The Sun.
London, England, 1864-02-12 00:00:00

IN, FRIDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 12, 1864.

SCHLESWIG AND HOLSTEIN.

SPORTING INTELLIGENCE.

TATTERS ALLS':-LAST EVENING.

As very admirably described by Captain W. W. Knollys,
in the British Army Review, now publishing monthly
by the Messrs. Saunders, Otley, and Morgan, the army
agents, of Pall-mall :
A reference to the map ;till show that Holstein is the
southern portion of the Peninsula which constitutes the
Danish mainland possessions, and extends from the Baltic
on the east to the North Sea on the west. It is bounded by
Hanover—from which it is separated by the Elbe and by
the territory of Hamburg cn the south and south-west, and
by Mecklenburg and Lauenburg—the latter an appanage of
the Danish crown—on the east, Its length is 100, and
average breadth 50 miles. Its chief sea ports'are Altona
and Gluckstadt on the Elbe, and Kiel on the Baltic. The
entrance to this last is, however, completely commanded
from the Schleswig territory by the fort of Frederickshort.
Besides the Eider, a sluggish river which separates Holstein
from Schleswig, and the Elbe, which touches the Holstein
territory, there are only one or two unimportant streams.
Rendsburg, Kiel, and Altona are the three chief cities, and
each of them military stations ; Rendsburg being strongly
fortified on the bastion principle, and strengthened in ad-
dition by advanced works. The population of these towns is
—Kiel, about 18,000; Altona, 46,000 ; and Rendsburg,
11,000. At Rendsburg a canal joins the Baltic to the Eyder,
and thereby enables vessels of 120 tons to pass to and from
the North Sea. This canal is 22 miles long, 100 feet wide at
top, 54 feet at bottom, and 10 feet deep. A railroad runs
from Altona, on the Elbe, to Kiel, with branches to Gluck-
stadt and Rendsburg. for. an army defending Holstein
against the Danes, the mostineportant strategic points would
be Neuminster, where the railroad branches off to Kiel and
Rendsburg ; It zhoe, which covers the railway to the west,
and commands the passage of the river Star and the ports
of Gluckstadt and Altona, by which communication with
the North Sea is secured. Kiel is scarcely a good strategical
position; for troops stationed there would be exposed to be
put off on the advance of an army from Rendsburg, while
the entrance to its harbour is commanded, as we have said,
by batteries on the Schleswig territory. Rendsburg might
be occupied by a strong advanced guard--but any body be-
yond a garrison would be liable to have their position turned
from the south-west, which direction the Eyder takes. The
centre of the duchy is a barren, treeless waste of peat and
heath—but near the Baltic and the Elbe the country is fer-
tile. There it is divided into small fields, with hedges, and
sprinkled over with small lakes, and slight elevations some-
times crowned with fine timber. There are no mountains,
and scarcely any heights deserving the name of hills. The
farming is partly arable, partly pasture, and produces both
grain and cattle—the latter especially—far beyond the
wants of the inhabitants. It is therefore evident that, what
with the resources of the district and the means of transport
furnished by the railroad, a large force could be with facility
subsisted. The west coast is protected against the sea by
dikes. The high roads are good, the cross road somewhat
inferior. The soil is dry and sandy. The climate of the
Danish possessions resembles that of Scotland; the average
temperature being about as follows : Winter, 32 degrees ;
spring, 4417 summer, 62; autumn, 49. The atmosphere is
damp, and storms of wind and rain are frequent, especially
during the months of July and August. The horses are
numerous and good, but more adapted to draught than the
saddle. The waggons are drawn by two horses. The houses
are substantial, and generally built of brick, with thatched
roofs. The population of the duchy is about 550,000, all of
whom are Germans. The duchy of Lauenburg is another
German appanage of the Danish Crown, and is situated at
the south-eastern extremity of llolstein. The inhabitants
number about 51,000, and the area of the province is about
402 English square miles. With reference to the nature of
the country, resources, &c., what has been said of Holstein
will apply to Lauenburg also, save that there are no town
containing 10,000 inhabitants. Schleswig, or South Jutland
as it is sometimes called, lies due north of Holstein, and is
bounded on the north by North Jutland, on the east by the
Baltic, and on the west by the NorthaSea, It measures
about 72 miles in length from north to south, and about 53
