Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1842-06-30
From the Boston Courier.
TIE CITY OF HAMBURG.

The recent calamitous and destructive
FIRE, which Destroyed a large portion OF
the city Of Hamburg, has naturally Gre
ated an interest in its history, and ex-
cited inquiry as to its extent, govern
laent, commercial affairs, &c. &c. &C.,
which may be partially satisfied by what
f55llllovs:-
Hamburg is situated on the northern
banks of the Elbe, about seventy miles
from its mouth, in lat. SO deg. "a m.
N, 81 deg. 81 N. E. Up to this city
The Elbe is nayigable for the largest
merchant ships. The site, along the
margin of the river is low, bat rises
gradually as it reeedes. The circuit
Of the city is %, 0oe feet, or about four
English miles. A small stream, called
the Alster, rises in the hills of Honstein,
north of the city, runs through the mid
dle of it, and falls into the Elbe, form
ing by its expanded estuary as it joins
the river, what is called the Binnen
IIafen. The Binnen Alster is beau
tiful sheet of water, in the northern part
Of the city, nearly quarter of a mile
inlength, and something less in breadth.
Canals intersect the lower part of the
city, in all directions, and many Of the
large warehouses are built upon their
banks. In the part of the city which is
called the Old tocn, the streets are, for
fer the most part, narrow and crooked.
In the older steets, many Of the hou-
ses are made of the frames Of wood,
with the intervening spaces filed up
with brick and succeed. Most Of the
houses are three or four stories high,
and some are even five. In the old
portion Of the city, the greater number
Of the houses are five stories high,
without reckoning the cellars and at
tics. The successive stories, as they
ascend, project over those below, ma
king successive Offsets from one to
two feet. They often project very con-
siderably over the streets. When look
ing at such houses, one can hardly a.
void the thought that they may become
!. top-heavy, and tumble over. The roofs
are generally covered with tiles.
There are many streets which are
notsanly exceedingly narrow, but, with
few exceptions, are far from being
kept clean. The narrow ones are al
most intolerable in the hottest weather,
ffom the vast quantities Of dirt and filth
which are allowed to accumulate dur
ing the night, and which are not re-
moved SO promptly as they should be.
No one can visit Hamburg, without
being struck with the air of business,
which it every where presents. Hun
treds of vessels Of all descriptions, and
from almost all nations-English,
French, Dutch, Danish, Norwegian,
Swedish, American, &c.-lie in tiers
along the banks Of the river opposite to
the city-some just arrived-others a.
bout leaying--some loading and some
unloading. Small boats, managed by
.skilful rowers, move about in all direc-
tions, over the surface Of the Elbe,
which ismhere from a thousand to
twelve hundred feet wide, and deep e.
nough for large ships. Steamboats,
arr;ve from London two or three times
! week, and from Hayre once week,
and depart as often for each Of those
places.
exchange, between one and two o'clo.,
he would see two or three thousand
men. merchants, traders, dealers In
rtock. &C., who assemble in that ven.