Belgium since the Revolution of 1830, etc

Front matter

BELGIUM LONDON : R. CLAV, PRINTER, BREAD STREET HILL. A BELGIUM SINCE THE REVOLUTION OF 1830: COMPRISING TOPOGRAPHICAL AND ANTIQUARIAN DESCRIPTION OF THE COUNTRY, AND A REVIEW OF ITS POLITICAL, COMMERCIAL, LITERARY, RELIGIOUS, AND SOCIAL RELATIONS, AS _LFFECTING ITS PRESENT CONDITION AND FUTURE PROSPECTS. RY THE KEY. W. TROLLOPE, M.A. " ERRAIs'TI, PASSIMQUE OCULOS PER CUNCTA FEREHTI." Virg. Æn. II. 570. LONDON : HOW AND PARSONS. 1842. ro LEBBEUS CHARLES HUMFREY, ESQ. BARRISTER AT LAW, IN REMEMBRANCE OF EARLY INTIMACY, AKD IN GRATEFUL ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF RECENT SERVICES, Cfiis Volume IS AFFECTIONATELY INSCRIBED BY THE AUTHOR. June, 1842.

Preface

. The volume now offered to the Public is intended, not only as a Guide to the Tourist, but as a means of justly appreciating the condition and prospects of the Country concerning which it treats. Whether considered in itself, or with reference to the other nations of Europe, it is impossible to contemplate the present position of Belgium with indifference ; nor are its political institutions, or the character of the people, so well understood in England, as to render a review of them superfluous. The statistical informa tion has been procured partly from official documents, and partly from the able work of M. Xavier Heusch ling;* while a long residence in the country has en abled the author to obtain, from personal observation, * Essai sur la Statistique Generale de la Belgique, compose sur des documents publics et particuliers.

PREFACE.

. an accurate acquaintance with the national habits ancl peculiarities. Both the faults and the excellences of the Belgian character are strongly prominent ; and the justice ofthe remarks, which have been made upon its more unenviable traits, will be recognised at once by those who have had an opportunity of duly esti mating it. Throughout the Work it has been a leading object to state facts rather than opinions; to speak from sight rather than hearsay ; and only to draw con-' elusions where the state of things, as they are, fairly sanctions the inference. THE REVOLUTION OF 1830.

Chapter I. Introductory View Of The Condition And Prospects Of Belgium

Without entering minutely into the merits or demerits of the Belgian revolution, it may be stated, without fear of contradiction, that the means by which it was brought about threatened nothing less than the utter destruction of existing institutions, and the total disruption of every bond of social order. The popular excitement, bursting forth into acts of wanton violence, and accompanied by an enormous sacrifice of life and property, rendered the actual condition and future prospect of things equally unpromising ; and feeble as was the resistance which the more moderate party were able to oppose to the mad progress of the revolutionary rabble, it was that alone which saved the country from irremediable ruin. In the midst of anarchy, confusion, and revolt, the name of Liberty 1830. 2 was abused to agitate the public mind, and the cry of Independence raised to inflame the passions of the multitude ; while the exaggerated notions of innate power to assert the one, and of foreign sympathy to aid in the maintenance of the other, were absolutely chimerical.

From a dispassionate consideration of the events which led to the establishment of the new kingdom, and its relative position on the map of Europe, the only rational inference, at the period of the struggle, was that of an ephemeral existence ; and even now it is difficult to imagine, in the event of a continental war, recently so probable, that any other destiny could await her than a re-union with Holland, or an amalgamation with some neighbouring state. An inviolable neutrality is the stipulated, and indeed the necessary, condition of her independence ; whereas her geographical situation marks her out as the very seat of conflict in any storm which may gather over Europe, and in which, if she sides with neither, she may become the victim of both the contending parties. It was neither the justice of the cause, nor the strength of the revolutionary faction, nor the sympathy of foreign states, by means of which Belgium was erected into an independent kingdom.

Though none of the great powers of Europe would have permitted its assignment to any other exclusively, or its par tition into several dependencies, they were all so much occupied with the critical emergencies of their own affairs, as to preclude the possibility of any active interference in the settlement of a dispute, with which they had no immediate concern. At any other period, the cause of such a king as William of Nassau would,

Introduction

. 3 in England at least, have met with a powerful advo cate ; and even to this day there is a large and in fluential party in all the principal towns, who would hail a restoration with unmixed satisfaction. It is not to be denied that his Belgian subjects had some very heavy grounds of complaint, and that the government at the Hague were disposed to regard their interests as subordinate to their own ; but none of the alleged grievances were in any degree commensurate with the advantages by which they were counterbalanced. The truly parental interest which the sovereign took in every scheme for the advancement of commerce, and his ready contributions both of capital and in fluence to the promotion of every national enterprise, laid the foundation of those improvements in trade and industry, which the fearful consequences of the revolution have wofully impeded, if not destroyed.

