Families, in particular, who are going to the Rhine, and wish to include a visit to Antwerp in their tour, will find this route par excellence, the most advantageous. The fares are reasonably low; and the advantage of conveying that indispensable encumbrance-the luggage-from London to Antwerp without a "transfer," will be appreciated by every head of a "family."

The sail down the Thames is fraught with characteristics full of interest.

The Tower is on the northern bank of the Thames. It is a large pile of building, including an area of more than 12 acres, and owes its irregularity to having been erected and enlarged by various sovereigns at distant periods of time. Besides being the repository of the regalia, it is now used as a garrison and arsenal. St. Katharine's Docks, adjacent to the tower, occupy 24 acres, and were opened 1828.

The London Docks come next, covering an area of 34 acres. In the vaults, more than 65,500 pipes of wine can be stowed.

The West India Docks, extending across the northern extremity of the Isle of Dogs, from Limehouse to Blackwall, were opened in 1832, and formed the first establishment of the kind in London.

The Commercial Docks are seen on the other side of the river.

Deptford, with its Naval Victualling Yard, and the new Foreign Cattle Market, established by the Corporation on the site of the Dock Yard, next claims our notice. The Dreadnought Hospital Ship, which used to be anchored below this, is now removed.

Greenwich, with its fine Hospital (now turned into a Naval College), and Observatory, standing out boldly and picturesquely from the clustering foliage of the Park, greets our view. For its description and history, see Bradshaw's Guide through London and its Environs. The Isle of Dogs is on the opposite side of the river, and an abrupt turn in the river brings us to

Blackwall, with its pier, and the handsome terminus of the Blackwall Railway Just below the railway station, on the left, are the new Victoria Docks, recently opened; with BECKTON further down.

Woolwich on the right, with its rotunda, cannon-foundry, arsenal, and barracks, is now seen. Further down,

Erith, on the right, with its pretty rural church, immediately after.

Gravesend, on the right, with the slope of the Windmill Hill rising proudly behind the town, will next attract our notice. Tilbury Fort, with its gate or blockhouse of the time of Henry VIII., lies across the river; and the widening expanse of water, enlivened by the constant transit of vessels, presents to us a moving panorama of animated interest.

From hence to the Nore we pass Southend, Sheerness, and its Dockyard near Queen borough whence the Flushing Boats start, then Herne Bay, Margate (with Shoeburyness opposite it), and the Foreland; and we sail, almost in a straight line, from the Thames to the Scheldt. The latter stream is situated immediately opposite the mouth of the English river and the port of London. It caught the eye of Napoleon as suitable for a two-fold purpose-either to annoy the English in war, or rival them in commerce. Entering the West Scheldt, at the mouth of the river, we see, on the left, Walcheren, the most extensive of the nine islands forming the province of Zeeland. The district lies many feet below sea level.

Various branches of the river Scheldt separate the islands one from the other, which are protected from the inroads of the ocean by sand banks and dykes, or sea walls, measuring more than 300 miles in extent, and kept in repair at an annual cost of 2,000,000 florins. These dykes are divided by engineers into two classes, called polders calamiteux, and polders non-calamiteux-the former maintained at the expense of Government, and the others by private individuals. The country is, as it were, partitioned out by dykes, the interior defences serving as a barrier against the further ravages of the flood, should the outer dykes break. The great dyke of West Kappel ruptured in 1808, and the waters burst in, inundating the greater part of the island. In the streets of Middelburg, the sea was up to the roofs of the houses, and the strength of its walls only saved the town from being destroyed. Corn and beetroot are the staple produce of the province, which is very fertile. As we ascend the Scheldt, we see, now and then,

peering over the artificial mounds enclosing them, the tops of the spires, roofs, and tall chimneys of the towns and villages, in which the province is very populous.

