The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1858-05-12
BALTIMORE.
WEDNESDAY, MAY II, 1895.

On the banks of the Schwinge, in the klngdom
of Hanover, stands the little Town vi ou,oe
the junction of the Schwinge WIN lhe Eioe, 'i'e'
miles from Stade stands the Castle OF Bruhshause,
or Scayinqer Schanze as it is sometimes Called
RIGHT under the guns Of this castle Is moored a
roval guard-ship, stationed in the river for the
nnrpose of compelling payment of the tolls levied
Inv Hanover on vessels and cargoes passing up or
down the Elbe Here every ship of every country,
with the exception of Hanover, is obliged to stop
and show its papers, and here river-tol, varying
from to q per cent. in value, articles of mer-
chandise, is collected by the Hanoverian officials.
These tolls are called the Brunshausen Tolls, or
more commonly, the Stade ZoU. They are levied
on nearly 5000 vessels annually, and averaging
about 2lO marks for each vessel, yield in the ag-
gregate the snug little sum of nearly half million
of dollars and constitute no inconsiderable item In
the yearly revenues of the Crown of Hanover
Every ship trading to Hamburg, which is twenty
two miles further up the Elbe is compelled to pass
the Castle of Brunshausen, and to pay the Stade
Toll. This fact is very naturally regarded by the
merchants of Hamburg as great disadvantage to
their trade Not more than twelve months ago,
the Senate of Hamburg caused to be published in
English, French and German, pamphlet, in
which the injustice of the Stade Zoil was exposed
and the hope expressed that the UNITED STATES
would follow up Its successful attack upon the
Sound Dues levied by Denmark, by refusal to
pay the Elbe Dues exacted by Hanover. The at
tention of our Government was actually called to
the subject by Senator SEWARD, as that of the
English Government has lately been turned in the
same direction by Mr.. RICARDO, at whose sugges-
ton, the House of Commons has just appointed a
Select Committee to investigate the matter. By
the mails of the Vanderbilt we learn that these
steps taken by the British Parliament have given
great satisfaction to the merchants of Hamburg,
numbers of whom have expressed their willingness
to go to London, and testify before the Committee,
if necessary, to the injury done to the commerce OF
the Elbe by the imposition of these tolls. In fact
both in this country and in England, the opinion
is rapidly gaining ground, that the Stade Duties as
it was expressed in late number of Punch, should
be stopped as well as Stade. The English have a
particular interest in the NATTER as the exports
from England to the Elbe amount to some fifty or six
ty millions of dollars annually. Our own export
trade to Hamburg is in comparison inconsiderable,
amounting to little more than three millions, Of
which but small portion, not more than one-fifth,
is shipped in American bottoms. This fact how
ever, is no reason why we, any more than the Eng
lish, should submit to an unreasonable and vexa-
tious imposition such as the Stade Toll has been
shown to be. Like the Sound Dues, these Stade
Duties have acquired the prescriptve character Of
an ancient abuse, but unlike Denmark Hanover
cannot plead in behalf of these tolls, any useful
object to be promoted by their payment, such MS
the construction preservation of lighthouses,
buoys, &c. The Stade Toll is simply relic of feu-
dial barbarism, and grew out of the custom of the
lords of Brunshausen, in common with other robber-
mobiles of the middle ages, to levy black mail upon
peaceful travellers and traders. AS far back as the
beginning of the 18th century, find the trade OF
Hamburg subject to this tax imposed by the feudal
of the river. Subsequently, the right to exact these
tolls came to be regarded as incident to the lord
ship of Brunshausen, or rather to the Duchy OF
Verden, within whose limits the castle of Bruins
hansen is situated. When in 1905, the Duchy of
terden became part of the Kingdom of Hanover,
the privilege ofleying the Brunshausen tolls passed.
rs matter of course, to the latter power by whom
1t has ever since been exercised. Such being the
not very reputable history and more than question
able origin of this obnoxious mpost the arbitrary
and oppressive character which it has assumed OF
late years. is now likely to lead to its speedy abo-
iition, though, of course, this will not be done,
without fair compensation being made to Hanover.