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    "source_title": "Encyclopaedia Britannica (1926)",
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    "chunk_id": "1926:zuyder zee:663efc409c4e",
    "title": "ZUYDER ZEE",
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    "verified_text": "after numerous plans had been drafted and various bills laid before the dutch chamber, dr. c. lely, minister for public works, who for decades past had been the motive force in this direction, succeeded in 1918 in securing the passage of a bill providing for the drainage of the zuyder zee at the expense of the state. the zuyder zee at present covers an area of about 3,570 square kilometres. when drained, there will remain a fresh-water lake covering 1,450 square kilometres. the reclaimed land, divided into four polders by the new lake (to be called yssel lake), and the mouths of the amstel and the yssel, will cover an area of almost 2,112 sq. km., or seven times the area of the county of london. of this land, 1,950 sq. km. will consist of exceedingly fertile soil, so that the netherlands by peaceable conquest will have added 6%, to its territory. to render this drainage possible, the zuy- er zee must be separated from the north sea by a dike. the ti47 construction of this dike, a stupendous work of hydraulic engineering, is to be completed in 1934. in 1918 the cost of this work was estimated by law at £5,500,000. the length of the dike will be 29.3 kilometres and the height (presumably) six metres above the water level. the top will be only two metres in width. on the inside berm, however, there will be room for a road 17 metres wide, over which a double-track railway will run. the dike will be equipped with 30 discharge sluices, each 10 metres wide and five metres deep. further, there will be two locks, respectively 10 and six metres wide. these sluices and locks will maintain communication between the ¥yssel lake and the north sea. it is hoped that the north- western polder, covering an area of 220 sq. km., will be completed at the same time as the dike and that all four polders will be in exploitation by 1958. in 198, the cost of the drainage proper (cost of the dike excluded) was estimated at almost £13,000,0c00. a committee appointed in 1922 considered it probable that the proceeds from the sale of the land would cover all costs, assuming the value to be about £25,000 per square kilometre. among the advantages resulting from the scheme will be the improved water discharge for the provinces which are now situated on the shores of the zuyder zee and the alleviation of the shortage of land, with a concomitant decrease of dependence on imports for food supply. the drainage will exercise considerable intluence on the aspect of the numerous zuyder zee fishing villages and small ports. harderwyk, which in the middle ages was one of holland’s most important ports and one of the great hansa towns, will be situated in the heart of the country. assistance is to be pro- vided by the state for that part of the population which the drain- age will deprive of a means of livelihood. (see netiterlands.) . ce je wv ula.)",
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