his purpose of laying the axe at once to the root of the tree, believing
that with the fall of the commercial capital the infant confederacy of
the United States would fall likewise. In order to accomplish this
object, he would forthwith attempt to make himself master of the banks
of the Scheldt, and would even throw a bridge across the stream, if his
plans were not instantly circumvented.

William of Orange then briefly indicated his plan; adding that he had no
fears for the result; and assuring his friends, who expressed much
anxiety on the subject, that if Parma really did attempt the siege of
Antwerp it should be his ruin. The plan was perfectly simple. The city
stood upon a river. It was practicable, although extremely hazardous,
for the enemy to bridge that river, and by so doing ultimately to reduce
the place. But the ocean could not be bridged; and it was quite possible
to convert Antwerp, for a season, into an ocean-port. Standing alone
upon an island, with the sea flowing around it, and with full and free
marine communication with Zeeland and Holland, it might safely bid
defiance to the land-forces, even of so great a commander as Parma. To
the furtherance of this great measure of defence, it was necessary to
destroy certain bulwarks, the chief of (10th June, 1584) which was called
the Blaw-garen Dyke; and Sainte Aldegonde was therefore requested to
return to the city, in order to cause this task to be executed without
delay.

Nothing could be more judicious than this advice. The low lands along
the Scheldt were protected against marine encroachments, and the river
itself was confined to its bed, by a magnificent system of dykes, which
extended along its edge towards the ocean, in parallel lines. Other
barriers of a similar nature ran in oblique directions, through the wide
open pasture lands, which they maintained in green fertility, against the