A M S T E R D A M. 
tlic ground, which are Joined by large beams placed hori¬ 
zontally. There are openings to let the (hips in and out, 
'which are (hut every night at the ringing of a bell. Ain- 
derdam is computed to be half as big as London, next to 
which it is the mod: commercial city in the world. There 
care people here of almoft every nation and religion in 
•Europe. There are eleven churches for the Dutch of the 
edablifhed or Calvinidica! religion, with two French and 
one High Dutch. The Englilh have alfo three churches, 
one for the Prefbyterians, a fecond for thofe of the church 
of England, and a third for the Erownids. All thefe 
'churches or congregations make up only one-third part of 
the inhabitants. The Roman Catholics, who have -twenty- 
feven hotrfes or chapels for their wovfliip, form another 
third part; and the other third part is made up of Jews, 
Lutherans, Arminians, Anabaptids, &c. The Jews, who 
are very conliderable in this place, have two fynngogues ; 
one of which, namely the Portuguefe, is the larged in 
Europe. 
The mod remarkable of the redigious buildings is the 
new church dedicated to St. Catharine. It was begun in 
the year 1408, others fay 1414; and Was 100 years in 
building. The foundation of a deeple is laid before this 
church, which was defigned to be very high; The piles 
on which it was to be eredted are 100 feet fquare and 6334 
in number, and thofe very large; neverthelefs it was 
thought that thefe vad piles, or rather the ground, were 
not able to fupport the prodigious weight they intended to 
lay upon it; for which reafon the deeple remains unfinifh- 
ed. The pulpit is a mader-piece of the kind, w here the 
four evangelids and many other curious pieces of fculpture 
are reprefented. The glafs-windows are adorned with 
paintings, among which the emperor Maximilian is pre- 
fenting an imperial crown to the burgomaders of Amder¬ 
dam for the cred of the arms of the city. The organ is 
very large, and reckoned one of the bed in the world It 
lias a fet of pipes that counterfeit a chorus of voices, and 
has fifty-two whole dops beddes half deps, with two rows 
•of keys for the feet, and three rows of keys for the hands. 
Thofe who hear it play for the di d time imagine they hear 
a human voice. The grate dividing the chancel from the 
body of the church is all of Corinthian brafs. The 
branches of candledicks are the riched in the Seven Pro¬ 
vinces. There is a very fine marble monument eroded to 
admiral Ruyter, who was killed at Medina. 
The public buildings of a civil nature are very magnifi¬ 
cent. The dadt-houle was founded in 1648. It is built 
upon 14000 wooden piles; and its front is 282 feet long, 
its fides 255 feet, and its height to the roof 116. There 
is a marble pediment in the front, whereon a woman is 
carved in relievo, holding the arms of the city ; (he is 
feated in a chair, fupported by two lions, with an olive- 
branch in her right hand ; on each fide are four Naiads, 
who prefent her with a crown of palm and laurel, and tw o 
other marine goddeffes prefent her with different forts of 
fruit; belides, there is Neptune with his trident, accom¬ 
panied with Tritons, a fea-unicorn, and a fea-horfe. On 
the top dands three datues in bronze, reprefenting Judice, 
Strength, and Plenty. On the top of the drufture is a 
round tower, fifty feet above the roof, adorned with da¬ 
mes, and an harmonious chime of bells, the biggeft of 
which weighs about 7000 pounds, and the next 6ce«o. 
They are made to play different tunes every month. On 
the floor of the great hall are two globes, the celedialand 
terredrial, which are twenty-two feet in diameter and 
fixty-nine in circumference. They are made of black and 
-white marble, and are inlaid with jafper and copper. 
While this ftadt-houfe was building, the old one was fet 
on fire, and confumed with all the archives and regiflers. 