miles in breadth. The population numbers about 410,000
inhabitants, ebout a third of whom are Germans, and the
res Danish and Frisian. On the shores of the Baltic, and
for a short distance inland, the country is very similar to
England being divided into small fields bounded by hedges.
The ground is slightly undulating, but never rises into hills.
The tops of these elevations are crowned with wools. The
soil is light, being composed more of sand than clay. The
main roads are mettled and good; the cross-roads bad ; and
both are bordered by hedges and trees. Almost all over the
country may be found morass, ponds, and lakes. The
centre of the province resembles that of Holstein ; and the
west coast of both provinces consists of very fertile land,
redeemed from the sea and intersected by numerous dykes.
The principal rivers of Schleswig are the Eyder, already
spoken of, and its tributaries, the Sorge, and the Treene.
None of these have high banks, or aro cf any breadth, and
all of them are destitute of any apparent current. The east
coast is intersected by fi.)rds or deep creeks, and bordered by
islands, some of which are within cannon-shot of the main-
land. On the west coast there are also several islands. The
railway extends north west to Eckenfiord, and then trends
off to the west to Ohrstedt, where it divides into two
branches, one running to the sea-port of Flensburg, and the
others to the sea-ports of Hussum and TonniLg ; the latter
of which is situated at the mouth of the Eyder.
The principal towns are Schleswig, Flensburg, Ecken-
fiord, Frederickstadt, Hussum, and Tunning. 01 these,
only Flensburg and Schleswig contain more than 10,000
habitants— the population of Flensburg being about
20,000, and that of Schleswig about 12,500. Frederickstadt
is a small garrison town and fortress, The products of
the province are cattle, corn, and horses—chiefly draught
all of which are abundant. The means of transport are
two-horse waggons. The population is almost entirely
agricultural, there being but few manufactures, and the
houses aro well and substantially built. The climate re-
sembles that of Holstein; and, and, indeed, the two
duchies are very similar in all respects, save the nation-
ality of the inhabitants. The ports are Flensburg, Hus-
sum, and Tonning. The first is, after Copenhagen, the most
important commercial town in the Danish dominions.
It carries a considerable trade with Greenland and the
West Indier, and there is a depth of water for large ships
alongside the quays. The other two are scarcely worthy of
mention, only very small ships being able to enter them.
The principal defensive strategical points are-Ist. The
Dannewirke, a celebrated line of detached works of great
strength, extending from a spot four miles south of Sleswig
to Hollingstead, a distance of about ten miles. The line of
defence has been well adapted to the contour of the ground
and the obstacles in its front. The town of Schleswig and
its castle of Gottorp act as advanced works. The front of
the Dannewirke is partly covered by a branch of the Schlei
—a long fiord or inlet, running in from the Baltic—and some
canals, which fall into it, and by means of sluices can easily
produce inundations. Ot course, during the winter, this
water defence would be frozen over, and therefore its utility
injured. The left flank of the Dannewirke is also protected
by the Schlei. This celebrated work consisted originally
of an earthen rampart, and was constructed about 808,
by God fried, King of Jutland,as a defence against incursions
from the south. About 988, the Emperor of Germany, in
concert with a Sclavonic chief, made an unsuccessful attack
on it. About 1060 it was repaired and the masonry and
towers strengthened; and in 1440 Queen Margaret re-
paired it extensively. It has ever been reckoned as the key
to the north of Schleswig, and was frequently occupied by
the Danes in the last war. An officer who has visited the
Dannewirke within the last few weeks describes the works
as admirably constructed and of great strength. 2d. Flans-
burg, which is important as a port of communication with
Copenhagen and other portions of the Danish dominions.
3d. Ohrstedt, where the railway from Flensburg
branches off to Hussum and Tonning on the one side, and
Eckenfi ed and Rendsburg on the other, 4th. The seaports
of Hussum and Tonning, by which succours could be intro-
duced in vessels of little draught from England and France.
sth. Frederickstadt, which not only commands the passage
of the Eyder in that part of the country, but also covers
Tonning against the attack of an enemy from the eastward.

