
gateshere daily.
May 23.-went to the Kings palace. formerly
the old Stadthouse 1t is the most expensively
finished building I was ever In. Nearly all
tho rooms are wainscotted with white marble,
and are Of prodigious height.
The well-known large hall Is 100 feet high,
while its length is but 120 feet and its width go.
The walls are everywhere adorned with mar.
BILE sculptures.
The building was erected In 164S when Hol-
land was at the pinnacle OF her greatness. at q
cost Of s12. 100000. equal to s2o.00O.oo0 now.
1t does not cover more ground than. or so
much. as. the old Capitol at Washington before
the addition OF the new wings 1t is q monu-
mont OF the sturdy greatness OF old Holland.
Amsterdam seems. as 1t is. pre6minently
commercial 1t is Just q fac smile on q small
scale Of London. Spinoza was born here. but
he has no monument
The monuments OF Holland are her re-
deemed and protectedsands. her institutions
OF learning. and OF charity, the contented inde-
pendent spirit the universal thrift. the won
derful cleanliness and the Astounding wealth
vancing. 1t is because she is already so much
In advance OF most other nations as to have
small opportunity to exhibit those changes
which give evidence Of progress.
Her internal commerce. by paved roads. By
railway. and steamboat. is vast and behind
that Of no nation. Her agriculture Is OF the
best. 1t is hard for casual observer to see
wherein 1t could be improved. Its commerce
with it's colonies is immensely profitable. Its
finances are q model Of fourishing stability.
Its credit is as high as the highest. Every
where the name OF Dutch is synonym Of
probity and thrift.
In fine. considering the absence Of native re-
sources. having neither coal nor iron nor
forests nor minerals snor precious stones OF
any kind. and considering what contestsawith
the sea are and have been necessary to main
tain q foothold for the population. the present
condition OF Holland may. think, be regarded
as one OF the most creditable features in the
whole history OF mankind. II It has not re-
publican government In name. 1t has ono alto
Gether -eposinG on public opinion and power
less to resist it II its debt 10 great and its
taxes high, both are in steady prospect OF re-
duction, and in no way menace-ts future. II
its art and its literature are not expanding. it
may point with complacenoy to the past, and
trust to the future with confidence. knowing
that the basis OF all greatness is in the quail
ties that have carried the nation to such pitch
rs has been reached by this people.
May 24.-Visited the Geological Gardens.
which are large and fine. They contain re-
markable collection Of birds and Of serpents.
They have a sloth. several alligators. two sala-
manders. two otters. seal. besides the usual
assortment OF lions. elephants. tigers. &c.
The gardens have $500 city subscribers at
$40 head and 800 out Of town at half that
sum. They require an annual expe ndture OF
between $50. 900 and 100000.
The climate here Is very try Ing to tropical
animals. and. they frequently die Of disorders
OF the lungs.
The garden has lost three ane cameleopards
In this way. and but one now remains to It,
Tho ground constantly sinks through the
excess OF moisture. and / was told that not
less than an average Of two feet depth In soil
had been added to it since its establishment.
Tho garden compares favorably with those
OF Paris and London, and seems to me as OK.
tensive as either In It's assortm ment and as per-
feet In its arrangements.
May 25.-Visited the great ship canal that
leads to the Helder. This work Is remarkable
for It's magnitude rather than for any novelty OF |
construction. The approach TO 1t from tho
harbor is through channel OF sloping Sides.
paved with large blocks OF stone. The i'm.
mense amount OF labor and money expended
10 ience OUT tne sea excltoS astonishment at |
every step In Holland
May %. Went to Arnhem. which is tho first
town on the railroad after leaving Amsterdam. |
In which flowing streams are to DO found, and |
Is very near the frontier OF Prussia. The |
Dutch people throng here In tho summer to |
get out OF their swamps The land is high and |
sandy. We pass through an extensive barren |
country Of dunes or sand hills between Utrecht |
and Arnhem. all In the province OF Guelder-
land. Arnhem Is said to be very hot in summer. |
The environs abound In pleasant country |
seats and the drives are extensive and beau |
tiful. There are several large hotels here sup |
ported exclusively by the summer travel. |
which pays high prices.
May 2n-Left Arnhem and reached Cologne |
In five hours.
May 3O.-visited that extraordinary pile. tho |
Cologne Cathedral Its external vastness and |
decorations are bewildering.
Hunted up Cologne water shops and went to |
the Church OF st. Ursula to see tho collection |