ROTTERDAM, the capital of the Dutch province of South Holland, and now perhaps the most commercial town in the Netherlands, is situated in 51' 55' N. ht., 4' 29' E. long., on the right bank of the Masa, about twenty miles from the mouth of that river, and has about 90,000 Inhabitants, of whom about 4000 are Jews, 25,000 Roman Catbolics, and the remainder Protestants of different sects. It is in the form of a triangle, the base of which, about a mile and a half in length, extends along the Maas. It derives its name from the little river Rotte, which runs through the middle of the city, and falls into the Maas. The town is surrounded by a moat, and has six gates towards the land end four towards the river. The part called the Binnenstad (' inner town') has many narrow streets, and is separated by the High-street (Hoog-straat) which is built along the dyke that embanks the river, from the outer town (Buitenstad), which contains fine houses, and is intersected by numerous canals by which the largest merchantmen can come up and unload at the very doors of the warehouses. Along the Maas are many fine quays, the handsomest of which, called the Boomtjes, consists of a long row of stately houses facing the river, with a broad and deep canal in the rear, parallel to the river. Rotterdam is connected by canal with Helvoetsluys, and by electro-telegraphic wires and railways with the Hague, Amsterdam, and Antwerp. The cathedral of St. Lawrence contains the tombs of
be Witte, and several other admirals. This church, the statue erected to Erasmus (a native of the town) in the market-place, and the dock yards are the chief objects of attraction in the town. There are also many churches and chapels of the Dutch and Scotch Calvinists, Freoch Protestants, Baptists, and Roman Catholics, a synagogue, &c. British residents are numerous at Rotterdam, and for their accommo dation there are three chapels—one for members of the Church of England, one for members of the Church of Scotland, and one for Independents. The Exchange is larger and handsomer than that of Amsterdam. The other principal buildings are the new town-house, the Admiralty, the Academy, the Dutch theatre, the magazines of the East India Company, and some manufactories. The commerce of Rotterdam extends to all parts of the world, and embraces almost every kind of produce and manufacture. Steamers ply regularly to Diisseldorf, Antwerp, London, Hull, &c. The imports and exports consist of similar items to those of Amsterdam. The annual value of the imports has been roughly estimated at 10 millions sterling, the exports at about 7 millions. Rotterdam contains many valuable col lections of works of art, an academy of sciences, a public library, a central prison, many schools, and charitable institutions.