King William was naturally partial to his hereditary subjects, but he was not unmindful of the welfare of his acquired possessions; and the permanent effects of the benefits which he conferred upon the Belgian provinces are a standing proof of unremitting anxiety for their good. The cause of revolt lay in no act of tyranny or oppression on the part of the monarch, but in the characteristic temperament of the people themselves. The Belgians had ever been a restless and discon tented race. Their history for three centuries, under the dominion, first of Austria, and then of Spain, presents an almost unbroken series of rebellions and revolt, until, at the end of the last century, they were dragged into the vortex of the French revolution, and the excesses of their (so called) patriots came b2 1830. 4 not a whit behind the most fearful doings of those days of blood.

The provinces, which now form the new-made kingdom, were incorporated into the French republic, and remained subject to France until the fall of Napoleon in 1814, when the kingdom of Hol land was restored to the rightful sovereign, and the South Netherlands included beneath his sway. Bel gium now became the resort of political adventurers of every description ; and the populace, instigated into disaffection by the inflammatory harangues of these self-styled martyrs to political oppression, were already ripe for insurrection, when the outbreak in Paris kindled the torch of rebellion in Brussels. So utterly inadequate were the means to the end achieved, and so decidedly opposed was all the influence of wealth and respectability to the mad proceedings of the] revolutionary faction, that their ultimate success is truly marvellous.

Had the Prince of Orange acted with half the decision and energy which he is generally supposed to possess, Belgium would now be subject to his dominion ; Leopold would never have been protocoled into a constitu tional sovereign, nor les braves Beiges into an independent people. Of all the reasons which have been advanced in favour of the revolt of the Belgians, the greatest stress is laid upon their outraged nationality. There are unquestionably certain physical and moral qualities, by which the whole Flemish race are distinguished from the Dutch, as well as from every other nation of Europe; but such characteristics may exist altogether apart from political independence. That part of France, which now constitutes the department

INTRODUCTION.

. du Nord, was originally amalgamated with the Belgian provinces, having been ceded to the French in the seventeenth century. The inhabitants exhibit the same traits of natural character ; they have retained the use of their native language, and they are essen tially distinguished both in habit and feeling from the rest of the nation of which they form a part. No alteration, however, was ever made or demanded in their favour in the general administration of affairs ; and it was as little to be expected that the Dutch government would consent to deviate from long esta blished usages, in order to accommodate the peculiar notions of the natives of Belgium. Some of their demands may perhaps appear to have been far from unreasonable, and a more conciliatory tone would certainly have been adopted with prudence ; but there was nothing to justify that rancorous hatred and base ingratitude, which led to the separation from Holland.

The alleged grievances of imposing the Dutch language upon the Belgian population ; of removing the supreme courts of judicature to the Hague ; of the abolition of trial by jury ; of the unequal distribution of patronage, and the disproportionate pressure of taxation ; together with all the minor causes of dis satisfaction ; were in fact altogether inadequate to rouse the people into revolt, without the additional spur of religious excitement. The extravagant claims of the Romish Church, if they were ever seriously urged upon the Congress of Vienna in 1814, were very un ceremoniously rejected ; and the pure spirit of tole ration, with which the new sovereign administered his government, not only shut out all reasonable ground for complaint, but his liberal contributions to their 1830. worship might fairly have claimed their gratitude.

But toleration was too poor a boon for an ambitious priesthood, whom supremacy alone could satisfy ; and the jealousy excited by the surprising success of the Dutch system of education, had the necessary effect of raising the most determined opposition against it. The cry was immediately sent abroad, that the king's design was to " protestantize the country," and to tear the faith of their fathers from the hearts of his catholic subjects.* False, and even absurd, as were these allegations, they obtained their object ; and the question arises,whetherany,and what, advantages have been secured by the acquisition of independence. Certain it is, that since this, the declared end of all the agitation which has convulsed the country for three hundred years, has been realized, a state of tranquillity has prevailed, which is the more remarkable from the contrast which it offers to the tumultuous excitement of former times.

