60 GEOGRAPHY. 



lines of hills. Her rivers, however, are on an extensive scale. 1. The 

 Rhine, soon after entering from Germany, divides into two arms, the 

 southern taking the name of the Waal, the more feeble northern one retain- 

 ing the original name. At Gorkum the Waal becomes united to the Maas, 

 and empties into the North Sea by two principal arms. The new Yssei 

 leaves the Rhine not far from Arnheim, and at Campen empties into the 

 Zuyder Zee ; further on, at Wyk, a new division takes place. The left 

 main arm, called the Leek, takes up the Merwe, an arm of the Maas, and 

 passes into the North Sea under the name of the Maas ; the right arm flow^s 

 on as the crooked Rhine past Utrecht (where it sends off the Vecht into th'e 

 Zuyder Zee) to Leyden, and then empties .into the North Sea at Katwyk. 

 2. The Maas enters the Netherlands from Belgium, takes up the Roer from 

 the right, and empties into the Waal at Gorkum. 3. The Scheldt likewise 

 comes from Belgium, and flows into the North Sea by two arms, which 

 inosculate by small branches forming islands. In addition to the above, the 

 Vecht empties into the Zuyder Zee, and the Hunse (both from Germany) 

 into the Lauwer Zee. In addition to her numerous navigable rivers, the 

 Netherlands exhibits a plexus of canals, far exceeding that possessed by any 

 other countrv. 



The climate of the Netherlands is very variable, although the extremes 

 of heat and cold are not so widely separated as in Germany. The principal 

 products are horned cattle, horses, fish, oysters, grain, flax, hemp, rape-seed, 

 madder, tobacco, opium, (fee. The minerals are clay, salt, and peat ; there 

 are no mineral springs. 



The population of the Netherlands amounted, on the 1st of January, 

 1848, to 3,236,741 souls, mostly of German descent; to the north of the 

 Maas it consists of Hollanders and Frieslanders, south of this river, of 

 Flemings. Most of the people are of Protestant persuasions; in 1841 

 (excluding Luxemburg), there were 1,700,000 Protestants, 1,100,000 Roman 

 Catholics, 52,000 Jews, and 3300 Sectarians. The inhabitants are much 

 given to the pursuit of commerce, although not on so extensive a scale as 

 formerly. In respect to advancement in sciences, the nation is behind the 

 Germans, although there are not wanting excellent seminaries of instruction 

 (among them three universities, at Leyden, Utrecht, and Groningen) ; 

 there are also rich collections of all kinds. 



The kingdom of the Netherlands is a constitutional monarchy ; the ruling 

 dynasty is the Orange line of the House of Nassau. Since March 17, 1849, 

 the king has been WilUam III., born 1817. The present constitution dates 

 from 11th October, 1848; according to this, the legislative branch of 

 government consists of two chambers. The first chamber embraces thirty- 

 nine members, chosen by the nobihty for nine years ; the second is elected 

 for four years directly by the people, according to a certain ratio. 



The revenues, in 1849, amounted to 71,692,316 florins, or to 28,676,926 

 dollars. 



The army consists of nine regiments of infantry, five regiments and two 

 squadrons of cavalry, four regiments of artillery, one battalion of engineers, 

 sappers, and miners, and one pontoon corps. The navy, on January 1st, 

 60 



