Vor. IV.] 
‘promptitude than our volunteers. 
is removed ; by this means, by dire€ting 
the view into the interior of the bore of 
the cannon, and the white mark being of 
‘an equal diameter, or even fomewhat lefs, 
it is eafy to pronounce whether the piece 
is exaétly adjufted. This very ingenious 
mode of afcertaining the direétion of can- 
non, is a faving in powder, and anfwers 
the fame purpofe of aé¢tual firing. 
“‘ The third ftory is occupied with 
magazines of comettibles, furniture, and 
utenfils of every kind, kept with much 
regularity and the greateft neatnefs.”’ 
“ The fourth ftory is laid out in grana- 
ries, lofts, &c. the workmanthip of which, 
though very flight, is folid, and made like 
joiner’s work. 
‘* Above the whole building is a plat- 
form nearly fifteen feet fquare, ufed as an 
obfervatory for inftruétion in aftronomy ; 
in this is a quadrant,-a clock, and a tele- 
fcope. From this point of view the eye 
can extend over a confiderable part of 
the city, over the port which difplays 2 fo- 
reft of mafts, terminated by ftreamers of 
all colours, over the Zuyder Sce, over a 
part of North Holland, and a vaft extent 
of the canal, which paffes to the Texel. 
This view is extremely rich, and highly 
magnificent. 
** On entering the houfe, we were con- 
duéted, by the vice-prefident, and fome of 
the infiruétors, into an upper parlour, 
where the governors hold their meetings. 
According to the cuftom of the country, 
Malaga wine was brought us, together 
with bifcuits, tea, and pipes. In this room 
we obferved the portraits of the admirals 
Tromp, father and fon, of de Ruyter, 
and other feamen diftinguifhed . by’ the 
fervices they had rendered to their coun- 
try. 
We then defcended to the ground- 
floor, where the pupiis went through the 
exercife of the fuzee, and the military 
evolutions, They perform their manceu- 
vres with precifion, although with: lefs 
From 
thence we paffed into the court-yard, 
where we were? entertained with a 
{pectacle we did not expeét :—a three. 
mafted veffel, completely furnithed with 
rigging, fails, &c. It was mounted as 
if a-float, that is to fay, its prominence 
above the ground was equivalent to the 
height it would gain in fwimming over 
the water. On the decks were fixty of 
the pupils, divided into three groupes, 
At the voice of their commander, placed 
on an elevation pretty near, they all fell 
into motion, climbing the mafts without 
confufion, difperfing themfelves over the 
MonTuHiy Mag. XXVI, 
Dutch Marine School. 
5S 
rigging, top-mafts, yards, Sec. and, waiting 
ae What politica mt the fecond word of 
command. ‘They were then ordered to 
loofen the fails, to hoift them, and to 
{pread them to the wind. They now de- 
fcended on the deck, and the veffel remain- 
ed rigged during fome feconds; foon, 
however, a frefh fignal was given, to brail 
up all the fails. ‘This operation, which 
appeared to me to be more troublefome 
than the former, was performed with 
great order. In feeing thefe young per- 
fons climbing up, like cats, to the tops of 
the fhip, curve their bodies, and place 
themfelves in equilibrio, on moveable 
Pieces of timber, [ could not but admire 
their addrefs and agility, yet was con- 
tinually in fear left {ome or other of them 
might fall: I was informed, however, 
that habit had rendered their exercife no 
lefs fafe to them than it was eafy. 
© We next went to vifit the f{chool- 
room, where we found the pupils again 
colleéted. I remarked the fame galery 
and attachment, in their application to all 
their cxercifes, andI thought I difcovered 
the reafon of this in the patience and good 
temper of their inftruétors. In this coun- 
try it is taken for granted, that tuition 
cannot be profitable, unlefs the maflers 
make it their principal ftudy to render 
them{clves beloved by their fcholars. 
“ Their dinner, at which we were pre- 
fent, was to us a {peétacle no lefs agrees 
able. ‘The tables confifted of long chefts, 
rifing to the height of about eighteen 
inches above the level of the foor. The 
pupils were placed round about on four 
benches, with their knees on one fide, and 
their right-hand in front of the table. 
“« Fifteen of them, that is to fay, one 
for cach table, were employed in fetching 
foup out of the kitchen, which was ferved 
up in large veffels (/Abiles) of wood, very 
neat. Thefe they carried to their ree 
fpective tables; after which one of the 
youngeft boys mounted on a bench, and 
recited aloud a prayer, which was at- 
tended to by the reft, bareheaded, andwith 
a religious refpeét. Every one then {fat 
down and fell to eating, out of his wooden 
bowl, with a pewter {poon. 
“ After the foup, another hile was 
ferved up, filled with potatoes and 
ftock-fith, with butter fauce poured over 
them. One of the pupils proceeded to 
mafh this hotch-potch with a fpatula, 
working it into a pafte, confiftenr enough 
to be takenup by a fork. During tkis 
Preparation, another was cutting flices 
of rye bread, which a third (doubtlets a 
geometrician) divided into equal thares, 
4C though 