At the revolution, the ancient order of things was utterly abolished ; confusion and anarchy reigned triumphant ; commerce was annihi lated ; the courtesies of social life were abandoned ; and the laws were entirely disregarded. But from the time that the first tree of liberty was planted in the Place Royale at Brussels, and the requiem chanted over the martyrs of September in the church of Ste. Gudule, peace and order have been undisturbed ; trade and industry revived ; public confidence was in a great measure restored; a ready obedience has been rendered to the laws ; the amenities of society have been renewed ; and improvements have rapidly progressed. * Du Royaume des Pays-Bas, &c. par M. le Baron de Keverberg, p. 193. h

INTRODUCTION.

. 7 The election of a king, and the acceptance of the eighteen articles, produced an immediate reaction in the popular mind ; and while the disaster at Louvain, in August 1831, completely exposed and dissipated the frantic schemes of the revolutionists, the conciliating policy of Leopold attached a large proportion of the better classes to his government, and enabled him to carry those measures which the exigencies of his infant kingdom required. Many of the old nobility, indeed, still kept aloof, and, maintaining an inviolable alle giance to the house of Orange, have never presented themselves at the court of the new monarch ; while several of the more important towns, grateful for the multiplied benefits which they had received from King William, set themselves in stout opposition to the claims of his successor.

Ghent took a prominent part in the expression of an unqualified dissent from the constitution which had been forced upon them ; nor is the disaffection so decidedly manifested even yet subdued. A slight spark would probably suffice to rekindle the flame, did not the wise and steady course pursued by Leopold, and the mercantile in terests of the worthy bourgeoises themselves, unite to ensure an acquiescence in a state of things, with which it would now be worse than madness to interfere. With respect, then, to the present posture of affairs in Belgium, it should seem that the people are con tent to worship for a time the idol of Liberty which has been set up ; that the mercantile and monied classes, having made those sacrifices which necessity demanded, are using their endeavours for the maintenance of that tranquillity and good order, upon which their only hope depends ; and that the higher orders, 1830. if they do not further, do not at least impede the measures which are adopted for the public weal.

It was a wise precaution, in the very first days of the new monarchy, to pass a law for the banishment of all persons hostile to the constitution ; and, by thus removing the host of turbulent demagogues who had resorted to Belgium as to an asylum for political malcontents, to close up a prolific source of internal evil. Still, independently of the dangers which may threaten from without in the present unsettled state of Europe, there is so much misery and discontent in the country itself as to afford sufficient ground for apprehension and alarm. The results, which all wise and thinking minds had anticipated from the separation of the two countries, are now sufficiently appa rent ; and it is not very difficult to foresee that some crisis is at hand. Fully alive to the peculiar character of the people whom he has been called upon to govern, Leopold devotes his utmost endeavour to the advancement of the national industry ; but, however rich may be the natural resources of the country, and however great her manufacturing force and productive energies, it is in vain to look for mercantile prosperity without the command of a constant and ready market for her stores.

The merchants were well aware that the outlets afforded by the colonies of Holland to Belgian produce, would be infallibly closed by the revolution; and the fears expressed by the people of Antwerp in an address to the king, at the first outbreak in September, 1830, have been most fatally realized. The ruin of their home trade is almost inevitable from foreign competition ; and the Dutch market, which, during the union, consumed

INTRODUCTION.

. one half of her entire production, is rapidly abandon ing them altogether.* In this state of things, it is scarcely surprising that the revolution is becoming very generally unpopular, and that murmurs of dissatisfaction and regret are vented loud and deep. In Brussels, inhabited for the most part by the wealthier portion ofthe community, having little connexion with the manufacturing inter ests, and drawing a full tide of prosperity from the constant residence and perpetual influx of foreigners, its partisans may not yet have grown cold ; but the great body of the nation have been made fully sensible, that a delusive freedom and imaginary independence have swallowed up the solid advantages of an active trade and a thriving population. In Ghent especially, the stagnation of commerce and the check to improvement is openly attributed to the ruinous effects of separation from the Dutch ; and the state of the country generally is discussed in pamphlets, written in the strong and indignant language of national dis content.