A FOLDING-BOAT, intended for the use of trlop,
emigrant, or passenger ships, was tried recently at rods-
mouth. While able to carry 50 persons, it does not, when
folded, occupy the 20th part the space of an or dinary boat of
that capacity. Theboat is flat-bottomed, with pointed ends.
The experiment excited considerable interest.
The dividend on London and North-Western
Railway stock is officially announced at the rate of 6 per
cent. per annum, against 51 for the corresponding period of
1862. The surplus is £21,000.
THE DEATH OF A MISER —Yesterday Mr. John
Humphreys, the Middlesex coroner, held an inquiry
at the Bird Cage Tavern, Birdcage-walk, Bethnal-green,
respecting the death of William Cox, aged 52 years, who
was found lying dead in his room under very singular cir-
cumstances. Mrs. A. Bacon, 58, Gower's-walk, Bethnal-
green, said that the deceased was her brother, He was a
gentleman. Witness last saw him alive 10 years ago.—
Mrs. C. England, 5, Columbia-square, Bethnal-green, said
that the deceased lived in a room at No. 8. He was a very
eccentric man in his habits. Although he had plenty of
food he would not let any one see him take any of it, Wit-
ness last saw him alive on Thursday last, Ho then cora
plained of being very ill. Ho did not allow a doctor to be
called in to see him,—Charles Martin said that he got in at
the window of deceased's room on Saturday last. He found
the deceased with his head in the grate, as if he had fallen
off the chair on which he was sitting. He had been dead
for some length of time,—Dr. Coxhead said that the clothes
of the deceased had not been changed for three months.
The stockings had to be cut off his feet. The body was
very emaciated. The cause of death was an effusion of
serum on the brain.—Mr. Burrows, the coroner's officer
said that he found in the room of the deceased a great quan-
tity of clothes, money, and jewellery.—The
.Coroner said
the deceased was a miser, who had deprived himself of all
the comforts of life.—The jury returned a verdict of death
from effusion of serum on the brain.
Waterloo Cup, training reports, Vic , 13 starni.s.
_Lincoln
Handicap, Northamptonshire Stakes, City and Surburban,
Chester Cup, Liverpool Chase, Guineas, Derby, Oaks,
Chester
and Metropolitan included, 30 stamps. Itemer.nber, for the
above-named events last year I sent the folio Ning winners,
viz., Asteroid for the Chester Cup, Emblem. for Livt rpool
Chase, Maccaroni for 2,000 and Derby, Marine° for Lincoln
Handicap, Adventurer for City and Suburbin, and Hadding-
ton for Metnpolitan. Information like th a speaks for itself.
Terms—One week, 13 stamps ; one munth, 36; to the Derby,
, 15s. ; season, 30e.—It, WELL, Box 46, Macclesfield.

The attendance for an " off" day was much about the
average, but although the acceptances for the Liverpool
Steeplechase were published since th© last day of opening
at the great West-end mart, speculation thereon was tame in
the extreme. Lord Coventry's mare still retains her posi-
tion as first favourite, 11 to 1 having been taken and offered.
Wee Nell was supported for a little money at 13 to 1, and
Bantum was very firm at 100 to 7 taken, while 15 to 1 was
offered against Portland. The only features of the Chester
Cup betting were the retrogression of Accident to 20 to 1
taken, and the remarkably healthy tone of Change, about
whom 1,000 to 40 was taken kindly; the same being also
accepted each about Anfield, Golden Pledge, and Black-
down ; but before the close of business 20 to 1 was the
highest price obtainable about the Goodwood Stakes winner.
The Two Thousand was scarcely ever mentioned. Scottish
Chief seems once more to be gradually rallying his friends
around him, one of whom accepted the currents odds of 10
to 1. Coastguard retired from the forward position he has
occupied for several days, and after a commission to take
1,50 U to 100 about him had been duly executed not another
backer came forward, while any amount of money cculd
have been laid at the price already quoted. Eighteen
"fifties" were laid against Forager, and for the considera-
tion of a " tenner" any admirer of Lord St. Vincent's colt
could have been accommodated at 20 to Ito £lOO. Closing
prices :