ANTWERP, one of the nine provinces of': the kingdom of Belgium, is distinguished in an agricultural point of view for the district called the polders, which extends along the Schelde, from the neighbourhood of Antwerp city to Zantvliet ; it was originally a marsh which was flooded by every tide, its surface being lower than the level of the river at high water. Dykes having been built to keep off the tide, the surface of the marsh was drained by means of water-wheels turned by windmills, and what was before an unhealthy swamp was changed into the richest pasture and arable land. The city of Antwerp has a large cora merce, and fine docks and quays to accommo date it. The new quay and the great basin were begun by Bonaparte, and were part of the plan by which he intended to make this city a great', naval station. The area of the great basin is 17 acres, and of the small one 7 acres. On each side of the great basin are two careening docks, made during the empire of Napoleon for repairing the ships of war constructed here.
Antwerp is the principal seat of the silk'', manufactures of Belgium, and is especially famous for its black silks and velvets. It has large manufactures of cotton, linen, lace, car pets, hats, cutlery, and surgical instruments ; there is also a bleaching establishment which is worked by steam, several sugar refineries, and other establishments common in large towns. It contains a great military arsenal, dockyards, and RR extensive rope-walk. The imports consist principally of coffee, sugar, and other colonial products, cotton stuffs, and other manufactured goods, corn, raw cotton, leather, timber, tobacco, wool, dyestuffs, salt, wines, fruits, Sze. The exports consist chiefly of flax, cotton and linen manufactures, refined sugar, glass, zinc, oak-bark, grain and seeds, lace, &c.