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| | Pictures of the North Sea coast - March 2000 - Prologue |
 | | Before leaving Egmond, however, I couldn't help inspecting the unexpected momument at the foot of the lighthouse, the impressive lion on top of the pediment, and the solemn tables relating a tragedy of almost two centuries ago, the heroic death of Jan van Speijk. |
 | | In 1831, in the first stages of the Belgian Revolt against the autocratic rule of William I, king of the Netherlands - then including Belgium - this young lieutenant, in command of H.M.S. gunboat number 2, was patrolling the Scheldt blocking the harbour of Antwerp. |
 | | On that instant, Van Speijk is said to have shouted, "May I rather blow up", and storming down into the magazine set fire to the powder and blew up the boat, himself and all aboard. |
| www.xs4all.nl /~lange01/north/intro.html (257 words) |
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