Cadzand we see to the right, facing Walcheren. Flushing (Station), in Dutch, Vlissingen. Hotels: Duke of Wellington; du Commerce. Flushing is the first town we see on our left. It is situated on the right bank of the river, contains a dockyard, naval arsenal, and has a population of 12,000. The largest merchant vessels are enabled to get up to the town, and unload at the quays, by means of two deep and wide canals communicating with the sea. New Docks have been made of stone, on wooden piles, at a cost of above £1,000,000; they were completed 1873. The harbour outside is always open, and suitable for ships of any tonnage. About 18,000 visitors pass each way yearly. Exports to England are 7 millions, and the traffic increasing.

Flushing is 92 miles from Ramsgate, 100 from Dover, 109 from Harwich, 160 from London, and 6 hours from Sheerness (Queenborough). The Royal Netherlands Steam Boats now run daily between the two ports in connection with the Chatham and Dover Railway. Vessels from the Thames by night are never out of sight of the lights. It is likely to become a leading port for the continent, being on the most direct line to Germany. The line is open to Cologne (as well as Rotterdam and Antwerp), viâ Breda and Venlo.

The town was half destroyed in 1809, when it was bombarded and taken by the English, under Lord Chatham. This act was the only result of the disastrous "Walcheren expedition" of 1809, which consisted of 37 ships of the line, 23 frigates, and 82 gun boats, with a force of 50,000 men. It was the birth-place of Admiral de Ruyter, to whom a statue has been erected. The town hall and two churches, together with 100 houses, were destroyed by the bombs and congreve rockets of the English. At Veere, a decayed place near this, is a good Town Hall. We can see at WestKappel, to the best perfection, the construction of the Dykes. There is a gap in the Dunes at this point, which is defended by a dyke 4,700 yards long, and 31 feet high. Rail to

Middelburg (Station) in Walcheren island, the capital of Zeeland, containing about 16.000 inhabitants. It is a very clean town, and has a magnificent stone Town Hall (1486), with 25 Statues of the Counts of Flanders and their Countesses. This town is famed as the spot where the telescope was invented, in 1601, by Hans Lippershey, a spectacle maker. The Rail from Flushing is continued to Goes (cathedral), Bergen-op-Zoom, Roosendaal, Breda (beautiful Font in the Cathedral Church), Tilburg, &c., towards Germany. At Roosendaal there are branch lines to Rotterdam, and to Antwerp. On the right bank of the river we see Zuid (South) Beveland.

Biervliet, a small town, a short distance off, on the left bank, famous as the birth-place of William Beukels, who invented, in 1386, the art of curing herrings. In the church here, a monument was erected to him, and Charles V. and his sister, the Queen of Hungary, visited it through respect to his memory, who founded for Holland the great staple trade of her wealth. An inundation, in 1377, which destroyed 19 small towns and their inhabitants, detached Biervliet from the continent, but every acre lost has since been recovered by Dutch energy.

Terneusen (Station) is seen to the left, on a rail opened to Malines, 1871. The sluice gates closing the entrance to the new canal, extending to Ghent, are close by it. This canal is 15 feet deep, and gives and serves as a drain to carry off the waters of the district through which it passes. There are sluices at Sas Van Gend, which can lay the entire country under water. Piers and breakwaters of piles or masonry protect the artificial embankments of the Scheldt from the currents and floating masses of ice. Both banks of the Scheldt, below this place, belong to Holland, but the river flows through the Belgian territory.

After we pass the terminating point of the island of Zuid Beveland, which is separated from the mainland by a strait, a passage called Kreek Baky, Antwerp, with its tall and lofty spires, is seen as we approach Forts Lillo (rt) and Liefkenshoek (7). These two forts completely command a view of the passage of the river. Up to 1839 they appertained to the Dutch, in whose hands they remained after the Belgic Revolution. In that year they were dismantled and given up to the

Belgians, in exchange for Venloo, and in compliance with the treaty of the Quadruple Alliance. The Polders are seen on the left bank above Fort Liefkenshoek. These remained under water during the contest with the Dutch. Before arriving at Antwerp, we pass several other forts. The Duke of Parma, in 1505, threw across the Scheldt his celebrated Bridge, 2,400 feet long, between the Callto on the left, and Oordam on the right, by means of which he closed the navigation of the river, and so cut off all supplies from the besieged city, which chiefly caused it to surrender.