" At this moment," says a French writer, whose work is reprinted and widely circulated in the country, " the prolonged existence of Belgium as an independent state is absolutely impossible. Her manufactures and commercial prosperity are annihi lated, and the pressure of her debt and taxes crush her to the earth. Without ships, without colonies, with- * De l'Industrie en Belgique, Causes de Decadence, &c. par M. N. Briavionne, vol. ii. p. 385. This author, though personally attached to the revolution, is driven to admit its fearful effect upon the com merce of the country. Reckoning the population of Belgium at four millions, he observes that one of the four are in independence, another in want, and the remainder floating between the two extremes of com petence and penury. B 1830. 10 out trade ; with an army that never fights, and fortresses doomed to destruction ; she is the jest and the laughing-stock of the world."

And again : " The restoration is her only safeguard from the most serious evils : the universal voice of the nation demands it, and it needs but an accident to terminate the exist ence of the revolutionary kingdom without another protocol."* It is at least certain, that if the national independence cannot really be maintained, a re-union with Holland is the only alternative ; and may it be permitted to hope, that the convulsion, by which it is effected, may be less violent and disastrous than that which brought about the separation. In every point of view Belgium is an interesting country at the present crisis ; whether she continue to struggle with her difficulties under Leopold of Saxe-Cobourg, or be driven to sue for protection and refuge to the house of Nassau. Since the preceding observations were written, a plot has actually exploded before it was sufficiently ripe for execution ; and, although it seems upon the whole to have been a somewhat contemptible affair, the evidence which it affords to the prevailing discon tent is sufficiently striking.

The object of the conspi rators does not appear to have been very clearly defined; nor was the character and position of its agents such as to render the attempt particularly for midable ; but the re-annexation of the kingdom to Holland was the principal end in contemplation. An effort was made to gain over the non-commissioned * La Belgique de Leopold, par un Voyageur Fran9ais.

INTRODUCTION.

. 11 officers in the Corps des Gardes, who immediately de nounced the scheme to their superiors, expressing at the same time a wish to renew their oath of allegiance to the king ; and it is said that the minister of war, having been apprized of the proceedings of the con spirators, was present incognito at some of their meet ings, and took the most active part in bringing them to justice. In his speech delivered at the opening of the chambers, the king barely alluded to the outbreak, as a matter of the most trifling importance ; and at all events the intended insurrection has been quelled without the slightest disturbance of public tranquillity. The insurgents have been brought to trial, and the ringleaders condemned to death, but with every pro bability that the king will exercise the prerogative oi mercy in their behalf; so that the " mountain in labour " has not even produced " a mouse," merely announcing the parturition of something more formi dable on the next occasion.

" L' Union fait la Force" is the motto of Belgium ; and she seems to have been guided to its adoption by the "rule of contraries:" for her strength has been weakness itself since the unfortunate disruption of her union with Holland.* • The arms are the Belgian Lion, with the legend quoted in the text. The national colours are red, yellow, and black, placed vertically, so that the black is contiguous to the flag-staff, the yellow in the middle, and the red at the extremity.

Chapter II

TERRITORY-POPULATION— TOPOGRAPHY. PROVINCE OF ANTWERP- General Division of Belgium— Boundaries— Latitude »nd Longitude— Length and Breadth— Superficial Extent —Face ofthe Country— Mountains— Dykes— Riven — The Scheldt and the Meuse— Scenery of the Meuse — Population— Flemings- Walloons— Population Statistics— Births, Deaths, and Marriages— Civil Division of Belgium— Objects of National Interest— Churches— Their Architectural and Pictorial Decorations— Topographical Description of the Belgian Provinces —Antwerp — General Description— Poldres— City of Antwerp— Origin— Early Prosperity— Citadel — Commercial Buildings — Exchange — Hdtel de Ville— Theatre— Palace — House of Rubens— Cathedral— Rubens' Pictures — Origin of the Cathedral— Iconoclasts— Moretus and Plantin— Q. Metsys— Chapel of our Lady— Church of St. James — Tomb of Rubens — Church of St. Paul— Calvary — Museum — Place Verte— English Chapel — Native Painters of Antwerp — Statue of Rubens — Malines — Cathedral — Churches, &c. — Distances of Towns.

