The Sun.
London, England, 1847-02-22 00:00:00

HAMBURG IMPROVEMENTS.

The following remarks upon the rebuilding and im-
provements of Hamburg, which have taken place ac-
cording to the plans and under the direction of an Eng-
lish engineer, Mr. W. Lindley, are abridged from a re-
cent number of the Allgemeine Zeitung They exhibit
strongly the admiration with which the practical science
of England is regarded by Germans. In the very im-
portant matter of sewerage, however, it is to be feared,
that instead of pointing out the way to the burghers of
Hamburg, most of our great towns will have only the
credit of coping their example:—
" The newly erected part of Hamburg offers a cheerful
and elevating prospect to the eye. I have just returned
from a walk round tho Binnen Alater. Gaslight and
moonshine strive together to illuminate the basin—a
lake in a town, and the rows of splendid palaces
with which the calm water is on three sides surrounded.
Nothing like it is to be seen in Germany. A large town,
situated on a bay, and reflected in the sea, can alone
surpass Hamburg. The fourth side of the Binnen is,
however, still disfigured by a windmill. There should
stand a colossal statue of Charles the Great, the
founder of this rich commercial city. This is all we
shall at present say upon architectural beauties or
deformities. Much more admirable than the external
appearance is the simplicity of the plan for transform-
ing the old into the new Hamburg, and the energy
with which that simple plan has been carried out.
The bandeputation,' or building committee, selected
from the richest and most independent citizens, has
won for itself in this position the most deserved honour.
"Riches give power, and power gives confidence ; and
thus has it come to pass that alterations, renovations,
and changes have been carried out in the republic, in a
manner seldom ventured upon even in the capitals of
absolute monarchs. But a second fortunate circumstance
was, that the gentlemen of the building committee were
able to obtain and hold fast the services of a competent
man, who deserved their entire confidence This man
is the civil engineer, Mr. W. Lindley. His name is as
worthy to be known and honoured by all Germans as
that of a general who has gained a victory in an
important engagement. The qualities which form a
general may also find an employment in peace, in the
conception and execution of great works. Lindley has
shown that he possesses the coup crceil of a general and
the perseverance of a soldier who is sure of the result.
He is a man who ever keeps in view the end proposed,
and this is, or ought to be, the great principle in war as
in peace. Lindley calculates, and calculates correctly.
Hence he is as sure and precise as Wellington. . . .
If we had had a Baron von Kubeck in North Germany,
and a Lindley by his side, many things would have been
different, and better than they are, especially in the rail-
road department.
" This may sound like mere panegyric, but my object
is not that, but simply to invite attention. Come and see
the new Hamburg. You find not here Roman aqueducts,
nor cloacea, the antiquity of whesecolossal ruins is still the
subject of wonder, but what is much better and of more
practical utility. The dense population of England, its
great wealth, and the practical character of the English
intellect have raised the profession of the civil engineer
in that island to a hitherto unattained perfection. Works
have been executed there for the use and comfort of the
public, that is to say, of densely crowded millions, of
which the greater part of the inhabitants of the Con-
tinent have scarcely an idea. What does the German
boy learn of comfort' within the house, or of practical
utility abroad ? In Berlin he goes perhaps daily
across a gutter full of decaying matter, without any
outlet, to his school ; and when there what does he
learn ? The source of the Rhine ; is he also taught
its outlet ? No. He is told that the Maas is a Dutch
river, and that the German Rhine loses itself in the sand.
The boy does not know how to answer when asked
Which port upon the German coast is nearest to your
dwelling ?' But he can, perhaps, and indeed most likely,
explain the project for cutting through the isthmus of
Panama. Come and see in Hamburg the sewers, tin
state water works ; compare the plan of the old town
with the existing one ; this is essential for those on
whom the task of legislation and government falls. At
a time when the great fire had deprived many thousand
families of shelter, courage was not wanting to expend
millions upon sewers, bridges, in short, upon whatever
was practically useful and enduring. The memorable
example was followed by the citizens of Bremen, who,
early foreseeing the future importance of an outer
harbour for Bremen, directed their efforts to obtain one,
Quite opposed in this respect to the opinion of a tailing
man in Hamburg not long since, who said that the
fortune of Hamburg was not dependent upon land
communication, and declared himself opposed to turn-
pike roads. Since that time things have advanced with
giant strides. The firs cleared the town of old buildings
no longer useful, as the code of Napoleon freed the left
bank of the Rhine of a thousand absurd regulations no
longer in accordance with the age. And the " bandepu-
tation" of Hamburg went courageously to work at the
rebuilding of the city, and had the great good fortune to
have a Lindley at hand.