A foreign engineer, residing at Antwerp, invented fire-ships, which were sent against the bridge and blew up one of the stockades.

Opposite the Fort of St. Laurent, immediately below Antwerp, a young Dutch officer, Van Speyk, blew himself up, with his crew and ship, rather than surrender to the Belgians, 1830. A monument for this suicidal act has been erected by the Dutch.

ANTWERP (Station)-in French, Anvers; 60 miles from the sea, 27 from Brussels, 32 from Ghent, 150 from Cologne, and 258 from Paris. Population (1882), 175,040. Hotels:

Hotel St. Antoine-well situated, first-class hotel; highly recommended to English and American travellers.

Hotel des Flandres-a very good hotel. Great attention shown to visitors: J. J. Lambert, proprietor. Hotel du Grand Laboureur, Place de Meir, firstclass hotel; newly furnished and decorated.

Hotel de l' Europe, on the Place Verte, close to the Cathedral; exceedingly good in every respect, and charges reasonable.

Hotel de la Paix, Rue des Menuisiers, in the centre of the town. Deservedly recommended for its good accommodation and moderate charges.

Hotel du Commerce, Rue de la Bourse, close to the Exchange and the Place de Meir, second class hotel; recommended.

Hotel de Hollande, good second-class hotel; moderate charges.

Ship Brokers, Messrs. Kennedy & Hunter, agents of the General Steam Navigation Company.

Post Office is in the Place Verte. Resident British Consul. English Church, Rue des Tanneurs. Flemish and French Theatres.

On the Quay Van Dyck, on the opposite bank of the river, is the station of the direct railway to Ghent. Omnibuses call at the hotels. The stand for Vigilantes is by the Post Office, Place de Meir, and at the Station.

The commercial capital of Belgium, situated on the banks of the Scheldt, is celebrated for its magnificent Docks, constructed under the direction of Napoleon, which are capable of receiving 2,000 ships. At a former period of its history, Antwerp contained a population of 200,000 souls, and it still appears a bustling thriving city, with its maritime commerce, and its manufactories of black silk, its sugar refineries, its bleaching, and the embroidery of lace. Commerce is increasing, in consequence, it is said, of its leaving Havre. The South Citadel has been moved to give better accommodation; and the port and quays have been enlarged. A new Dock is in progress. Tonnage, 1882, 3,401,534.

Objects of Attraction to be seen in Antwerp:— 1. The Cathedral and Quentin Matsys' Well; 2. Church of St. Jacques; 3. Rubens' House; 4. Church of St. Paul-Paintings and Calvary; 5. Church of the Augustines-Pictures by Rubens, Vandyke, and Jordaens; 6. The Museum-Collection of Paintings; 7. Statue of Lubens, Place Verte; 8. The Citadel; 9. Zoological Gardens, near the railway station; 10. Statue of Teniers, near the statues of Buduognatus, the Belgian chief against Cæsar, in Boulevard Leopold; and King Leopold, near it. Also Statues of Schoonbeke and Carnot. Teniers, Neefs, and Snyders, are other artists of the Antwerp school, whose works may be looked for; 11. Oudheden Museum (antiquities); 12. The Musée Plantin.

Tradition ascribes its origin to a giant, who inhabited a fortress on the banks of the Scheldt, and exacted a heavy tribute from all who wished to cross the stream, under pain of losing their right hand. This continued until Brabon (who gave his name to Brabant) succeeded in destroying the monster, whose right hand he cut off, and threw it into the river; whence the residence of the giant obtained the name of Handwerpen, from hand werpen, to throw. The memory of this fabulous legend is preserved in the city arms, which contain two amputated hands, and a triangular castle.

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