The kingdom of Belgium comprises, with the ex ception of certain districts which have been recently ceded to Holland, the provinces which in ancient times formed the duchy of Brabant, the principality of Liege, themarquisate of Antwerp, the lordshipof Malines, the counties of Flanders, Hainaut, Louvain, and Namur, and the duchies of Limbourg and Luxembourg. It is divided into nine provinces, which retain the names of the ancient states ; but Louvain is included in the pro vince of Brabant, Malines in that of Antwerp, and the territory of the fine old counts of the middle ages has been broken into the two divisions of West and East Flanders. Belgium is bounded on the north by Holland ; on the west by the North Sea ; on the south by France ; and by Prussia on the east ; and the boundary lines are respectively 236, 43, 367, and 234 English miles in length, forming an entire FACE OF THE COUNTRY. 13 circuit of 880 English miles, or about 283 1 leagues.

It lies between 49° 40' and 51° 30' north latitude, and between 2° 40' and 12° 30' east longitude. Its length diagonally, from north-west to south-east, is nearly 200 miles, and vertically, from north to south, about 160 ; its breadth from east to west, 130. In cluding the provinces of Luxembourg and Limbourg, it comprises a superficial extent of 8,465,900 acres, or about 13,200 square miles ; which surface, however, by the recent execution of the treaty of November 15, 1831, is reduced to about 7,500,000 acres, or about 11,800 square miles. The face of the country in Belgium exhibits for the most part an unbroken series of extensive plains, abounding in rich meadows and luxurious corn-fields, diversified with forests. Mountains, properly speaking, it has none ; but the hills of the Ardennes form a considerable range on the east and south-east, though they never rise 650 feet above the level of the sea.

A loftier branch of the same chain stretches across the southern part of the kingdom. On the north-west, the land lies so extremely low, as to require the erection of dykes in many places along the coast, in order to guard against the consequences of a sudden inun dation. The vast banks of sands deposited by the sea, which has retired considerably, form elsewhere a natural barrier against disasters of a similar description. The principal rivers of Belgium are the Scheldt and the Meuse. The former takes its rise in France, near Beauvoir, in the department of the Aisne, and passing by Cambray and Valenciennes, enters the province of Hainaut, after its junction with the Scarpe, about twelve miles below Tournay. Dividing this city into two RIVERS. parts, it pursues a northward, and afterwards a north eastern course, traversing the province of East Flan ders by Audenarde, Ghent, and Termonde.

It then becomes the natural line of demarcation between this province and that of Antwerp, of which the chief city stands upon its eastern bank; whence, flowing between the forts of Lillo and Liefkenshoek, and arriving at Fort Bath, it branches out among the islands of the Dutch Archipelago, and discharges itself at two mouths into the German Ocean. The entire course of the Scheldt is about 210 miles, of which 130 lie in Belgium. Above Audenarde it is navigable for vessels of 200 tons burden. The Meuse also rises in France, near a village of the same name in Upper Marne; and, crossing the departments of the Vosges, the Meuse, and the Ardennes, enters Belgium ; flows in a direction due north, by Dinant and Namur, where it receives the waters of the Sambre ; and thence takes a westerly course by Ardennes and Huy to Liege.

In its passage through this town, its branches form several islands, which are connected by elegant bridges; and the banks of the main stream, which divides the town into two parts, are adorned with handsome quays. From Liege it flows northward by Maestricht, Ruremonde, andVenloo.in the province of Limbourg; and, uniting its waters with one of the western branches of the Rhine, traverses Holland, and falls into the North Sea. Its entire course through Belgium is about 120 miles ; but the navigation from Liege to Venloo is extremely difficult, and that only for vessels whose freight does not exceed 150 tons. Both the Scheldt and the Meuse receive in their course a vast number of tributary streams, which intersect the SCENERY POPULATION. 15 kingdom in all directions ; and, though little adapted to the transport of merchandise, contribute largely to the fertility of the land and the benefit of agriculture.

Although the scenery of Belgium presents few of the grand and romantic features of nature, offering little beyond the rich luxuriance and peaceful serenity of fertile meadows and pastoral villages, yet there is one exception in the magnificent country watered by the Meuse. That portion of the eastern provinces which lies between Dinant and Namur, and thence to Liege, exhibits an astonishing diversity of picturesque views, which the lover of the beautiful, and even of the sublime, in nature will contemplate with satis faction. To many indeed it will afford even greater pleasure than the more majestic and stupendous scenery of the Rhine ; and the rapid change of prospect from bold and irregular rocks to the quiet rural landscape, with its flocks and herds and happy peasantry, strikes the observer with mingled admira tion and delight.

