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Amsterdam is well supplied with fish, but it comes to market All alive Oh! The boats contain a tank, out of which the fish are taken by a kind of landingnet. These boats, which come in considerable numbers to the landing-stage at the fish market, have usually a boy on board, whose employment is to keep the water in motion. This is done by means of a plank, which rests like a balance; one foot is placed on the projecting end, and as it is worked up and down it makes little waves in the boat.

The people of Amsterdam have enclosed a vast piece of the Zuyder Zee by running a bank of some miles in length along towards the east: inside this docks have been made. The sea face is paved with large blocks of stone, and the top forms a pleasant promenade. The shipping of various countries which float in the docks, and are decked with the flags of their respective nations, gives them a very gay and animated appearance.

Amsterdam is not a port for the shipment of cattle. Those purchased in this district are conveyed by rail to Rotterdam. Those of the northern district are shipped at Harlingen. The government, being apprehensive of the effects of the cattle disease, has closed all the markets except those of Amsterdam and Defft, and if our buyers who used to attend these markets, wish to continue their exports, they must go from farmhouse to farmhouse, and purchase in ones and twos, instead of making up lots in the markets. (See Appendix.)

Amsterdam has to import grain for the support of her own citizens, and also for those of the cities which use this port, such as Utrecht and Haarlem. The harvest of 1862 was deficient, and the imports

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of grain in 1863 were in consequence large. In 1864 the imports were less, and for the seven months ending the 31st of July they show a further reduction.*

It will be seen that there is a considerable reduction in the quantity of cereals and meal imported in the seven months of 1865, when compared with 1864. There is a small export of oats from Amsterdam, but that city draws a large portion of her supplies of cereals from other countries than Holland.

Utrecht, which is about an hour's ride from Amsterdam, is a city of some importance. It is seated ɔn the Rhine, and forms one of the junctions of the traffic up that river; it stand upon higher grounds than other Dutch cities. There is not much change in the character of the agriculture. The cows, which appear to be owned in lots of 10 to 20-13 seems to be a favourite number-are milked on the fields. is stated that the driving of cows to a house to be milked, lessens the quantity both of milk and butter. A man attends while they are being milked. The

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* The imports into Amsterdam were as follows, in mudden (a quarter is equal to about three muddens):

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milk is removed to the farmhouses to be dealt with in the dairies, and it appears equally suited for butter or for cheese, both of which are put on the table at the same time, at breakfast and at tea. The province of Utrecht is small in extent. In 1862 it produced 54,839 mudden wheat, 105,366 rye, 3,728 barley, and 42,406 oats. The number of cattle was 78,892, of sheep 32,696, and of pigs 17,848. Sheep abound more in the provinces of North Holland and Drenthe than in the other provinces, the former having 238,778, and the latter 114,700, being 353,478; the entire number of sheep in the Netherlands in 1862 was 882,139.

Amsterdam is a very wealthy place. The fortunes amassed by the farmers and merchants form a large fund, which seeks for employment in various ways. The debt of Holland is large, but it is entirely held in Holland, so that no portion of the revenue collected to pay the interest on it leaves the country. The Dutch have lent largely to other countries. It is said that Amsterdam alone holds 600,000,000 guilders (50,000,0007.) of the Austrian debt. Brazilian, Spanish, and American securities are also held largely. During the recent war the United States securities, which were rather suspiciously regarded in England, were taken with eagerness by the Dutch and Germans. Holland will henceforth be drawing large sums from America in payment of the interest on that debt. Amsterdam has the appearance of a very prosperous city, and the people are contented and happy. There are no rumours here of associations against the government, no Fenianism. The people are too much engaged, to attend to treason or sedition. Whenever disaffection exists it is a

EXPORTS FROM ROTTERDAM.

201

proof of misgovernment. People are not prone to treason against their government, and where this abnormal state of things exists, it shows that there is something wrong in the government of a country.

Rotterdam. This city, built like Amsterdam on a number of islets, intersected at many points by canals and united by bridges, is a place of very great interest. Being seated on the Rhine, and only a few miles from the German Ocean, it forms the entrepôt for a vast trade. The traveller upon the Upper Rhine is surprised at the large number of tug steamers, each with its tail of barges, working their way up against the stream. These barges are principally from Rotterdam. It has been selected as one of the ports for the passenger trade of the Great Eastern Railway Company, which is competing with the steamers direct from London and carrying both goods and passengers, via Harwich, at as low a rate as they are taken direct. This Company allows those who take return tickets to adopt either Antwerp or Rotterdam as the point of embarkation or debarkation, and the traveller from London to Brussels, who takes a fortnightly trip cannot do better than extend his journey from Antwerp to Rotterdam and see this unique city before his return to England. As I stated previously, Rotterdam and Harlingen form the principal ports for the shipment of cattle, &c. Out of 155,000 cattle and 78,000 calves exported from the Netherlands in 1864, no less than 98,000 cattle and 44,000 calves were shipped at Rotterdam; out of 314,000 sheep exported from the kingdom, 170,000 found their way to Rotterdam; and out of 93,000 pigs exported, 32,000 went from this port.

These figures indicate the extent of the Rotterdam cattle trade. The fine line of quays is crowded with steamers. Several of the firms engaged in the trade have three and others two vessels per week. I should think there must be about twenty steamers per week from Rotterdam to England. The cattle trade for the seven months ending July 30 has been larger than the corresponding portion of last year. *

There is an increase in the export of cattle, sheep, and lambs, and a decrease in that of calves and pigs. The closing of the markets of Rotterdam, Haarlem, the Hague, Utrecht, and other places, as a precautionary measure in consequence of the apprehension of disease, will check the cattle trade. Buyers from England attend the different markets, and pick up the animals which suit. Those fit for the butcher are grass-fed; they also get distillery wash and grains. They are mainly two-year-old heifers; some of them go to forty stone, others are not more than half that weight; at the present price of meat they are worth from 61. to 127. each. There is no house-feeding, and all the meat supplied from the Netherlands is grass-fed. The supply falls off towards winter.

I found the officials at the Hague quite as obliging, quite as ready to afford information, as those

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