New-York tribune., 1899-01-15

hundred and fifty thousand men. While Ant
werp has the fictitious reputation Of being
one Of the strongest fortresses in Europe, the
second circle Of detached forts has never been
completed. and there Is strong popular move
ment for the removal Of the inner sirdle Of de-
fences and the acquisition Of over one thousand
acres in the city and in the suburbs for new
| boulevards. parks AMI avenues. The abandon
ment Of the existing enceinte will enable the
Aldermen to carry out extensive scheme of
municipal Improvements; but the system Of mill
tary defences will be seriously impaired. since
a larger army than can be concentrated in an
| emergency will be required to protect an outer
circle Of embankment and forts thirty-two miles
in circumference. The King has never been inn
pressed with the essity for these elaborate
military defences. He fayors naval expenditures
I on large scale. and is heartily interested in
I every project for the improvement Ot Belg In
cities
The King has been most influential in prouot-
ing every scheme for the conversion Of Ostend
into popular watering-place and coast resort;
and he has taken personal interest in the inn
provement OF mis- capital on broad and sym
metrical lines. He has travelled everywhere IN
Europe and his taste and judgment rarely
at fault He does not force his ideas upon MIN
! listers or Aldermen He offers suggestions and
merely shrugs his shoulders IL they are not acted
upon at \ substitute plan may be dis
/ cussed FOR a season. but in due course Of lime
( the Kings idea finds favor and is finally adopt
ed. With his passion for broad boulevaTiA
open spaces and massive architecture varied in
style he is a tenacious conservative whenever
Old landmarks Of real artistic value are menaced
with destruction Bright. airy and artistic as
modern Brussels has become during the last
two decades Of imr rovement and embellishments
the Grand Place. with its noble medieval guild
houses and splendid Renaissance structures. has
! remained the most picturesque square In Eu-
rome. and throughout the town whatever Vn
impressive and beautiful in the oldtme drcni-
lecture has been allowed to stand
MEDIAEvAL CITY.
There are various costly projects for reopen
! ing he channels connecting BrugeS with tnd
North Sea and restoring its fortunes as port
cannot learn that the King has taken anI
! marked interest in these plans, and 1t IS sate
! to assume that mis- judgment is hostile to them
Bruges can never hope TO rival Antwerp, which
has become i bustling port with a vast com
rnerce The old town is the Nuremberg or me
Low Countries and 50 beautiful in its decajence
that even a broad minded and enterprising SOW
erelgn can hardly sympathlze with any engineer
!
tance and nodernizing what is now perfect
example Of medieval Flanders. Ghent IS quaint
and picturesque but It is gradually becoming
composite to IN, with the growth Of manufacture
| ing interests and the admixture of old and new
forms of architecture. In Bruges the oldtirns
! palaces may have disappeared. but the churches
municipal buildings hospitals and converts re-
main and the domestic architecture Is wh)h1
medieval. with no modern touches to mar ina
/ beauty OF the oldtme picture Of life in rich
burgher community. Flemish symbols are on
/ the houses with their hgh-ptched roofs end
gable-ends; statues OF Virgin and Child are in
inches on the dilapidated, crumbling fronts; end
the deserted quays, somnolent streets and quaint
gateways arr an unceasing source Of delight t.
pilgrims in search of the picturesque
If there are few signs in medieval Brusea
with its Belfry and its Memlinss. Of that pro-
gressive movement which has changed the ftca
OF Belgium during the last two generations, the
indications OF the modern spirit abound in all
the other great towns Deeply religious as the
people are they are thrifty. industrious, wide
awake and lberal-minded. There are signs OK
wealth, enterprise, energy and industrial and
civic progress everywhere. and there Is an
artistic strain in the blood which colors the life
Of these busting towns. Admirable as is ths
force Of character displayed by their nearest
neighbors in Holland the Belgans are well
abreast Of them in the development OF the in
dustriai resources Of their country, in the ex-
panslcn OF their commerce and trade and in hs
maintenance OF popular government on enlisht-
ened principles Leopold IL has been wise
monarch who has known how to keen in ad-
vance Of his subjects and 20 exert his influence
IN a. constitutional! way and with hexibity ard
tact.