FIVE years ago Belgium celebrated the fiftieth anniversary of her independence by a National Exhibition at Brussels, and the 2nd of May, 1885, will be an ever memorable date in the annals of the "Queen of the Scheldt" as the opening day of the Great International Exhibition, standing as it does on the very site of the old Spanish citadel, and offering to the world a most tangible proof of the motto of this little kingdom: "L'union fait la force."
"It is as interesting spectacle," says Schiller, in his "Siege of Antwerp," "to observe man's inventive genius engaged in a struggle against the powerful element, and to see how prudence, resolution, and firmness of will overcome difficulties which are insurmountable to ordinary capacities." The quotation refers to the famous Duke of Parma, who, just 300 years ago, forced the mighty city to bow down to the dust before his still mightier genius, and thereby bringing home to the sturdy burghers of Antwerp the object-lesson that want of union is tantamount to impotence, or, as Schiller has it, the " absence of prudence and firmness of will renders unavailable all favours of fortune, and even destroys a success already achieved."
A generation of cruel persecution and twelve long years of regular and most sanguinary warfare had preceded the terrible blow, from which the once so famous metropolis was not to recover until well nigh the middle of the nineteenth century. Her defence against a superior Power had not been wanting in valour and bravery, it is true, for, as the chronogram on the old gate of Kipdorp, and now to be read on the granite pedestal of the recently erected and highly elegant monument in front of the Flemish theatre (AVXLIVM SVIS DEVS -- MDLXVVVVIII) tells us, only two years before the disastrous capitulation the intrepid citizens had valorously repulsed the Duke of Alencon, and totally defeated him. Nevertheless, since the fatal 17th August, 1585, Antwerp never looked up again for many generations. Her artistic glory in the next following century (Rubens and the Flemish school of painting) was but a feeble consolation for the loss of the wonted material prosperity which seemed to have departed from her for ever. Not until our century did Antwerp arouse herself from the torpor into which apparently she had irrevocably sunk. From 1815 to 1830 she formed part and parcel of the newly created kingdom of the Netherlands, but eventually after fifteen years of this artificial union she threw in her lot with the present kingdom of Belgium. Other thirty years of honest effort enabled the new-born Queen of the Scheldt to shake off for good the fetters winch had hitherto cramped every new flight of prosperity. The old Spanish citadels were rased to the ground, the walls and moats transformed into pleasant boulevards, the town five times enlarged, and the Scheldt declared free. That is what several elegantly executed monuments are meant to commemorate, and the meaning of the frequently encountered inscription "Schelde Vrij," which will likewise strike the stranger's eye on entering the Exhibition by the triumphal arch, where, right in the centre of the Belgian department, a magnificent trophy has been erected, entirely composed of genuine samples of all kinds of goods imported by the Antwerp merchants. This trophy is well worth close inspection, for the first crude effect produced by real petroleum barrels, unsecured wool and all kinds of cereals, coffees, tobaccos, &c, will speedily make room for admiration as soon as the eye seizes the ensemble of artistic compilation.
It is no wonder, indeed, that Antwerp celebrates the reopening of her wealth-bringing estuary, and everywhere inscribes her "Schelde Vrij," for only since that memorable act, not yet twenty-five years ago, dates the astounding and really marvellous progress of this ancient, and for centuries so sorely tried, seaport, which bids fair to outstrip all her continental rivals. Since 1880 whole quarters of the old town near the waterside have entirely disappeared, in order to make loom for the vast installations and powerful appliances of modern traffic by water and by land. The gigantic undertaking -- to give Antwerp a line of quays where fifty of the largest sea vessels can load or discharge at one time, and at any time; to give the stream a uniform depth of at least thirty feet, even at low tide -- is now all but complete, and with it and the inauguration of the International Exhibition, Antwerp re-assumes her ancient role as one of the leading capitals of Europe.
I shall still have to confine myself to-day to a rapid and necessarily cursory sketch of what there is to be seen in Antwerp, reserving the closer inspection of the manifold wonders exposed within the vast building of the Halls of Industry, as well as the-exquisite treasures of the finest paintings, aquarelles, and works of sculpture, collected from all parts of the world within the spacious precincts of the Palais des Beaux Arts for some future reports.
