The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-12-07
DRAINING THEZUYDER ZEE
[From the London Standard

u.
An interesting report from Sir H.
Howard on project for draining the
Zuyder Zee was issued yesterday by the
foreign office. This undertaking has
been a subject of discussion in Holland
for more than half century; but as
bill for doing it has now been intro
duced into the second chamber of the
states-general after an elaborate inves-
tigation by a commission, it has at least
come within the sphere of practical pol
itics, though it may be retarded by the
recent ministerial crisis, which resulted
in the resignation of the cabinet. The
Dutch have won much of Holland from
the grasp of the ocean, but never be-
fore have they undertaken anything so
daring assthis. Perhaps we might more
correctly call it an act of reconquest,
for there can be little doubt that the
Zuyder Zee, like the old Lake of Haar-
lem, was formed by invasion of the
sea- That was successfully reclaimed
about fifty years ago by the methods
usual in Holland, though on a greater
scale, and the annexation of the Zuyder
Zee will be upon one much more vast.
The work may be carried out on
either of two plans-namely, piecemeal,
as is usually done on the coasts, by in
closing with a dixie a large tract at
present under water and then pumping
this into the sea, or else by shutting
out the ocean, once for all, by the con-
struction of one great barrier dixie, and
then proceeding to reclaim the inclosed
area by inStallmentS. The latter is the
holder and obviously, the more expen-
sive plan-at any rate, at the outset.
This dixie is to run from Wieringen, in
North Holland, to Piaam, in FrieSland.
The line followed is shorter than the
one proposed in a former scheme, and
it ought to be, from it's more sheltered
position, less liable to injury from
storms The cost of the dixie will ex-
coed $4,000. 900 florins, but that is by no
canal must be constructed; the sea
walls for considerable distance along
the road must be raised; other import
ant works taken in hand and the fish
ermen of the Zuyder Zee compensated
The total expenditure, therefore, is
likely to amount to about 570OO,OO0
forms. When the North sea has been
effectually barred out. the next step
will be to reclaim two great tracts on
the western side of the inc1osed area,
the one containing about ~ square
miles of fertile land and the other about
half as much again. The construction
of the dixie, it is estimated, will take
nine years; the first Enclosure will be
ready for cultivation in five years more
Thus fourteen years will elapse before
the expenditure brings in any return,
and the whole work will be completed
in eighteen years, at a cost which alto
gether is estimated at nearly GS00O,-
900 of English money. This sum it is
proposed to raise by loan, and to pay
it off-principal and interest-in sixty
"A
the Zuyder Zee will obviously still
main unrelaimed, but this will now be
a fresh water lake instead of part of
the sea-
From this change many indirect adj
vantages are expected to follow. At
first, of course. the water thus inclosed
will be salt, but in long time it will
be fresh enough for agricultural if not
for domestic purposes, and ultimately
for both. This alone will be a great
advantage to the adjoining provinces
which as generally dependent on the
immediate rainfall, often suffer much
time-and will enable the supply in the
canals, which were the principal high
ways of northern Holland till the rail-
roads came, and are even now of the
proper level In fact, the mere change
from an arm of the North sea to a
great fresh water lake in itself would
repay, though, perhaps, indirectly, no
small portion of the expenditure
But it will be possible largely to in
crease the amount reclaimed without
trespassing too much on this lake, for
it would still be $50 square miles in
area. Two other polders are contem-
plated on the Friesland side, which to-
gether are not much less than three
times the area of the others. The
whole work including these. could be
executed in thirty-three years. and the
additional cost would be about "a 900 900
forms No less than $50 square miles
would be added to Holland, and the
value of the land. in the commissions
The less ambitious plan would bring in
a more immediate return, but would be
more extensive, and in many ways less
SatiSfa Glory in the long run. Obviously,
very much is saved by having to con-
tend in the actual work of reclamation,
not with an inlet of the sea, but with a
fresh water lake.
To Rrla q HnshQud