se returned to their own
territory. Jealousy, however, was manifested by Austria, Prussia and
Russia toward the new kingdom, and their refusal to receive Leopold's
ambassadors was calculated to encourage hope in Holland that the reign
of the new monarch was to be limited.

New troubles began for the Belgians, in the presentation of the London
Protocol of October 15, 1831, in consequence of a demand that the
greater part of Limbourg and Luxembourg be ceded. Not only the Belgians
but the Dutch opposed this demand, as well as the conditions of the
protocol. And at once King William prepared for armed resistance.
Leopold immediately after obtaining votes for the raising of the sum of
three millions sterling for war purposes, increased the army to one
hundred thousand men.

Now ensued a most critical period for the little kingdom, but both
France and England held their shields over it, while Leopold's marriage
to the Princess Louise, eldest daughter of King Louis Philippe, gained
for it still greater strength in its relations with France.

King William, however, refused stubbornly to recognise the protocol,
and retained possession of Antwerp, which he held with a garrison of
five thousand soldiers. Antwerp Citadel being the pride of the kingdom,
the Belgians, restive under the control of the powers, demanded that
both England and France help them at once to recover it, alleging that
in case this help was refused, they, with their hundred thousand men,
were ready to capture it themselves. So in the month of November the
French troops, under Marechal Gerard, laid siege to the Antwerp
stronghold, held by General Chasse, who after three weeks' siege
capitulated, and the Dutch, rather than have their warships captured,
burnt and sank them in the Scheldt.

With the surrender of Antwerp, the French withdrew their army, but the
Dutch sullenly refused to recognise the victory until the year 1839,
when they withdrew from and dismantled the forts on the Scheldt facing
Antwerp.

Naturally the support of the French and English brought about a deep and
lasting feeling of gratitude on the part of the Belgians. Louis Philippe
said, "Belgium owes her independence and the recovery of her territory
to the union of France and England in her cause."

Her independence thus gained and recognised, Belgium turned her
attention to the development of the country and its rich natural
resources. The Manufactures flourished, her mines of coal and