P TH E ORT OF ROTTER DA M . was l n i m h n v Like Amsterdam , our city of Rotterdam origina ly oth ng ore t a a illage - wh - In of fishermen and sea faring folk o settled on the banks of the New Maas . the th t w It was th nn n second half of the 1 3 century Ro terdam as incorporated . at e begi i g of 1 6 lh 1 7 th e s t o n the and centuries , that the en rgetic and ys ematic devel pme t of the capacities of the Port of Rotterdam paved the way for the enormous extension of her commerce and navigation . A new was w t w th e New period of prosperity , ho ever , in store for Rot erdam hen rw was w n 25 Wate ay to sea accomplished , enabling ships dra i g feet to reach Rotterdam wi thout breaking bulk . o m u n c of u The p pulation , a o nti g at the ommencement the cent ry to souls , a d 5 t h n w o n in 1 8 0 o as o reached the grand t tal of inhabitants . Th e New t in w D f Maas leaves Rot erdam , trending a esterly direction , passes el s V d n and and o w t N haven , Schiedam , laar i gen Maassluis f rmerly flo ed in o the orth Sea w without the aid of any artificial works . This natural high ay from Rotterdam to tw u n a a o sea was followed by ships of the largest tonnage o h dred ye rs g . The gradual sanding u p of the mo uth of the river rendered other means of communication impera tive ; the silt carried down by the stream forming a bar which greatly impeded navi ti n w and u was u t m a o . ou s g Br ershaven posse ses a deep pretty safe harbo r, so it c s o ary to i n u t t sea and l ghte there , and the ships p rsued their destina ion ei her by along the New u Z o an Maas , or thro gh the estuaries of the eeland and S uth Holl d islands , but ‘ n ffi t and was nt as this course e tailed many di cul ies very inconvenie to navigation , the ta u nn u u V n m to S te ca sed a cha el to be constr cted thro gh oor e , fro Hellevoetsluis w n t o t 2 14 w o Nieu esluis above the Brill . Ships l nger han feet by and dra ing no wa th 1 7 can w . e n more than feet al ays pass it , to reach Rotterdam By this y dista ce w x from Rotterdam to the North Sea as then 30 miles . The great commercial e pansion w w h n m ho ever , hich c aracterises the prese t century and has brought about so any For a mo eta le e f ubl vemen W rks of R tter am we be to re d i d d scription o the Port and P ic Impro t o o d , g refer our readers the b k nt tle La P de R t b z xx Ass s an - Direct r of th e Ro tter dam B ar of W e ' rt t e am J . H e s r to oo i d ,, o o rd , i t t o o d o ks y , 1 8 8 8 u is b v W d f or m of h ed WW . w mu n s bl P. AN m nxnon and SON a am blet to w c e are c ebte e t e e a ls erei , p h y , p p hi h h i d o d t i h n set f orth . 2 n dfi w changes in naval construction , re dered a mo i cation and improvement in ou r ater 6 u . In 1 8 8 law was whi comm nication imperative a accepted by Parliament , ch ordered the t new fi u of Mass x n of forma ion of a arti cial embog ing the , at the e pe se the State , t u of n we b ex ec by cu ting thro gh the Hook Holla d ; and feel ound to say, that the p tations the E w n entertained by ngineers , charged ith the preliminary surveys , have bee fully justified . D E S C R IPT I O N. Extension o ua S ace G ravin and other Docks f ' y p , g Accommodation and Moorin s g . t n e x Rot erdam , possessing , as it does , an u rivalled position as a port for port f or now off and import , large vessels , combines safety of approach (Lightship moored New w u n t the mouth of the Water ay) , sec rity in enteri g , and rapidi y of despatch . Advantages. The t s a D h and x n e f or Por pos esses Moor ges , ocks W arfs e te siv Quay Space the of m s the w we o n ' storage erchandi e , principal of hich subj i e The channel of th New Maas . For more than 3 miles along the town and its subu rbs the shipping traffic is t ff w 26 exceedingly brisk . Special facili ies are a orded by safe moorings at hich large — u o w e t sea going vessels can transship in perfect sec rity . S me hat high r up is the ber hing place for the craft plying u p and down th e river . As we descend the river we find on th e right bank the following quays w Ri ns oorwe kade 550 w t w The Rhenish Rail ay Quay ( jg ) yards long , i h ooden p - w e w n 20 to w h landing stages allo ing vess ls dra i g feet come alongside , together it - suitable accommodation f or river steamboats . E u O sterkade 400 w t u - w l 12 o ast Q ay ( ) yards long , i h q ay al s , feet depth at Low w G u Water , here the regular Passenger and oods Steamers , trading p the river , - have their lying places . d B oom jeska e 1035 . p , yard long W illemskade 5 70 , W esterkade 1 38 5 , At the foot of th e last three quay- walls there are moorings of 15 to 23 feet w W . s th e u nder L . They erve as stations for e regular steamers bet e n Rotterdam and n the other Europea ports . These quais are constructed since 18 50 . Parkkade 58 0 o w th Park Quay ( ) , yards l ng ; has not yet been provided i - quay walls . 3 On the right bank we find the following basins O 220 7 7 . ude haven , yards by 220 a 38 . Kolk , y rds by Stei ers r ht ac 350 16 . g g , yards by These three basins are the oldest in Rotterdam . Nieu wehaven 550 4 4. , yards by Boeren B iz t u en a 1 00 d 4. 8 5 and g , yar s by H 440 7 0 . aringvliet , yards by 1 4. 150 60 . Blaak , yards by 18 70 x - Before the Blaak e tended as far as Dude haven . W nhaven 6 60 d 5 0 . ij, b yar s y S h e m k r h v c e a e s a en 8 70 50 . p , yards by Leuveh v 950 a en 7 1 . , yards by All these havens mentioned u nder 1 1 — 17 were constructed between 1 590 and 1 620 t 3 t w ; hey have a depth of 5 to 1 fee under Lo Water. n ru t n New Mass e Before the co st c io of the quays along the , thes basins served as n - f or - w ar n berthi g places sea going as ell as for river vessels . They e at prese t only ' e - ' s kofis two- frequ nted by very small sea going vessels , as brigs , schooner and ( masters with raised stern and prow) and are principally used only by the Home and Rhine traffic . Du fi 3 w - t s ring the rst days of the eek all kinds of market craf and small ves els , w i r w In r . hich enterta n regular se vices ith the te ior, abound there The bridges over these basins are either swing or balance- bridges with an Opening 0 of 30 to 5 feet. Z lmh v 3 0 0 a a en 3 1 3 . , yards by d t - w At the south si e of his basin there is a shipbuilding yard . This as formerly the case also on the north side . In 1 703 the yards of the Scheepmak ershaven were removed to this basin . w V r v 7 7 . ee ha en 220 d 20 L W . , yar s by ith a depth of feet under t v w W es rh a n 4d 8 2 . e e 3 0 8 0 u W , yar s by , ith a depth of feet nder L t w 8 wo x 1 54.