volume tolerates little novelty, and admits of no deviation from the principle on which such a work must be essentially based. Books in foreign languages must be the chief sources of our information, modified by personal observation and experience.

We meet the traveller in England, impart to him the information necessary for the purpose of preparation, directing him in reference to the management of his passport and luggage at home and on the Continent; we lead him by the most approved routes through his tour, and place before him every item of instruction useful to him in his journey. We do not, however, say that our work is faultless. Were it so, we should have achieved an impossibility, for we believe that Handbooks are "like watches, the worst better than none-the best cannot be expected to go quite true." We know the severe ordeal a Hand-book for travellers abroad has to pass through; we can thoroughly appreciate the merciless criticism which will test its truth when weighing its accuracy on the very spot described, but however we fearlessly and confidingly launch it forth, trustful in the forbearance of all, whilst hopeful that those who make use of it will kindly favour us by forwarding to us corrections of any errors or inaccuracies they may discover in it.

In conclusion, we can only remark that in the editing of the present volume we have aimed at the medium between an useless repetition of detail, and the annoyance of a tasteless brevity of description; and trust the traveller may not find it less useful than interesting.

July, 1859.

INTRODUCTION.

PASSPORTS-MONEY-POSTING-DILIGENCES, HIRED CARRIAGES, BARRIERS, ROADS-VIGILANTES-BELGIAN HOTELS-PRICES OF REFRESHMENT AT THE BELGIAN RAILWAY STATIONS-GENERAL VIEW OF BELGIUM-RAILWAYS IN BELGIUM.

PASSPORTS.-CUSTOM HOUSE.

BRITISH subjects, on entering Belgium, are required to be provided with either a Belgian passport, or a British or other passport, countersigned by a Belgian authority. When only traversing Belgium, going to Prussia, British subjects will require British passports. Should this form be omitted, they will require the visé of the Prussian Minister in Belgium. On landing in Belgium without a passport in due form, travellers are exposed to be conducted, by the police, either to the consul or to the bourgmestre, before they are enabled to obtain a passport and continue their journey in Belgium. Passports and visés are obtained at the Consul's Office, Adelaide Chambers, 52, Gracechurch Street. Hours, from eleven to four Passports for Belgium only, are granted to British subjects on payment of 6s. 6d. Visas, 38. 9d. Travellers proceeding through Belgium to the Rhine, must enter their luggage for Cologne, where it is examined. Ambassador's residence, 20, Lowndes Square.

MONEY.-Although in some places accounts are still kept in guilders and cents, French money is so generally current, that a traveller who confines himself to Belgium need not provide himself with any other. At all the large towns English sovereigns will be readily exchanged, and should command the full equivalent of 25 fr. 20 cts., or as near as possible, according to the rate of exchange. A new gold coin, 25 francs value, has recently been issued. The Belgian bank issues notes of the value of 1000, 500, 100, 50, 20, and 5 francs.

Leopold d'or, Napoleon, or Twenty Franc Piece... 15 10

POSTING is now nearly obsolete, but a post is equivalent to five English, or about one German mile, or to two Belgian or French leagues. The charge per post, for each horse, is 1 fr. 30 cts., and for each postillion that distance, 15 sous. Half a post extra is charged for post-horses arriving at Brussels or quitting it, and a fourth extra on quitting Ghent, Liége, Namur, and Mons. One horse is allotted by the posting regulation, to each person in a carriage, but the traveller can take the full complement of horses required for his journey at the rate of 30 sous each, or he can take two or three at 30 sous, and without taking the rest, pay for the team at 20 sous. At this rate a party of four persons can travel in a light britska, drawn by two horses, paying 2 fr. extra for the two persons. By payment of 80 sous per post for their horses, three persons can travel with two horses. A berlin or landau will take three or four horses; a chariot, 3; a britzka, though carrying the same number of persons, two.

"

DILIGENCES, HIRED CARRIAGES, BARRIERS, ROADS.

On all the high roads which have no railroad to compete with, diligences are found to run. They travel at the rate of about six miles an hour, and generally belong to private individuals licensed by government.

HIRED CARRIAGES.-A voiture, with two horses, can be engaged for about 30 fr per day, including 5 fr. to the driver. 25 fr. a day, back fare, must be paid (making in all 50 fr. for carriage and horses.

BARRIERS.—There is a toll-gate each league, at which four-wheeled carriages are charged 10 cents, and each horse 20 cents., the return included.

ROADS.-In general the Belgian roads are paved, thus rendering travelling over them very fatiguing, especially to ladies.

A kind of cab called by the above name can be hired for 1 fr, or before 7 a.m. for 1 fr., which will convey the traveller and his luggage to his resting place. He should take one at once on his arrival, and thus save himself the annoyance he is, otherwise, sure to suffer from porters and commissionaires of the hotels.

The general tariff is 1 fr. per course and, if engaged by the hour, 1 fr. the first hour, and 1 fr. each hour afterwards.

BELGIAN HOTELS.

The following are the average charges:-From 1 to 2 fr. for bed; table d'hôte, 2 to 3 fr.; dinner in a separate apartment, by one's self, 5 fr.; supper at table d'hôte, 1 fr. 50 cents. to 2 fr.; a bottle of Bordeaux vin ordinaire, 3 fr.; breakfast, with eggs. and meat, 1 fr. 50 cents.; coffee, tea, and bread and butter, 1 to 14 fr.; servants, 50 cents. to 1 fr. each.

PRICES OF REFRESHMENTS AT THE BELGIAN RAILWAY

STATIONS.

BUFFETS-RESTAURANTS ETABLIS DANS LES STATIONS DE MALINES, TIRLEMONT, LANDEN, LIEGE, PEPINSTER, VERVIERS, GAND, COURTRAI, MOUSCRON, BRAINE-LECOMTE, ET QUIEVRAIN.-TARIF DES COMESTIBLES ET BOISSONS.

T

NOTE.--The prices quoted in the above table must not always be depended upon, the charges sometimes varying at the different stations.

CARRIAGES.-Carriages of 2 wheels are charged 8 fr. from Quievrain to Mons, and 32 fr. to Brussels; those of 4 wheels, 12 fr. from Quievrain to Mons, and 48 fr. to Brussels; and of 2 wheels, 44 fr. from Mouscron to Brussels.

DOGS.-Dogs are charged at the rate of third class fare.

PRIVATE CARRIAGES.-Persons travelling in private carriages pay third class fare in addition to the charge for the carriage.

GENERAL VIEW OF BELGIUM.

Belgium was formerly identified with the kingdom of the Netherlands, but has ranked as a separate and independent kingdom since 1830. In the August of that year the Belgian provinces revolted, and threw off the yoke of Holland. On the 4th of October following, the independence of the kingdom was proclaimed by the provisional government, and recognised in the month of December by the allied powers of Europe.

The National Congress assembled at Brussels in 1831, and offered the throne of the new kingdom to the Duke of Nemours, which, on the son's behalf, was refused by his father, the late Louis Philippe, then King of the French. The next choice of the National Representives fell upon Prince Leopold of Saxe Coburg, widower, of the Princess Charlotte of England, who ascended the throne, and took the oaths prescribed by the constitution, on the 22nd July, 1831, in the presence of the assembled representatives of the nation. Scarcely had Leopold assumed the sovereignty of Belgium than he concluded a treaty with the Courts of Great Britain, Russia, Austria,