Bruges, which was once one of the great cities of
the world—it had a population of two hundred thousand in the fourteenth century—but is now little but a place of memories, with a quarter of its inhabitants living on clarity, is going to try to revive its past glory and riches by a ship.canal, and on Sunday the first sod of the undertaking was cut with great public rejoicings. The distance is only six miles, and the country is flat; but it is very doubtful if the canal will pay. It can only do so by drawing away trade from Antwerp, which has become the greatest port of the Continent; but -that is hardly likely, considering the facilities offered by the -Scheldt. The details of the plan are to make a port at the mouth of the canal at the village of Heist, which will serve as a place of call for Transatlantic steamers. Trading-ships will proceed up the canal, which will be of the same dimen- -alone as the Suez Canal. The cost of the work is estimated -at not much more than 21,500,000, and the money will be supplied partly by a company, partly by the town and pro- vince, and partly by the Government. The navigation will 'be free, but there will, of course, be port-dues.
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