Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-04-01
THE RIVER RHINE.
The Great River Inseprnble from Ger
man Association.

man Association.
The Rhine In history and commerce
forms a subject of "A statement Just Is
sued by the National Geographic society.
which is as follows:
First among the commercial rivers OF
civilization. the most important geo.
graphical feature of Central Europe. a
hotly-contested boundary for more than
two thousand years. one of the richest
among the streams of the world in leg
end and folklore, and Incompatible for
the beauties of it's course. when one
calls to mind the Rhine of Germany, he
thinks upon one Of the most important
clements of the culture and the history
of his race. whether he be of its Latin
or it's Teutonc branch. The Rhine
and the Germans came upon the stage
Of history together, and their fates have
been indssolubly bound together ever
since" His kindred with this mighty
river, Father Rhine, is one of the more
conscious elements of each German $
life. and to this his folklore. his litera-
turc, his war songs. his opera. and his
blood offerings have testified. Few geo
graphical features have affected the con-
scious life of a race so deeply as the
German Rhine.
Rising in the highest Alps in Central
Europe. the Rhine reaches the Mort
Sea after journey Of $50 miles, and
the last part Of its course is through a
lowland whose surface is below the
tides crest. The river gathers its water
at the base of melting glaciers plunges
over great masses toward its own lev
els, cuts through the widest mountain
valleys. traverses wonderful high,
broad plain, and then entering its FAM
GUS gorge. wanders through exquisite
panoramas. through lane everywhere
mantled with ruins of historic castles.
abbeys, churches, and every foot OF its
way celebrated by legend or history.
After emerging from its gorge, Il
flows through plain where powerful
steel. textile and chemical industries ;
center.
Through Germany and Holland the
Rhine forms the principal water avenue
OF Central and Western Europe, and an
enormous commerce is handled through
it's ports.
THE Rhine is International. 1t is di-
vided between Switzerland. Germany
and Holland. That part of the river
length, has been most disputed. The
French have laid claim to it's left bank
on the grounds that the Rhine formed
the boundary lines OF Roman Gaul.
Though the Roman empire reached out
beyond the broad Rhine, the river
formed. nevertheless. It's effective bar
rier against the north barbarians How
ever when the realm Of Charlemagne
was divided and the boundaries of Ver-
dun established. the Rhine became
wholly the property of Germany, and
France early began Der centuries old
policy of winning the stream back again
Complete success crowned this policy
under the Napoleonic Empire, the Rhine
became once more the boundary of Gaui
The Germans reassumed sovereignity OF
their beloved Father Rhine after 1871
and In the present war the possession OF
the historic river is one of the most
critical questions.
The Rhine. like mighty tree ir
FORM. receives its waters from countless
tributaries. and gives them UP to tn,
sea through innumerable Offshoots Its
principal source issues from glacial ice
| ''sH Feet above the Sea within the con.
h'es OF the most independent canton ir
switzerland on its way. the Rhine is
| fed directly and Indirectly by 12W trih-
| utaries. and it drains more than 1900
| square miles. Where the Rhine enters
Germany. at Basic, 1t Is about GOO feet
| broad. and for the smallest river boats
| navigation begins here. Tnero Is a pro
| ject to make the Rhine navisabe from
! Basic to Its source for larger lighter anG
| small steamboats,. Since 1868 Rhine navi
! cation has been free, and its river port.
do commerce with all parts of the civ.
| lllZed world
Lovers of natural beauty mention tn,
German Rhine and the American Hud
son In the same breath. The Rhine
however. has many traits in common
with the American Mississippi. 1t II
Europe's most important river, II drain.
one OF the greatest Industrial region.
! on earth. and ii is one of the main fac
tors In German commercial development
Moreover, the great timber RATS upor
the Mississippi. as Mark Twain describes
them, can be seen in season floating
down the Rhine. Some OF these raft
are 800 feet in length. and are guided
down the river by more than 200 men
VINO live upon them in little huts a Who'll,
village adrift They closely resemble
the RATS which Huck Finn met in hi:
travels down the American river"