BELGIUM. 



773 



The Dutch navy is powerful, consisting of 29 frigates and ships of the line, 30 corvettes and 

 Drigs, and about 80 small vessels, for the defence of the interior waters. 



31. History. A portion of this country was occupied, a century before the Christian era, 

 by a barbarous tribe called Batavi, who gave the name of Batavia to their territory. They 

 fell under the Roman power; and their country was united to Germany in the 9th century. In 

 the 15th century, the 17 provinces of the Netherlands, or, as the name signifies, the Low 

 Countries, belonged to the dukes of Burgundy, but ])assed by marriage into the hands of the 

 Spanish branch of the House of Austria. The attempt of Philip the Second, king of Spain, 

 to crush the Protestant relieion in the Low Count ries, gave rise to a revolt of those provmces, 

 and, after a long and heroic struggle, the 7 northern provinces achieved their independence. 

 In 15S1 they renounced their allegiance to Philip, and formed the republic of the United 

 Provinces of the Netherlands, often' simply called Holland, from the name of the most exten- 

 sive and pov.'erful province. The war of independence was continued, however, with inter- 

 ruptions, until the peace of Westphalia, in 1648. With liberty came industry, foreign com- 

 merce, wealth, and power, and during the 17th century, Holland was one of the first European 

 States. After the French revolution, the Netherlands were conquered by France, and, in 

 1810, incorporated with the French empire. On the fall of Napoleon, in 1815, the Belgic and 

 Dutch Netherlands were united together as an independent kingdom, under the Dutch stadt- 

 nolder, but in 1830, the former provinces revolted, and now form the kingdom of Belgium. 



CHAPTER CXVIII. BELGIUM. 



Jlnticerp. 



1. Boundaries and Extent. This kingdom is bounded north by Holland, east by Germany, 

 southwest by France, and northwest by the German Ocean. It extends from 49° 40' to 51'^ 

 30' N. lat., and from 2° 40' to 6° E. long., and comprises 12,570 square miles. 



2. Rivers. The chief rivers are the Scheldt and Maese. The Scheldt rises in France, 

 and flows northeasterly into this country, where it turns to the north and northwest, and, di- 

 viding into several channels, falls into the German Ocean. Though not remarkable for length, 

 it is a wide and deep river. Antwerp and Ghent are situated upon it. The .Jllaesc, or Meuse, 

 flows through the eastern part of the country from France to Holland. 



3. Forests. There are many large forests in the districts of Naniur and Liege, and along 

 the French frontier, being the remains of the celebrated forest of Arduenna or Jlrdenncs. In 

 Brabant is the forest of Soignies. They consist mostly of beech, birch, elm, and oak, and are 

 used principally for fuel. Most of the trees fit for timber have been cut down. 



4. Climate., <SoiZ, &c. The climate much resembles that of the south of England. In the 

 interior the air is salubrious ; but upon the coast of Flanders, and about the mouths of the 

 Scheldt, the air is moist and unhealthy. The soil, in general, resembles that of Holland. In 

 Liege and Namur are considerable stony and unproductive tracts. Flanders abounds with ex- 

 cellent corn lands. In the south and southeastern parts are mines of iron, lead, copper, and 

 coal, and quarries of marlle. The whole country is low and level, but somewhat less so than 

 Holland. In tie south are some hills of moderate height. 



