El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1916-12-30
Despite Engineering AchieUe-
ments, CeaseIess Struggle
Seems Hopeless.
ONLY SAND DUNES
HOLD BACK DELUGE
Netherlands Built On Mud
Flats, Which Subsidc
VidbIy Each Century.
III HAGUE. Netherlands. Dec 8

III HAGUE, Netherlands Dec SO.
IF the land level OF Holland
i continues TO sink. there IS dan
ger OF the subsistence becoming so
great that, despite all the progress OF
( engineering science, II viii be impos-
sible TO much longer continue the pres
ent ceaseIess struggle with the waters
That is the view expressed before the
geological mining society for Holland
snd its colonies by professor Molen-
graft. OF the Polytechnic university
of Delft, who is the foremost Dutch
geological authority.
Narrow Barrier Keeps Out Sea
\ large part Of the Netherlands, PAR
tieularly the western and northwest
ern provinces, lies some feet below the
level Of the sea which is only kept
from overfIowing hundreds Of square
miles Of land by the natural oarrief
Of the long line of sand dunes that
fringe the coast reinforced al Two OF
three points by artificial means The
Level of rivers and many Of the canals
ia such regions is likewise high
than the surrounding country, being
held In check by the dlkes ana en-
Iankments that are maintained a.
great pains and correspondlngly high
cost By the nation Naturally, mere
fore. the question Of the continued II
Verv gradual fail Of the land level
bears an important aspect in the eyes
Of the Dutch people, and IL has recently
been the subject Of discussion among
expert biologists and photographed
engineers
Dutch Might withdraw.
If declares professor MOlengraa1t.
'-the subsistence is Of such q nature
that within measurable time a posi-
ton of equilibrium comes about then
The cost of keeping the land drained
viii become so high that there viii
10 longer be much advantage attached
To its possession, albeit there are al
ways historical and sentimental ar
total expenditure should exceed the
total income. then the common sense
of the Dutch people would lead them
10 withdraw to higher regions"
Expert Opinions Differ.
Opinions differ on the question Of
whether the ground Is still sinking,
and what Influences are responsible
Tor such a phenomenon Some eX-
perts like the civil engineer, D. H ).
Blaupot ten Cate, suppose that the fall
IS q consequence Of what happened
IN the middle tertiary period Mr. ten
Gates theory is that Holland Is built
up IN alluvial mud flats, which stil
participate in various movements OF the
soil. Some authorities believe that u
material subsistence is still taking
place. while others, again, are OF opin-
a consequences Of certain movements
OF the sea level whereby various in
dluences Of another nature play a role:
that the sea level alters. but that the
land itself does not sink
SubsidinE Foot Per Century
Another civlI Engineer, >. c. Eamaer.
is convinced # ON the results Of water
gage observations that there has bee..
a subsistence of the land Of Holland,
as well as OF that Of bordering coun-
tries and the greater part Of the Brit
ish Isles He says II may be deduced
from the entire list Of such observa-
zUbsidence of 80 centimeters per cen
fury, declining farther inland to u
centineters. That a very considerable
subsistence is taking place at the pres
ent time IN the polders or drained
basins of the Netherlands in his opinicn
ls undeuiable.