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Kings of Spain: Meuse
Naturally flat as to surface, the greatest elevations are found to be not over 2000 ft. in height, and these are in the E. and S.-E., near the border of Prussia. The chief watershed proceeds from the sources of the river Soane, and separates the waters of the Meuse from those of the Moselle, while a branch passes N. and separates the Ourthe from the Meuse. On the frontier of France a series of heights in the direction of Namur separate the Meuse from the Sambre. In the N.-W. the country much resembles Holland. Liége, Luxemburg and Namur are rocky and sterile, the vegetation being poor and languid. In some sections along the coast the country is so low as to require protection by dykes. It is estimated that about one-sixtieth of the kingdom is thus artificially gained from the sea and rivers. The Scheldt, the Meuse, and Yzer, and their tributaries, form the river system of Belgium. The Scheldt and the Meuse are the longest, the former being 108 m. and the latter 115, and are navigable their entire length. The Yzer, which enters the sea at Nieuport, is navigable about 26 m. Other navigable but extremely short rivers are the Great and Little Nethe, the Dyle, the Demer, the Dendre, the Durme, and the Lys, the latter to the city of Ghent. The entire navigable length of these streams is 230 m. Additional to these and tributary to the Meuse are the Amblere and Vesdre, affluents of the Ourthe; the Ourthe, which joins the Meuse at Liége, and the Sambre, which joins it at Namur; navigable length, 142 m. Besides the rivers, water communication is carried on by means of numerous canals for inland irrigation, their entire length being 376 m. The entire length of the canal and river system is 997 m.
AGRICULTURE. -Great care is exercised by the people in the cultivation of the soil, and the government makes it a special point to encourage the introduction of improvements in husbandry. The soil, once unfavorable, has by generations of careful cultivation been made wonderfully productive. Large farms are rare, and we find the subdivisions carried down to the garden size, so that it is estimated that less than 1-13th of the area is unproductive. One-fourth of the population of the kingdom, above 12 years of age, including female servants, are agriculturists. Females largely engage in this work, being to the males as 61 to 100. The Belgians, while industrious and attentive to agricultural pursuits, are not favorable to modern improvements, and the result is that their operations are conducted somewhat clumsily. Rye is the most extensively cultivated of the cereal crops. Wheat and oats form an important feature. Very little barley is raised, while hops, chicory, tobacco, rape, and other oleaginous plants, and flax, beets, etc., are common. Flanders is celebrated for its flax, while that province and Hainaut are the ones principally devoted to tobacco raising. The cultivation of the sugar-beet is constantly increasing. Potatoes are also cultivated. Belgium is noted for its fine horses, the government paying special attention to the improvement of horses and cattle.
MINERALS.-Belgium ranks next to England in the production of fuel. Three of the nine provinces, Hainaut, Liége, and Namur, abound in coal, and its mining forms one of the chief industries of the country. About 110,000 miners are employed, and over 15,000,000 tons of coal produced annually. About 14 of the total coal produce is exported, mainly to France. The product embraces anthracite and the best gas coal. Iron is found in Namur, Liége, and Luxemburg, while copper is mined in Hainaut. Lead and zinc are also produced in various parts of the kingdom. Next to agriculture the mineral wealth of Belgium is the most important source of the national prosperity. In the metallic mines about 4000 workmen are constantly employed.
MANUFACTURES AND COMMERCE.-Flax raising and manufacture constitute the most ancient and important industries of the country. Annual exports of yarns and cloths average $
12,000,000. Exportations of cotton yarns and cloth reach about $ 5,000,000, and of woolen goods, $25,000,000. The lace of Brussels and Mechlin, the linen and damasks of Liége, the woolens of Ypres, and the cotton good, carpets, hosiery, etc., of the country, compete with the productions of the English and French looms. Nearly 250,000 persons are employed in the flax, hemp, woolen and cotton manufacturies. The other chief manufactures are ribbons, beer, spirits, sugar, salt, tiles, porcelain, earthenware, paper, leather, etc. In the iron, steel, lead, zinc, glass and copper works, where the ores are made ready for the commercial world, fully 50,000 workmen are employed, and the annual production is upwards of $80,000,000. The value of the general commerce, according to the latest statistics was-1886- £106,600,000 imports; and by £106,257,220 exports. The international commerce is almost entirely carried on by foreigners under the British flag. The commercial marine in 1887 consisted of only 67 vessels of 86,837 tons.
REVENUES AND DEBT. - Of late years the public income and expenditures have mostly been balanced, with an occasional surplus.
ARMY.-Every man who has completed his 19th year is liable to conscription for the regular army. The term of service is 8 years, two-thirds being allowed on furlough. The peace footing of the army is 47,734, that of war 114,407. Besides the standing army there is a national guard of 35,000 men, who are liable to service in times of war. Antwerp is the chief military arsenal. There are fortresses also at Charleroi, Ostend, Ghent and Namur.