The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1894-07-01

TRANSFORMATION of today enables a city
TO serve a section of country while not
situated in its center, in a manner i'm
possible fifty years ago.
Bremen, often alluded to as a port, Is
not a port. The Weser has eight feet
of water at Bremen, and is crossed by
numerous bridges in that city. To al
lude to it as a seaport indicates how
superficial has been the argument OF
the advocates of inland navigation. Bre-
merhaven, at the coast, is the seaport,
at the mouth of the Weser; and since
sailways have developed, Bremerhaven
has grown until 1t is nearly a third the
size of centuries-old Bremen.
Hamburg was founded in sos, en-
listed long enough, OF course, to &C.
cure commercial supremacy by river
routes before the development OF rail-
ways. In 1889 II became n free city.
Before the age OF railways, the better
ments and terminal inducements were
already fixed. The new town" was
Incorporated in 1887. Hamburg can
therefore hardly be said to be an out
growth Of modern seaport requirements.
1t is situated at the junction OF the
Elbe and the Alster, where the Elbe
divides into numerous channels, with
great extent of water frontage. 1t Is
the first, or lowermost port, as distin-
guished from any mere riverside place,
which vessels encounter after entering
the Elbe; and II Is the first radial point
where river branches con centrate tom
mage at one place. Considering only
water routes, It Is u natural place FOR
the mart Of trade. Because OF the c
of a distinct port below 1t, and because
of the great expenditures for port ia
%cillties and for trade in the city, 1t Is
not likely that the railways Will create
a point of concentration and a great
port further down the river. The banks
of the lower Elbe are low, and not
adapted to city development, with en-
bankments raised along the river shores
to protect the land from overflow.
As a point Of concentration for ton
mage by water routes, Hamburg's loca-
ton for the light draught ocean vessels
was excellent. 1t has tributary to II
5000 kilometers of ~navlgab,e ways. Being
one, and the greater one, of the only
two important seaports Of Germany,
II aN,l,,, No. I.,, ,AlA IN gnanA CnmC
Of money in terminal facilities and in
inducements to shipping that ordinary
ports In other countries could not posi-
bly, expend, and these inducements go
far to atone for the defects due to an
inland location. In 1550-70 vast en-
gineering enterprises were inaugurated'
The artificial basins for ships now cover
over 800 acres, the wharf facilities OF
the first grade are yer four miles In
length; the second grade facilities In
clude many more miles; the storage
sheds, over 10000 square feet with
immense cranes and other heavy APP
planes, over 900 river boats can find
shelter in the protective basins, and
twice as many in the port canals. Ham
burg Is traversed by a great number OF
canals which insure cheap and con-
venlent transportation OF goods to the
multitude OF warehouses along the ca
nails. This feature of Hamburg's ter
minal facilities has been estimated to be
worth $780, 600. 900 per annum In Ham
hurg, quite an inducement to commerce
TO come inland, even IL we divide the
amount by ten, In the port towage Is
done by the port administration. No
half dozen ports in the United States
could offer as much inducement to
commerce TO come inland as Hamburg
offers, Railway transportation comes
too late TO effect a change.
Political reasons have operated TO
hold Hamburg to its present location
AT an early date the city secured its
cherished privileges as a free city. in
reward for services rendered. These
privileges included freedom from toll on
the Elbe, This Is said L have been
the origin OF its commercial greatness.
The city could not have moved to al
coast location without losing these priv
ileges. After It's growth was attained,
these privileges became less essential
% It, growths ana have been partially
surrendered 70 the empire. ne Ger