Such was the opinion of Paul Kendall, who could hardly conceal his disgust; and ten minutes in the place exhausted his patience. He was silent, so deep was his feeling of dissatisfaction, until he was again seated in the voiture. The next objects of interest were the docks and basins, which were reached after a short drive from St. Paul's. They merely passed along the quay, making no stop, as the works could be seen from the carriage.
"That is the house of the Hanseatic League," said the doctor, pointing to a large ancient building.
"What is the Hanseatic League?" asked Paul, who had never even heard of it.
"It was a commercial alliance between some of the cities of Germany for the protection and development of their trade. It had its origin in the thirteenth century, for the purpose of preventing piracy and shipwreck, and to encourage commerce, and, indeed, all branches of industry. It established great warehouses or factories in different parts of Europe, and became an exceedingly powerful association, so much so that it dictated the policy of sovereigns on their thrones, and even declared and carried on war with several of the powers of Europe. In the fourteenth century, the League defeated the King of Norway and Sweden. It unseated the King of Sweden, and gave his crown to another, and having declared war against Denmark, sent a fleet of two hundred and fifty ships, and thousands of troops to carry it on. In fact, the association prepared for war with England, and Edward IV. made important concessions to avoid it. Of course the crowned heads were jealous of its power and influence, and it was eventually broken up; but it laid the foundation of the commercial policy of the nations. The League died out in 1630; but Hamburg, Lubec, and Bremen formed a new one, under the name of the Hanse Towns; and Frankfort-on-the-Main afterwards joined them."
"I have heard of the Hanse Towns," added Paul; "but I never knew what the term meant before."
"The docks and basins here are mainly the work of Napoleon. The great conqueror intended to make Antwerp the first seaport of the north. The mouth of the Thames is less than a hundred miles from the mouth of the Scheldt, and he knew that, with a naval station equal to any in the possession of England, he could, in time of war, cripple or destroy the commerce of his great rival. He expended ten millions of dollars on these docks, basins, and fortifications. The English were alarmed, and in 1809 sent the Walcheren expedition, which obtained a foothold on that island, but were defeated by disease and death, for seven thousand British soldiers perished by marsh fever. By the peace of Paris in 1814, after the battle of Waterloo, it was stipulated that the dock-yards should be destroyed, for they were a standing threat to the maritime powers; but these basins were preserved for commercial purposes. The largest one will accommodate thirty-four ships of the line."
The travellers continued on their way through some of the principal streets till they arrived at the Church of St. Jacques, which is richer in its ornaments than the Cathedral, containing exquisitely wrought marbles, carved wood, painted glass. This magnificent church contains the burial vaults of the noble families of the city, and among them that of Rubens, which is marked by a white marble tablet with a long inscription upon it, embedded in the pavement of his private chapel. The Holy Family, which forms the altar-piece of the church, was painted by the great master. In 1793, when the mob, incited by the furious spirit of the French Revolution, broke into the church, pillaging altars and tombs alike, that of Rubens was spared from desecration by the universal respect for his memory, though not another tomb in St. Jacques escaped their impious touch.
The house of Rubens, situated in a street of the same name, was visited; an outside view of the Bourse, or Exchange, the Hotel de Ville, or Town Hall, and of other public buildings, was obtained. The Citadel, built under the direction of the cruel Duke of Alva, to overawe the rebellious Antwerpers, was an object of interest. After the expulsion of the Spaniards in 1577, the people, including those of high and low degree, men, women, and children, assisted in its demolition; but it was speedily rebuilt, and has played an important part in subsequent sieges and insurrections. The city is surrounded by a continuous line of fortifications and ditches, extending from a point on the river below the city to a point above it; and outside of this line there are a number of detached forts to keep a hostile force from approaching near enough to the city to shell it.
When the carriage reached the Quai Vandyck, most of the students had returned, and the boats were in waiting. They chattered like magpies about the wonders they had seen. When Captain Kendall went on board, the mail-bag was handed to him, and the boys were eager to obtain their letters from home and elsewhere.
"A letter for you, Mr. Hamblin," said the captain, as he handed the professor a formidable envelope, postmarked "Anvers."