( 468 ) 
The subsidence of the soil of the Netherlands. 
By Prof. G. A. F. Molengraaff. 
With regard to a sinking of the soil of the Netherlands one may 
derive from the latest chapters of the history of geology the following 
data. 
In the tertiary era, probably already in the oligocene period, the 
subsidence commenced, but it did not affect the whole country to 
the same extent; on the whole it was more pronounced in the west 
and the north of the country than in the east and the south, in 
such a way, that the south-eastern and eastern parts of the country 
were hardly affected by the movement, if at all, whereas the effect 
gradually increases towards the north-west. 
This is proved by the fact that shore- and shallow-water deposits 
of the same age formed during that period, are now found in very 
different altitudes, as appears from the subjoined table compiled from 
the results of several deep borings. v ) 
Gorkum Utrecht 
Holocene -f- Pleistocene 
Diestien = Gedgravien 
Rupelien 
Depths in meters below A. P. (Amsterdam level) 3 ). 
above 29 above 117. 
29—34 147.5 — Yli 
54.5—93 
93-220 
152—240 
240-268 
above 200 
200-235 
The south-eastern and the eastern portion of the Netherlands 
remained, however, not entirely unaffected. The country there is 
b See H. G. Jonker List of Literature Verh. Kon. Akad. van Wet. XM 
Lorie, No. 680, No. 783, and No. 849, Harmer No. 1004, and No. 1191, particularly 
Lorie No. 1265. and P. Tesch. Der Niederlandische Boden und die Ablagerungen 
des Rheines und der Maas aus der jungeren Tertiar- und der alteren Diluvialzeit. 
Meded. Rijksops. v. Delfstoffen (Communications of the government institute for 
the geological exploration of the Netherlands) N. 1. 1908. p. 12. 
b This depth is not reached in the boring, but the figure 450 is found by 
calculation. 
*) The Amsterdam level (A. P.) is considered to be the normal average level 
