in 1819, and completed in 1825. It has 5 sluices large enough to admit ships of the line; the dues and charges on account of towing, &c. being at the same time very moderate. At Newdiep the water is deeper than in any other port on the coast of Holland, and ships are there in the most favourable position for getting expeditiously to sea. (See CANALS.) The imports principally consist of sugar, coffee, spices, tobacco, cotton, tea, indigo, cochineal, wine and brandy, wool, grain of all sorts, timber, pitch and tar, hemp and flax, iron, hides, linen, cotton and woollen stuffs, hardware, rock salt, tin plates, coal, dried fish, &c. The exports consist partly of the produce of Holland, partly and principally of the produce of her possessions in the East and West Indies, and other tropical countries, and partly of commodities brought to Amsterdam, as to a convenient entrepôt from different parts of Europe. Of the first class are cheese and butter (very important articles), madder, clover, rape, hemp, and linseeds, rape and linseed oils, Dutch linen, &c. Geneva is principally exported from Schiedam and Rotterdam; oak bark and cattle principally from the latter. Of the second class are spices, coffee, and sugar, principally from Java, but partly also from Surinam, Brazil, and Cuba; indigo, cochineal, cotton, tea, tobacco, and all sorts of eastern and colonial products. And of the third class, all kinds of grain, linens from Germany, timber and all sorts of Baltic produce; Spanish, German, and English wools; French, Rhenish, and Hungarian wines, brandy, &c. The trade of Amsterdam may, indeed, be said to comprise every article that enters into the commerce of Europe. Her merchants were formerly the most extensive dealers in bills of exchange, and though London be now, in this respect, far superior to Amsterdam, the latter still enjoys a respectable share of this business. The Bank of the Netherlands was established at Amsterdam in 1814. It is not, like the old Bank of Amsterdam, which ceased in 1796, merely a bank of deposit, but a bank of deposit and circulation formed on the model of the Bank of England. Its capital, which originally amounted to 5,000,000 fl., was doubled in 1819. It has the exclusive privilege of issuing notes. Its original charter, which was limited to 25 years, was prolonged in 1838 for 25 years more. For an account of the Dutch fisheries, see the articles HERRING FISHERY and WHALE FISHERY. About 350 or 380 large ships belong to Amsterdam; they are employed in the East and West India trades, and in trading to the Baltic, the Mediterranean, &c. There is comparatively little coasting trade at Amsterdam, the communication with most other ports in the vicinity being principally kept up by canals, and that with Friesland by regular packets. There belonged to Holland on the 1st January 1858, 2,428 ships of the aggregate burden of 586,941 tons, ex river craft and small coasters. The total imports into Holland in 1856 were estimated at 411,741,153 fl., and the exports at 338,248,371. The U. Kingdom, the German Customs Union, Belgium, Java, France, and Russia, are the countries with which she carries on the most extensive trade. - Dutch Commercial Policy. The policy of Holland, civil, religious, and commercial, has long been of the most liberal and enlightened description (see post); and she was the first country to follow the example we set in repealing the Navigation Laws in 1849. The Dutch law on this subject was passed in 1850. Previously to that period discriminating duties were imposed on most articles imported on foreign bottoms; and also on those imported by foreigners into Java and her other colonies. But these preferences no longer exist. The following is an extract from the law relative to these matters : Differential duties are abolished on the vessels of those states which "a. Place the Dutch flag on the same footing with their national flag trading to and from their own ports (coasting trade and fisheries excepted ;) b. Which place the Dutch flag on the same footing with their national flag trading to and from their colonies, if they possess any; and "c. Which do not levy other differential duties to the disadvantage of the produce of the Netherland colonies, or to the prejudice of produce imported from other parts of the world, from Netherland ports, than those which are levied in favour of the produce of their own colonies, when imported direct." The fisheries and the coasting trade of Holland and of her colonies is reserved to Dutch ships. But it is no longer necessary that the latter should be of Dutch built. Foreign built ships have, however, to pay on being registered an ad valorem duty of 4 per cent, over and above the fee charged on the registration of Dutch-built ships. Several important reductions were at the same time made in the tariff of import duties. The navigation dues or tolls that were formerly charged on vessels or goods passing through Holland by the Rhine and the Yssel, and