Broadside with the schedule of a "beurtvaart" between Amsterdam and Den Helder

An attractive broadside announcing the schedule and rates of a steam-powered “beurtvaart” service between Amsterdam and Nieuwediep (Den Helder), circa 1830.

In 1824, the Noordhollandsch Kanaal (“North Holland Canal”) was officially opened, linking Amsterdam to Nieuwediep, a key naval base and commercial harbor in Den Helder. Stretching approximately 80 kilometers and 40 meters wide, the canal passed through Purmerend and Alkmaar and served as a vital artery in the Dutch economy until the Noordzeekanaal (“North Sea Canal”) opened in 1876.

That same year, entrepreneur Zurmühlen applied for a license to operate a regular steam-powered canal service—known as a “beurtvaart”—between the two cities. The license was granted with the stipulation that the ships and engines be manufactured in the Netherlands and that the steam paddles be placed at the rear to prevent bank erosion from the waves.

Zurmühlen commissioned two steamships, Mercurius and Hendrica Susanna, which began regular service in the spring and summer of 1824, sometimes sailing six days a week. This rare broadside details the timetable and fare structure for freight, sailors, and military personnel. It is a valuable record of early Dutch steam navigation and commercial logistics.

A fascinating piece of ephemera documenting the intersection of industrial innovation, canal-based transport, and Dutch maritime history.