"Lindley, Who had been called to Hamburg in the
matter of the Hamburg-Bergedorf Railway, already
knew the locale, and immediately set about a compre-
hensive plan for the new buildings, the boldness of
which at first alarmed the multitude of common-place
individuals, but found the most complete approbation
and support among those in authority, who knew, from
personal experience, what wonderful works were carried
out in England. The Hamburg building committee
went bravely to work, and Lindley's plan has been
exactly carried out, because he calculated it exactly.
Would that Berlin were as fortunate as Hamburg—
would we bad a Lindley for Berlin 1 Sewers and
water service by means of steam are as necessary for
Berlin as bread for the hungry. That the railroads of
England have been introduced on the Continent is
excellent, has been already productive of great advan-
tage ; but there are other good and great things in
England worthy of our emulation and of our imitation.
Before all, we wish for our statesmen a clear enlarged
view to the practical. Our acknowledgments as Ger-
mans are due to the burgomasters of Bremen, who
opened the Bremen harbour, and to the Prussian minister
who planned the Zollverein, for examples to be followed.
Still, much work is necessary. To-day the Crown
Prince of Sweden stands upon an eminence, whence he
can look over the river Elbe. He sees four toll districts.
Is that practical? It makes us blush before foreigners
to be a German, and yet the sorrow is greater than the
shame.

" For Hamburg there still remains much without the
walls to be done. Too narrow has the former view of
what was necessary become for the present time.
Which point of the Upper Elbe is the most convenient
for communication between the two shores ? Ham
burg is placed on the point on this side, still no direct
street leads to it—hardly credible but true. The works
on the left shore are still less to be praised. I asked a
Hanoverian captain what success the Harburg harbour
would have in his opinion. The work is about as good
as if it bad been executed by heathens. The vessels
must pass from Altuna, where they could conveniently
unload, through a dangerous passage to unload at
Harburg. What point would be most convenient for an
outer harbour on the Lower Elbe during the many winter
months for Hamburg vessels ? Is it Gluckstadt? as is the
opinion in Copenhagen; or Brunsbuttel ? It was said
during the time of Napoleon when Hamburg was une
bonne erne, that the opinion of the French engineer was in
favour of Brunsbuttel. That Cuxhaven will not be suffi-
cient for the future is certain. Upon these and a hun-
dred other equally important questions the opinion of
experienced English civil engineers should be taken, for
our Germans have in such things no experience, and the
Dutch are not always to be trusted.
" All this, however, is only a preface to what I
wished to say. The proverb says republicans are un-
thankful. There has arisen in Hamburg envy and
dander against Lindley. Lindley has worthily an-
swered the unworthy clamour. A civil engineer,
with his drawings and calculations, has as diffi-
cult a task to stand peaceful and firm amidst the tu-
mult of the citizens as a Scipio or Wellington. How-
ever, it is true that the executive authorities in Ham-
burg were wrong when they gave out money for the
public works before it had been granted in the legal way
by the Burgerschaft. The Burgerschaft stand upon
their rights ; it is desirable that they should, equally,
whether the amount were a hundred or many hundred
thousand polinds. However, when envy or hatred is
allowed to mix itself with this just opposition, it becomes
one of the most melancholy sights which a republic can
offer. This, however, is but for a time ; but the works
of the English engineer will be enduring."

THE HORSE TRICK AGAIN.—THE BITER fir.-
Mr. Samuel Greenwood, of Royton, near Oldham, came to
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. any man two sovereigns to buy it for him. Mr. Greenwood
said lie knew nothing about horses, but if he could do him a
good turn he had no objection. At this moment a tall man
walked up, and the little man said to him he had found a
friend who would purchase the horse for him. The tall
man replied that he dare not sell the horse to him (thc
little man), for fear of displeasing his master. After this
conversation the three walked to a stable near at hand,
and looked at a chesnut horse. They returned, and went
into a public-house in Bloorfields ; but finding company in
each room, they left without getting anything to drink, and
walked on to another house, where they had three glasses of
ale. They sat talking about the badness of trade until Mr.
Greenwood told them he bad an appointment to meet a gen-
tleman, and must leave them. They left the public-house toge-
ther, and after they got into the street, they questioned Mr.
Greenwood as to his method of doing business, whether with
ready money or on credit. After satisfying themselves that
his transactions were all in cash, and that he must
have a considerable sum about him, the little man said
to the tall one," Well, I'll hand the money over to this man.
(Mr. Greenwood), and he will buy the horse for me." Ac-
cordingly the 311. 10s. were handed to Mr. Greenwood, and
he passed the money to the pretended horse seller. Mr.
Greenwood then asked for the' two pounds which were pro-
mised him by his first accual,,tance for his trouble. "Oh,"
" d saying, said the man," I'll give you ens sovereign, and be
handed him over the gold. So far matters appeared quite
correct, but the man who sold the horse, not content with re-
ceiving the cash in the way already stated, said to Mr.
Greenwood, " I'll tell you what we want you to do. We
want you to pay your own money, so that I shall not have
to tell my master a lie, and then we will give you this money
'back again." This bit of duplicity was urged with so much
earnestness, that Mr. Greenwood began to suspect the
honesty of his would-be friends, and told them lie would
have nothing further to do with them, and walked ott with
the sovereign. Ills first acquaintance followed him, and
°trete!' him half-a•crown for his trouble, but Mr. Greenwood
stoutly declared he would not part with the sovereign with-
out seeing further into it. The fellows, finding themselves
trapped in their own net, walked off rather sheepishly, and
Mr. Greenwood reflects with glee on his narrow escape from
a heavy loss, and the admirable manner in which " the biter
was bitten."—LiverpoolMercury.