transit duties of all kinds, have also been repealed. And though it may be said, and truly, that these wise and liberal measures will be much more advantageous to the Dutch than to any other people, still they are of the greatest importance to all commercial nations, and especially to those who, like ourselves, have an extensive intercourse with them. We are glad to have to state that this liberal policy has in Holland, as in England, had its appropriate reward. Commerce has been largely extended. The mercantile marine is in a highly prosperous state, and is daily receiving large additions. Many Dutch ships have latterly been chartered by English merchants. Trade of U. Kingdom with Holland. Account of the Quantities and Computed Values of the Principal Articles imported from the Netherlands into the U. Kingdom during each of the 4 Years ending with 1857. Account of the Quantities and Values of the Principal Articles, the Growth and Produce of G. Britain and Ireland, exported from the U. Kingdom to the Netherlands during each of the 3 Years ending with 1857. 55,312 60,511 70,279 76,930 We, also, export to the Netherlands large quantities of colonial and other foreign produce, partly for consumption in the country, but mostly in transitu for Germany. In 1857 the value of these exports amounted to 2,499,2081. The greater portion, however, of the trade between the U. K, and Holland is carried on D with Rotterdam, which is much more conveniently situated for such intercourse than Amsterdam. But the latter continues to engross by far the larger share of the commerce with the flourishing colony of Java and the other Dutch possessions in the East; and is, consequently, the principal continental mart for eastern produce. Expenses of Ships in Amsterdam. - The expenses of a ship of 300 English tons, or 138 Dutch lasts, with a mixed cargo on board, inwards and outwards, coming and departing by the canal, were, in 1842, nearly as follows: There is, besides, the merchants' and brokers' commission on recovering and procuring frei, hts, genera ly settled by agreement. The tonnage duty is 45 cents (94.) the Netherlands ton (nearly equal to the British), is payable only once a year by native ships, and by ships belonging to countries which have reciprocity treat es with Holland. The charge called port money is payable half on entry, and half on departure; and that called haven money the same. The hire of a horse for towing along the whole line of the canal amounts to 12 flor. 40 cents, or about 17. 18. Quarantine. The quarantine station is at the island of Wierengen, near the Helder. Commission. The usual rate of the commission or factorage on the purchase or sale of goods is 2 per cent., and on bill transactions 4 and per cent. according to their nature. Provi ions of all sorts are abundant at Amsterdam, and reasonably cheap. The wages of ships' carpenters vary from 1 flor. 20 cents to 1 flor. 80 cents; that is, from about 2a. to 3s. a day. For an account of the corn trade of Amsterdam, see CORN TRADE AND CORN LAWS. Custom house Regulations. - Captains of ships are bound to make, within 21 hours of their arrival at Amsterdam, or any Dutch port, a declaration in writing of the goods of which their cargo consists. If the captains be not acquainted with the goods of which the cargo consists, they must make their declaration under the general term of merchandise, and exhibit the bills of lading along with the declaration. The custom-house officers are instructed to inform the captains of all formalities required by law. The warehousing system has been long established in Amsterdam; and all goods, whether for home consumption or transit, may be deposited in bonded warehouses. Speaking generally, goods can only be kept in bonded warehouses for 2 years; but grain of all kinds may be kept for an unlimited period. The warehouse rent chargeable per month on a quarter of wheat is, on an upper loft, Id. and 2-5ths; on an under loft 1d. On a ton (Eng.) of sugar in casks the charge is 8d.; in bags 6d. The dock and its adjacent warehouses, belonging to the Entrepôt General, or establishment for warehousing goods imported by sea or intended to be re-exported by sea or by the Rhine, are large and commodious. The dock has water to float the largest ships, and the dues and other charges are exceedingly moderate. Merchants may employ their own men or those of the dock in loading or unloading; and may either place their property in separate vaults or floors of which they keep the key, or entrust it to the care of the dock officers. Dutch Trading Company. A large proportion of the foreign trade of Holland was for a considerable period engrossed by the large trading company called the Nederlandsche Handelmaatschappy, created in 1824. Its capital, which consisted originally of 37 millions flor., was reduced in 1824 to 24 millions do. ; but as the company borrowed 10 millions flor. in 1835, and 13 millions more in 1837, its capital consists of 47 