The conversion into solid land of the Lake of Beemster, in North
Holland, is, after the Haarlemmermeer Polder (which is twice and a half
its size), the largest specimen in the Netherlands of what the Dutch
term "dry-makings." The scheme was first broached in 1570. In 1592 funds
were applied for, which were not, however, promised by the States of
Holland and West Friesland until 1597. In 1607, a company was formed at
the Hague, by Dirck van Oss and others, to pump out the Beemster in
whole or in part; and on their security the States lent the necessary
capital. At the commencement, it was thought that sixteen windmills
would suffice for the undertaking; but this number was shortly increased
by ten, and the twenty-six mills were then divided into thirteen gangs.
By the end of 1608, several of the mills began to pump, and early in
1609, they were all ready. Towards the end of this year, the bottom of
the lake became visible in some places: but during a storm on the 23d of
January 1610, the great waterland sea dyke gave way, and the pressure on
the ring dyke that had been constructed round the Beemster proved
greater than it was capable of resisting. It gave way in turn in two
places, and the lake was again filled. On the 5th February 1610, further
and ample funds were advanced by the States; in 1611, more mills were
put on to the work; on the 19th of May 1612, the dry-making was at last
completed; and on the 30th July of that year, the distribution of the
lots of land redeemed took place. The ring dyke is over 37,000 yards
long, and has an average height of × 1·50 Z. P. (a metre and a half
above the mean level of the sea). Thus was the Beemster pumped out; and
from that day to the present, the name of Dirck van Oss has been held in
deep respect in Holland, as the name of the first Dutchman who conquered
the waters on anything like a large scale. The system he employed has
been closely followed in all successive undertakings of this kind; and,
with the exception of the application of steam, and certain improvements
in machinery, the plans of Dirck van Oss for draining the Beemster were
adapted with a like success to the Lake of Haarlem, by M. Gevers
d'Endegeest, the hero of this last conquest, and the sanguine prophet
(1867) of the ultimate reclamation of the Zuyder Zee. The drainage of
the Lake of Haarlem, it may be mentioned, was accomplished in 1852,
after thirteen years of toil and anxiety, at a cost of 11,000,000
florins (£916,666); a sum which, large as it is, has nevertheless been
completely recovered, both in capital and interest, by the sale of
42,481 acres of arable land.--_Report to Foreign Office._
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