HOLLAND. 



767 



10. Canals. Canals are as numerous in Holland as roads in other countries, and the coun- 

 try is so level, that they scarcely need a lock in their construction. Some of them are as old 

 as the 10th century. The most noted is the Great Dutch Canal^ 50 miles in length, from 

 Amsterdam to the Helder. It is 124i feet wide at the surface, and 20 feet 9 inches deep. It 

 has two tide locks at the extremities, and two sluices with flood-gates in the intermediate space. 

 The width is sufficient to allow two frigates to pass each other. This canal was begun in 1819, 

 and completed in 1S25, at a cost of about 4,400,000 dollars. It is highly convenient for ves- 

 sels sailing from Amsterdam, which otherwise are liable to be detained by head winds for 

 several weeks. 



11. Towns. Hague, formerly the capital of the kingdom, situated not far from the sea, and 



intersected by numerous ca- 

 nals, is one of the best built 

 cities of Europe. It con- 

 tains the royal palace, the 

 house of the States-General, 

 numerous private palaces, 

 &c. Population, 56,000. 

 In the neighborhood, is the 

 castle of Ryswick, where 

 was concluded the celebrat- 

 ed treaty of 1697. 



Jlnisterdavi, the principal 

 city, and capital of the king- 

 dom, and one of the chief 

 commercial places of Eu- 

 rope, is a well-built town, 

 upon the Amstel. It is di- 

 vided by that river into two 

 parts, and intersected by nu- 

 merous canals, which form 

 90 islets, communicating with 

 each other by 2S0 bridges. 

 The streets mostly border 

 on the canals, and are well paved ; several of them are remarkable for their rich display of 

 shops, filled with the productions of all parts of the world, and the houses are gayly painted of 



different colors. The city 

 T&s^ contains many literary insti- 



tutions, scientific establish- 

 ments, and collections of art ; 

 among the public edifices, 

 the stadt-house, built upon 

 13,600 piles, and nearly 300 

 feet long, is the most mag- 

 nificent. Amsterdam, once 

 the queen of the ocean, and 

 the centre of the commerce 

 of the world, is still impor- 

 tant from the great wealth of 

 its mercantile houses, and 

 the extent of ils commercial 

 operations. Its fine quays 

 along the river Y or Wye, 

 which forms its port, its vast 

 naval magazines and ship- 

 yards, and the industry of its 

 inhabitants, together with its 

 population of 200,000 souls, 

 attest its former splendor and 

 present prosperity. 



Fish-woman of Hague. 



— "mumx-- 

 Woman and Boy of Amsterdam. 



Match'XDoman of Rotterdam 



Woman of Rotterdam. 