millions flor. At first it extended its operations to America and the West Indies, as well as to the East Indies. But it has latterly very much contracted the scale of its operations; and having lent 40 millions of its capital to government, it is now merely the agent employed by the latter to bring home and sell that part of the produce of Java which, under the new colonial system, belongs to the state, and to carry on the trade with Japan, which, however, is of little or no value. The company has no ships of its own, but charters those of private individuals. Its charges on importation are limited to certain fixed rates. The business of insurance is extensively practised at Amsterdam; the premiums are moderate, and the security unexceptionable. The high duty formerly imposed in this country on policies of insurance contributed to the increase of this business in Holland. Credit, Discount, &c.-Holland is, and has always been, a country of short credit. A discount is usually given for prompt payment, at the rate of 1 per cent. for six weeks, and 2 per cent. for two months; but the terms of credit on most articles and the discount allowed for ready money, have been fixed by usage, and are regarded as essential conditions in every bargain. Some of the more important of these terms and discounts are specified in the following table. In consequence of the preference given in Holland to ready money transactions, it is not a country in which adventurers without capital have much chance of speedily making a fortune. "Rien, en effet, de plus facile que de s'établir à Amsterdam; mais rien de plus difficile de s'y soutenir sans des grandes resources. Dans cette ville, où l'argent abonde, où on le prête contre des sûrétes à si bon marché, il est pourtant impossible de s'en procurer à crédit; et sans argent il n'y a plus de possibilité d'y travailler, que de trouver quelqu'un qui veuille de se charger d'un papier nouveau qui ne seroit pas appuyé d'un crédit que l'opinion, la protection, ou des effets réels feroient valoir à la bourse. Les Hollandois suivent lá-dessus des maximes très austères, même à l'égard des maisons d'une certaine considération.". (Encyclopédie Méthodique, Commerce, t. ii, p. 650.) But this austerity is not a disadvantage, but the reverse. It prevents commerce from degenerating, as it has too often done in other places, into gambling adventures, and places it on a comparatively solid foundation. And it should be mentioned to the honour of the Dutch, and as a proof of the excellence of this system, that notwithstanding the distress and loss of trade occasioned by the invasion and occupation of their country by the French, the bankruptcies in 1795 and subsequent years were not, comparatively, so numerous as in England in ordinary seasons! The regulations in the Code Napoléon as to bankruptcy are enforced in Holland. It has long been the practice in Holland to make, on selling articles, considerable deductions from their weight, particularly from those of large bulk, as compared with Tares and Allowances on the principal Articles sold at Ashes Barilla Cocoa, Caracas Maranham Cayenne Martinique Amsterdam. .42 lbs. per cask ⚫ per cent.. Coffee, East and West India in ge- Bourbon Java - 42 lbs. ditto ditto ditto 6 per cent. Allowances. bags 3 per cent., casks real tare. 1 2 per cent. and 2 1 per cent. 2 per cent. and 2 10 lbs. per original per cent. and 2 mat. -{ 14 lbs. per gunny 8 per cent. Cotton, Surat and all other kinds Cotton yarn twist Cochineal · Galls - Logwood Fustic 24 lbs. per bale 6 per cent. real tare. - 3 à 4 lbs. . · 6 lbs. or 20 lbs. -16 lbs. 14 lbs. or 217 -lbs. Hides, Buenos Ayres,} 2 lbs. per hide &c. per cent. 1 per cent. deduct. 2 per cent. and 2 2 per cent. -{2 per cent, and 1 [42 lbs. and above] 100 lbs. 12 per cent. -8 lbs. à 16 lbs. casks tared 2 and 8 per cent. 2 per cent. bags tared, and 24 casks tared .. 3 or 5 per cent.. Flax, hams, seeds,ge." neva, grain Butter Hides Cheese, Edam Gouda 36 lbs. per cent. (2 per cent. and 1 1 per cent. 2 per cent, and 2 (1 per cent. and 14 per cent. 1 per cent. 1 per cent. 2 per cent. 2 per cent. and 1 per cent. da- 1 per cent, per cent. and 2 per cent. 1 per cent. 2 per cent. 2 per cent. 1 per cent. none. 2 and 1 per cent. The above are the customary tares and other allowance made by the merchants in their transactions with each other. But in paying the import duties at the Custom-house, the tare upon goods paying duty by weight is, with the exceptions undermentioned, fixed at 15 per cent. for such as are in casks or barrels, and at 8 per cent. for such as are in packages, canisters, mats, baskets, &c. Merchants dissatisfied with these allowances may pay the duty according to the real weight, ascertained by the customs officers at their expense. Exceptions.