Under the ftadt-houfe is a prodigious vault, wherein is 
kept the bank of Amfterdam, which is faid to be inex- 
haudibly rich, and is under excellent regulations. Sir 
William Temple, in his time, fuppofed it tcrcontain the 
greated treafure, either real or imaginary, in the known 
wpjld. Mr. Anderfon fuppofes that the cadi, bullion, and 
491 
pawned jewels, in this bank amount to thirty-fix'millions 
derling. The bourfe, or exchange, where the merchants 
aflemble, is all of free-done, and built upon 2000 wooden 
piles. Its length is about 250 feet, and its breadth 140. 
The galleries are fupported by twenty-fix marble columns, 
upon each oi which are the names' of the people that arc 
to meet there. They are all numbered ; and there is a 
place fixed for every merchandize under fome one of thefe 
numbers. On the right hand of the gate is a fuperb 
dair-cafe which leads to the galleries ; on one fide of 
which there are feveral (hops, and on the other a place to 
fell clothes. It is not unlike the royal exchange in Lon¬ 
don. The admiralty-office is in a houfe which formerly 
belonged to the prince of Orange. The arfenal for their 
men of war is in the harbour. This is a very handfome 
building, 200 feet long and twenty-two feet broad. Near 
this edifice is the dock, or yard where they build their 
men of war, and which is plentifully fupplied with every 
neceffary for the condrudtion of (hips. 
The Ead-India company occupy a large building di¬ 
vided into feveral offices or apartments. In the new part 
of this city they have a magazine or palace, which may 
properly be called an arfenal. The ground on which this 
building dands is 2000 feet, and fquare every way, reckon¬ 
ing the moats or burgwall about it. In this arfenal they 
build the diips belonging to the India chamber of Amder- 
dam ; for which purpofe they have all forts of workhoufes 
here for the artificers that ferve the company. 
The academy called the Illujlrious School, is likewife a 
very fine building. It was formerly a convent belonging 
to the nuns of St. Agnes. ■ Here they teach Latin, the 
oriental languages, theology, philofophy, hidory, &c. 
Beddes thefe there are feveral hofpitals, or houfes for or¬ 
phans, for poor widows, for fick perfons, and for mad 
people ; all which are regulated with great prudence. 
There are two fuburbs to this city ; one at the gate of 
the regulars ; and the other reaches to Overtoon, a village 
a little way from Amderdam, where boats which come 
from Leyden are rolled over land upon wooden rollers. 
Here is likewife an hofpital for thofe that are infected with 
the plague ; which was built in the year 1630, and has 
360 windows. 
This city is governed by a fenate or council, which con- 
fids of thirty-fix perfons, called a vroedjhap, who enjoy their 
places for life ; and when any of them dies, the remainder 
choofe another in his dead. This fenate eleifts deputies- 
to be fent to the States of Holland, and appoints the chief 
magidrates of the city, called burgomafters or echevins, who 
are like our aldermen. The number is twelve ; out of 
which four are chofen every year to execute the office, 
and are called burgomajlcrs-regcnt. Three of thefe are dif- 
charged every year, to make room for three others. One 
of the four is kept in to inform the new ones of the date of 
affairs, and alfo prefides the three fird months in the year, 
and the others three months each ; fo that, when they are 
in this office, they may be compared to the lord-mayor of 
the city of London. Thefe alterations and appointments 
are made by their own body. They difpofe of all inferior 
offices which become vacant during their regency. They 
have likewife the direction of all public works, which re¬ 
gard tire fafety, tranquillity, and emb'ellidiment, of the 
place. The keys of the famous bank of this city are in 
the hands-of thefe magidrates. 
The college confifts of new burgomaders or echevins, 
who are judges in all criminal affairs, without appeal; but 
in civil cattles they-may appeal to the council of the pro¬ 
vince. There are two treafurers, a bailiff, and a penfioo- 
ary. The bailiff continues in his office three years ; and 
fearches after criminals, takes care to profecute them, and 
fees their fentence executed. The city of Amderdam 
.contributes to the public income above.30,000 livres per 
day, belides the exciie of beer, delh, and corn ; which in 
all amounts to above i,6oo,oool. a year. This is more 
than is paid by all the red of the provinces put together ; 
and yet Amderdam bears but the fifth rank in the.^flem- 
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