An error in your last week's impression states the total length of the main building to be 1,000 feet. Few people have an exact appreciation of dimensions, when given in figures, but they easily form an idea by way of comparison. Now, the Crystal Palace 19, in all, 1,848 feet long, so that, if the above statement were correct, the Antwerp Exhibition building would be full 50 feet longer then the famous progenitor of all international exhibitions. It ought to have been, not 1,900, but 1,500 feet, or about the same length as the highly original Paris Exhibition building in 1867. But, speaking of dimensions, the largest Palais de l'Industrie ever erected was the gorgeous structure at Vienna in 1873. Standing, within a magnificent park of 2,500,000 square metres (about. 625 acres), it measured no less then 925 metres in length -- therefore nearly double that of the Antwerp Exhibition, and was crowned by Scott Russell's gigantic rotunda of nearly 350 feet in diameter, and rivalling in height St. Paul's in London, and even St. Peter's in Rome. Antwerp has thought fit not to imitate such really stupendous dimensions, but to remain within the bounds of the strictly practical, although a building covering more then ten acres is assuredly a very respectable one.
By far the greater part of the vast space within the Industrial Halls -- the whole centre and part of the left aisle -- is taken up by the exhibits of Belgium and France. The extreme left wing is occupied by Germany, England, Sweden, Norway, and Luxembourg.
To the right of Belgium, in the western aisle, we find the magnificent display of Italian ceramic industry and commercial sculpture, as well as the almost dazzling splendour of the thousand and one articles de luxe in the most tastefully arranged Austrian department. Further on are to be found Spain, Switzerland, the Brazils, Turkey, the United States (?), Portugal, and last, not least, Russia. This latter section was inaugurated on Thursday, May 28, the anniversary of the coronation of His Majesty Alexander III., by his younger brother, Paul Alexandrovitch, a fine soldier-like-looking young man of about twenty-five years old, and it must be confessed that the first impression of the highly interesting objects exhibited, as well as the most harmonious blending in the colours of the drapery, certainly make a very pleasing impression. The extreme western annexe forms the grande salle de fetes, reserved for musical festivals, horticultural-shows, &c, and measuring no less then 4,500 square metres. On the opening day it contained some 7,000 spectators, besides an orchestra of more then 3,500 performers.
Last Thursday, the 28th ult. witnessed likewise the inauguration of the Italian section of paintings and works of sculpture at the Palais des Beaux Arts, by the Marquis of Maffei, accompanied by a brilliant suite of his compatriots, and an admiring crowd of amateurs of Italian art, the originality and geniality of which excite so profound and legitimate an interest at the Antwerp Exhibition. In the works of sculpture more especially the national genius seems to find its fullest expression, and to show itself in all its native grace and fecundity. This remark bears good even, with regard to the objects of industrial art and statuary, many of which are so highly original and so minutely and carefully executed, that the admiring crowd never seems to tire of rendering just homage to the artistic feats of Italy.
The gallery of machines I shall have to postpone entirely until my next. But in conclusion I must still draw the attention of your readers to the grand competitive show of horses which is to take place on the 28th inst., within the vast enclosure of the adjacent Agricultural Department. Already the entries number more then a thousand, so that the show not only promises fair to excel Paris in 1878, but to rival in brilliancy anything of the kind ever seen before. Amateurs will have the chance of admiring some of the finest breeds in the world, from the heavy Flemish cart-horse to the swiftest hunter. On the 11th July-will follow a great cattle show, for which likewise more then 1,200 animals hare already been entered. No doubt long before then the facade, as well as the Maritime Section and the electric lighting, &C, will be entirely achieved, the gardens will be in their floral splendour, and present even a more inviting aspect then they do at present, clad in their tender verdure.
Meanwhile every precaution has been taken to receive hospitably and to lodge comfortably any number of visitors. These who do not find room at the numerous hotels have only to apply to the official Committee at their offices established at the railway station, or at the Hotel de Ville where rooms will be assigned to them at any price desired, according to the pretensions made to comfort or luxury. Tourists arriving by steamer have only to notify their intentions to the steward before arriving at Flushing from whence their requirements will be transmitted by telegraph. Every one of the apartments at the disposal of the Antwerp official Bureau de Logement have been conscientiously inspected and classified, so that comfortable lodgings, including breakfast, lights, and attendance, may be had from 12s. down to 1s. 3d. a day.
W. K.
Antwerp, June 1, 1885.
The Meeting of Parliament
France: Lord Rosebery's Mission
Table of Contents
Miracles of healing - Christian Miracles or Healing
History of Russia: Christian Versus Barbarian
History of Japan: Early Christian Martyrs
The Jesus of History
The Assyrian Origin of Devil Worshippers
The Christ Of Dogma
The early history of Constantinople