-The tare upon grain imported in sacks is fixed in chests, 25 per cent. Money.Accounts used to be kept at Amsterdam by the pound Flemish = 6 florins = 20 schillings = 12) stivers = 240 groats 1,920 pennings. But in 1820 the decimal system was introduced. In order, however, to cause as little inconvenience as possible, the florin-1s. 8d. sterling, was made the unit of the new system. The florin is supposed to be divided into 100 equal parts or cents; and the other silver coins are equal multiples or sub-multiples of it. The new gold coin is called the florin piece, and is worth 168. 64d. very nearly. But accounts are still sometimes kept in the old way, or by the pound Flemish. Par of exchange between Amsterdam and London is 11 flor. 58 cents per pound sterling. Weights and Measures. In 1820, the French system of weights and measures was introduced into the Netherlands, the names only being changed. The pond is the unit of weight, and answers to the French kilogramme. Its divisions are the ons, lood, wigtje, and korrel. The elle, which is the unit or element of long measure, equals the French mètre. Its decimal divisions are the palin, duim, and streep; and its decimal multiples, the roede and mijle. The vierkante elle, or square ell, is the unit of superficial measure; and answers to the centiare or mètre carré of France. Its divisions are the vierkante palm, vierkante duim, and the vierkante streep; and its multiples, the vierkante roede and vierkante bunder. The kubicke elle is the unit of measures or capacity; and equals the French stère. Its divisions are the kubicke palm, kubicke duim, and kubicke streep. The term wisse is given to a kubicke elle of fire-wood. The kop is the unit of measures for dry wares, and is the cube of the palm; answering to the French litre. Its division is the maatje, and its multiples the schepel and mudde; the latter is also called the suk, and equals the French hectolitre. 30 mudden make 1 last. The kan is the unit for liquid measure, and is the cube of the palm; it corresponds to the French litre. Its divisions are the maatje and vingerhoed, and 100 kans make a vat or cask, which equals the French hectolitre. The apothecary's new pound is 12 ounces, 96 drachms, 288 scruples, or 5,760 grains; and answers to 375 gramines, or 5,787 English grains. By the old method of calculating, which is not yet entirely superseded, the pound of Amsterdam was to 109 lb. avoirdupois, or 100 lbs. Amsterdam 108-923 lbs. avoirdupois. The last or measure for corn 27 mudden = 10 qurs. 51 bushels Winchester measure. The aam I quid measure = 4 ankers 8 steckans 21 viertels=64 stoops or stoppen = 281 mingles 256 pints=41 English wine gallons. The stoop contains 51-8th pints English measure. 100 mingles are equal to 32 English wine gallons, or 26 1-5th English beer gallons, or 26 2-3d Imperial gallons. French wine is sold per hogshead of Spanish and Portuguese wine, per pipe of The ell, cloth measure =27 1-12th ditto. Rock salt is sold per hondert of 404 maaten, making 20 tons, or 4,000 lbs. Dutch. Pit coal is sold per hoed of 38 maaten; nine hoeds are five chaldrons of Newcastle, or six hoeds are five chaldrons of London. Butter is sold per barrel; the barrel of Leyden is 320 lbs. nett that of Friesland 28 lbs. nett- and the common Dutch barrel 336 lbs. gross. A last of herrings is reckoned at 12, 13, or 14 barrels. A last of pitch is 12 barrels. A last of tar, 13 barrels. A bag of seed=2 Winchester quarters. A last for freight is reckoned 4,000 lbs., equal to two English their value. These tares and drafts, as they are termed, are now fixed by ancient usage: and the most important amongst them are here specified (p. 35.). The law of 1850 has the following clauses in regard to the tares of sugar, tea, &c., and to the allowance for leakage. Tare for Sugar. Imported in boxes from Hivisa, 13 per ! cent.; in boxes from leo Janeiro, Fernandacy Fast In a, 18 per cent; in boxes from other parts, 15 per este in casas, percent, in leather, mt bikes, Inen, and such like packages, 5 per cert. (3 of 11.d packaze, if p...5 €, always to be welcheftige her); in kanassers and kinkigs, 19 per cent, all gro Tae of Tea. Of or iury tea-chests weighing 55 Nether. land lbs. and above, 18 per cent.; ord hory tea c texts with ing less than 35 ib., 25 per cent. On entering texoana g1 direct from China or the N. therlands East. In lan po sevə, the original tafest or other ship's or licing & komitə, suificiently showing the origin of the cargo must be explored to identify the co; and the functionaries cin Two in a leg 1 declaration by the caia, mate, and part of the As tea, Bobet cr coure Corgou, can only be adrit d sú h tea which is imported urnised, in whole chests of alkut ONCE to 200 Netherland, H., and without being parked or incased in smaller chests or package). As course Cong u, is not to be admitted such tea, which, although being in whole che ts, has at the time of entry a value of 21. per Netherland pound or above, according to the current price of the day in this country; and is in'le to Seizure, alt tex entered as course Congou, when it has less Value than 2. per Netherland pound. No tare is to be given on