UTRECHT, anciently UurrwEcTum, a city of the Netherlands, and capital of the province of the same name, is divided into two parts by a branch of the Rhine called the Old Rhine. The approaches to the town, particularly that from Amsterdam, arc very beautiful. The town, which is of a square form, is about three miles in circuit, exclusive of four large suburbs. It is encircled with an earthen mound and moat, and is defended by some bastions and half moons. The streets are of considerable width, and are intersected by canals, the level of which is 20 feet beneath the pavement. Two of these, the Vaort and the New Gracht, are crossed by 35 bridges, and run through the whole city. The houses, though ancient and of a gloomy aspect, are built of brick, and some of them are magnificent.
The principal public building is the Dome or Cathedral, part of which is in ruins. The tower is said to be 464 feet high (380 according to other accounts), and from its summit no fewer than 51 towns may be seen. The church of Notre Dame or has a small library, and the other parish churches are those of St. James, St. Nicholas, and St. Gertrude. The town-house is a good building, and there are well managed hospitals and charitable establishments in the town.
The university was established in 1636, having been previously a school founded by the Bishop of Utrecht. The buildings are plain, but it possesses a good library, an anatomical theatre, a botanical garden, a cabinet of natural history, and an ob servatory. There is also here a hall of paintings, schools for the fine arts, and several private libraries and collections.
The literary and philosophical society of Utrecht has been long established, and has published seve ral volumes of its transactions.
Utrecht has some manufactures of fine black cloth and other woollen fabrics, which are sent chiefly to Amsterdam. Its foreign trade is small, but by means of the Rhine, it carries on a small trade with Germany. There is a fine promenade called the Mall, without the walls. It is about a mile long, and is bordered with a single row of trees. It consists of seven alleys 2000 feet long, and three crosswise. There is also an agreeable
walk on the ramparts. Population about 35,000. East Long. 7' 16", North Lat. 52° 5' 31".
river of the United States, in the states of Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois. This fine stream is the great northwestern confluent of Ohio river. Beside many minor branches Wa bash is composed of three main constituents; Little Wabash on the southwest; Wabash proper in the centre, and White river on the eastern side of the valley.
Little Wabash rises in Shelby county of Illinois, interlocking sources with those of Kaskaskia river, and flowing thence in a southeastern direction over Fayette, Clay,Wayne, and White counties, Illinois, falls into the main channel of Wabash, between White and Gallatin counties, about ten miles direct course above the influx of Wabash into Ohio river. The entire comparative course of Little Wabash is about no miles, mean breadth of its valley 25 miles, and area, 2750 square miles; between 50' and 40° 30' N. Entire valley in the state of Illinois.
Above that of Little Wabash spreads another river valley, also entirely included in the state of Illinois, and drained into the Wabash. The river of this second tributary is named Embanas, and has its extreme source in Vermilion county, Illi nois, interlocking sources with those of Vermilion, Kaskaskias, and Little Wabash rivers. Flowing nearly parallel to the latter over Edgar, Clark, and Crawford counties, falls into the main channel of Wabash ten miles below Vincennes, after a compa rative course of about 100 miles; mean breadth of the valley 20, and area 2000 square miles.
Vermilion river is the next. tributary stream of consequence which enters the main Wabash from the side of Illinois, above the influx of Embanas; intermediate distance about 100 miles direct course. Vermilion rises in the state of Illinois, north wardly from Vermilion county, interlocking sources with those of Embanas and Kaskaskias, and those of the Sangamon and Pickmink branches of Illinois river; flowing to the southeastward 60 miles falls into the Wabash, after having traversed Vermilion county of Illinois and Vermilion county of In diana.