A COUNTRY BELOW THE SEA

Manawatu Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 3248, 19 January 1926, Page 9

A COUNTRY BELOW THE SEA

HOLLAND AND HER SENTINEL ' DYKES. THE MENACE OF THE OCEAN. It has been well said that a flood is a part of every Dutchman s tomorrow. A great area of the Netherlands, and especially the zone which is sixteen feet below sea-level, was inundated on Now Year s Day as u result of the flooded Rhine bursting its sentinel dykes. The devastation ■was no unusual experience for the thrifty and industrious peasants of Holland. Time and again the fertile country side, which has a total area almost equal to that of this province, but supports a population of over six million, has been deluged by revengeful waters.. In a single day, floods carried away 20, r.O and even 40,000 lives. Of . those before the ISth century, there ate only traditional accounts. But authentic reports show that on different occasions the destruction was appalling. The ocean said to the Hollander, “You shall have no land here.” The Hollander said to the ocean, “We will have a country here,” and they have one, in-spite of water, winds and waves, writes James Howard Gore in the “National Geographic Magazine." Holland, more than any other region under the sun, illustrates the power of industry and perseverance, and its people have the undeniable right to look upon their work and say, ‘lt is good." (Making a Country. In Other countries when science seeks to unravel geologic problms, it examines the testimony of the rocks and roads from monuments regarding whose structure history is silent, but in Holland all is new—the gulfs lakes and inlands have come into existence under man's observation. He has seen within historic times sand close a river’s mouth, a land converted into water, and lakes dry up and disappear. The ordinary agencies of change—wind and wave, min and flood, and the rise and fall of land —have here found a favouring field for their activities. Long after, the greater part of the continent of Europe had become fixed and stable, Holland began its geographlc,,formation and Is still pursuing processes intended to hold or enlarge its boundaries. Holland is really the gift of the Rhine—that Rhine which rushes over the rocks of Schaffhausen. spreads out boastfully before Mayence passes tumultously under the fortress of Ehronbreltstein .and beats In

sonorous cadence at the foot of the Seven Mountains. In Its course it reflects Gothic cathedrals, princely castles, fertile hills, famous ruins, cities, groves and gardens. But in giving up its load tor the making of a state It forcee its recipient to wall It in and watch with care its tortuous march to Its death in the sea. One part, denying its once boasted name, drags itself to Mniden, where it unites with the Zuider Zee; the other called the Old Rhine, flows slowly to Leyden, whoso streets. It languidly crosses. Then, gathered in a canal, it is carried to its death in the North Sea. In the Rhineland district alone there are 90,000 acres which would be under water still were it not for the skill, capital and energy of the doughty Dutch warriors. Eternal vigilance is the lot of the Dutch peasant. A deadly enemy Is the west wind, which, in Its winter fury, compels resolute defence against the beseiging sea. The harbour of Amsterdam is lower than the sea and thus requires expensive fortification against a turbulent tide.

It was in 1830 that a destructive storm awakened Hollanders to the need for engineering enterprise. On November 9 of that year, a violent west wind drove the waters of tho lake into the streets of Amsterdam. They swept over ond polder after another and covered dikes and roads, and oven bridges. On Christmas Day a fierce east wind arose, and did not rest until a part of Leyaen was inundated. When the inventory of the damage was made it was round that 106,000 acres of land had been under water, and 18,000 acres of polder completely filled. An entire year was consumed in freeing the submerged lands, and great losses were found to have resulted from the overflow. This was the final provocation. The challenge was accepted. In 1839 the States General decided to attack this enemy, and placed the entire matter in the hands of a commission of 13 members. Drying up of a Lake. The most Important, change wrought by man upon the. face of Holland was the drying up of the Haarlem Lake. This lake, or, as it was called, this sea, had been formed by the joining of four smaller lakes, and enlarged by frequent inundations until it attained a circumference of 3" miles. The soil of its shores was very fertile and so readily dissolved by water that no prediction could be made as to which way .or to what extent it would grow.With an outlet into the Zuider Zee through a branch known as Het Ij, vessels could enter It. and pass from shore to shore. At one times fleets of 70* ships had fought upon the lake

and on more than one occasion storms have strewn its banks with wrecks. It would be Interesting to the engineer to discuss the special mechanl ism devised, and the pumping expedlonts finally adopted, English engines were employed and 11 pumps at each of the three stations raised at every, stroke more than 2000 cubic feet of water, while the total output of all the pumps in 24 hours was more than 1000 tons. At first only one station was equipped, so fearful was the commission that the performance of the engines and pumps would not come up to their expectations. It worked alone for 11 months, during which time the level of the lake was lowered only 54 inches. The two other stations began in April, 1849 ,and in July, 1852, the: lake was dry, tho work having consumed 39 months Instead of 14, as at first contemplated. In this time 946,000,000 tons of water had been removed.

A gridiron system of canals, with a total length of 750 miles, furnishes the Interior drainage, with skirting roads for a length of 140 miles. The level of the land in the polder is 14 feet below the water outside.

Tho completion of the drainage of the lake was celebrated by the issue of several medals. The one struck by Government contained in Latin the inscription: "Haarlem Lake, after having for centuries assailed the surrounding fields to enlarge Itself by ; their destruction, conquered at last by machinery, has returned to Holland its 44,280 acres of invaded land.” These acres are now occupied by about 12,000 people, and their products are the choicest of the land. Hardships Mould Character. In most countries wealth begets idleness . In Holland, never. A little cievice in the dike, urinoticed for a few hours, might permit the devastation of a district, and even with the moat watchful care the possessions of one day are no guarantee of the wealth of the next. •(' When one community is rejoicing over its escape from an inundation, the people near by may be counting up their losses in life and treasure; thus one sympathises with the other,. This possibility of a coming mis* fortune makes everyone generous, and the hundreds of charitable in-* stitutions in Holland prove that this generosity assumes tangible form., “Have no fear for Amsterdam,” saldi Louis XIV "I firmly believe Provi-; donee will save her because of her benevolence to tins poor."