transit of all goods on which duty is paid by the weight, but for which no tare is fixed is the tar; at the importanon or exportation, the tare will be paid as follows: For all casks, cases, &c., made of wood, 15 of 100 lb. gross weight. For all package of weather, runts, ↑ usketa, kanassers or Imen, and white, sof! F,!K『ས་༦་ ༢it Icise the imports are of sati u with the tire fixed be the tar, or by the fre Arte, they can pay the Le of the and, in a h ese tied by the function iries, at the experse of the Is car there are a great number of casks and eases of the the arv ay be fixed by wegh ga part of the empty casks, Coss. A to be pointed occhi the choenpřy, and Le tire Or the whole quantity will then be Mor Ing to the NTAL weighte In case of mixe pack gis, a Gof the duty on one part of the goal is to be paid by th wright, and the other by the value, the nett wht of the first e taken by the furk Locanes at the pee of the porters, according to the rest of hidey then is to be pa. i. For a!iquids five of excise, rated by the measure, on im portation by sea, a redu don will be granted for leakage as Toi i Coming from England, Embden, Bremen, Hamburg, and the Ler But, as from race, Belgium, Spain, ForTugil, on this side of th strits of Gibraltar, 6 per cent.; from other parts, imp rred by ca, 12 per cent. If the importers Link that this reda:tion for leakage is not sufli sent, or if they hould assert a claim to a red..stion in these cas sin which the taw dies not grant it, they wiibat Liberty to pay duty a vording to the existing quantity, which at their expense will be determined by the functionaries, Magnitude of the Commerce of Holland in the Seventeenth Century - Causes of its Prosperity and Decline. — We believe we need not make no apology for embracing this opportunity to lay before our readers the following details with respect to the commerce and commercial policy of Holland. It forms one of the most instructive topies of investigation; and it is to be regretted that so little attention should have been paid to it in this country. Previously to the commencement of the long-continued and glorious struggle made by the Dutch to emancipate themselves from the blind and brutal despotism of Old Spain, they had a considerable marine, and had attained to distinction by their fisheries and commerce; and the war, instead of being injurious to the trade of the republic, contributed powerfully to its extension. After the capture of Antwerp by the Spaniards, in 1585, the extensive commerce of which it had been the centre was removed to the ports of Holland, and principally to Amsterdam, which then attained to the distinction she long enjoyed, of the first commercial city of Europe. In 1602, the Dutch East India Company was formed; and notwithstanding the pernicious influence of that association, the Indian trade increased rapidly in magnitude and importance. Ships fitted either for commercial or warlike purposes, and having a considerable number of soldiers on board, were sent out within a few years of the establishment of the company. Amboyna and the Moluccas were first wrested from the Portuguese, and with them the Dutch obtained the monopoly of the spice trade. Factories and fortifications were in no long time established, from Bussorah, near the mouth of the Tigris, in the Persian Gulph, along the coasts and islands of India as far as Japan. Alliances were formed with several of the Indian princes; and in many parts, particularly on the coasts of Ceylon, and in various districts of Malabar and Coromandel, they were themselves the sovereigns. Batavia, in the large and fertile island of Java, the greater part of which had been conquered by the Dutch, formed the centre of their Indian commerce; and though unhealthy, its port was excellent, and it was admirably situated for commanding the trade of the Eastern Archipelago. Iu 1651, they planted a colony at the Cape of Good Hope, which had been strangely neglected by the Portuguese. Every branch of commerce was vigorously prosecuted by the Dutch. Their trade with the Baltic was, however, by far the most extensive and lucrative of which they were in possession. Guicciardini mentions that the trade with Poland, Denmark, Prussia, &c., even before their revolt, was so very great, that fleets of 300 ships arrived twice a year at Amsterdam from Dantzic and Livonia only; but it increased prodigiously during the latter part of the sixteenth and the beginning of the seventeenth centuries. The great population of Holland, and the limited extent and unfruitful nature of the soil, render the inhabitants dependent on foreigners for the greater part of their supplies of corn. The countries round the Baltic have always furnished them with the principal part of those supplies; and it is from them that they have been in the habit of bringing timber, iron, hemp and flax, pitch and tar, tallow, ashes, and other bulky articles required in the building of their houses and ships, and in various ma |