But these are matters which have little reference to the character and resources of a nation. The population of Belgium falls very little short of 4,000,000 of inhabitants; who, independently of a considerable number of Jews dispersed over the king dom, are divided into two classes, essentially distinct from each other. Of their characteristic differences it will be necessary to speak hereafter ; but in the mean time it may be proper to state, that the Flemings, who are of German origin, and speak a language closely allied to the Dutch, occupy the northern pro vinces of Brabant and Antwerp, the two Flanders, POPULATION. and a great part of Luxembourg and Limbourg ; while the Walloons, who are a Celtic race, and speak a patois of almost unintelligible French, abound in the pro vinces of Hainaut, Namur, and Liege.

Neither class, however, is absolutely confined to these respective localities ; but they are found intermixed in all parts of the country, and in the vicinity of Brussels more especially their numbers are nearly equal. Consisting, then, of these distinct elements, the population, according to the statements laid before the provincial councils, in the years 1829, 1836, and 1839, is ex hibited in the subjoined table. It will be observed that, in the returns for the latter year, those portions of the provinces of Limbourg and Luxembourg which have lately been ceded to Holland, and of which the proximate amount may be laid at 185,000 for the one, and 160,000 for the other, are not included. The working classes constitute about three-fourths of the whole population. PROVINCES. 1829. 1836. 1839.

Antwerp 354,974 360,180 355,135 Brabant 556,146 592,250 604,950 West Flanders ..... 601,678 627,128 636,890 East Flanders 733,938 758,906 769,407 Hainaut 604,957 631,823 642,000 Liege 369,937 390,715 398,600 Limbourg 337,703 331,305 168,476 Luxembourg 302,654 323,219 170,328 Namur 212,725 227,074 242,825 Total 4,074,712 4,242,600 3,988,211 INCREASE OF POPULATION. Of this total, the population of the towns is to that of the rural districts in the ratio of 1 to 3 nearly ; nor is it equally distributed over the several parts of the kingdom. The province of East Flanders, for instance, which takes the lead both in respect to the richness of the soil, and the superiority of its cultiva tion, contains also the greatest number of inhabitants in proportion to its extent of territory ; being twice as populous as the provinces of Antwerp or Liege, while it quadruples that of Namur, and is nearly six fold in advance of Luxembourg.

Thus, taking the average of the kingdom, the number of inhabitants is 50.4 for every 100 acres, or about 350 for every square mile ; but, according to the average of each pro vince, the numbers for every 1 00 acres are as follows : — 51.2 in the province of Antwerp. 72.7 Brabant. 77.0 West Flanders. 102.0 East Flanders. 70.7 Hainaut. 54.6 Liege. 31.0 Limbourg. 19.3 Luxembourg. 25.2 Namur. With respect to the increase of population, it ap pears, in the ten years from 1829 to 1839, to have made considerable progress ; the average being ,^th of the whole, or 5.6 per cent., and consequently manifesting a tendency to double itself in about 120 years. Accord ing to the annexed tables for the year 1836, the number of the births exceeds that of the deaths, in the ratio of 1.48 to 1, and the actual excess of the former amounts to 42,980, or 33± per cent.

The proportion which the births bear to the whole population, is that BIRTHS AND DEATHS. of 1 to 29.9 in the rural districts, and of 1 to 27.7 in the towns ; the proportion of deaths is that of 1 to 44.3 in the former, and of 1 to 34.9 in the latter. Marriages are as 1 to 134.9 in relation to the number of inhabitants ; and it has been calculated, that for every 31 which are contracted in towns, there are 100 in the villages. TABLE OF BIRTHS. TABLE OF DEATHS. TOWNS. RUR .l dist: -ICTS. PROVINCES. GENERAL TOTAL. Males. I Females. Total. Males. Females. Total. Antwerp Brabant 2,220 3,609 3,079 3,148 2,088 3,243 4,308 6,852 5,920 6,098 2,823 3,529 3,866 7,365 8,142 9,196 9,477 3,627 7,102 . 7,493 14,467 11,801 21,319 21,586 24,090 21,192 West Flanders .. 2,841 7,524 8,796 8,892 5,300 15,666 17,992 18,309 East Flanders ... 2,950 Hainaut 1,465 1,358 1,729 Liege Limbourg Luxembourg 1,800 671 658 1,329 605 5,543 4,786 4,433 10,843 9,219 14,372 10,548 11,752 7,554 322 283 5,678 3,316 5,469 11,147 6,374 Namur 595 585 1,180 3,058 Totals... 16,909 15,735 32,644 57,369 54,201 111,570 144,214 TOWNS.