Of the Danish islands, Zealand is the principal; its length is 24 leagues, its breadth varies from 20 to 14 ; the Gulf of Isefiord, divided into two branches, penetrates the north side of it ; at the- entrance to which there is nine feet water, but it deepens with in to seven fathoms. The most remarkable river in Zealand is the Nesaa, which nearly traverses it, and enters the Baltic. on the narrowest part of the Sound, a roadstead ; here the duties of the Sound are paict The origin of these duties may be traced to the middle-ages, when they were established by the sovereigns of Denmark for the support of light-houses, and the protection of the navigation of the Baltic from pirates. These duties vary from 450,000 to 600,000 rix-dollars an nually. The mails and passage-boats cross the Sound from Elsineur to Helsinburgh.
Copenhagen is built partly on the mainland, and partly on the island of Amak, which is separated from it by a narrow channel, crossed•by two bridges. The port between Ainak and the main, is one of the best in the Baltic, both by nature and art. Within are basins capable of holding 500.sail, but the ea trance admits but one ship at a time. There are two royal dock-yards constructed on islands, where every ship has her particular magazine; the dry-dock is constructed of wood, and requires 20 hours to pump it oat, which is done by horses. Copenhagen is a free port, and for a long time was the only one in Denmark which enjoyed the privilege of import ing the produce of Iceland, Greenland, India, China, and America; and, even yet, the principal returns from these countries are made to it.
Mseen island is separated from the south-east end of Zealand by Ulfsund, a narrow strait ; it is about five leagues long, and from one to three broad. It ex ports 15,000 tons of corn. Samsce,. midway between Zealand and Jutland, is near five leagues long, and is formed of two peninsulas, the largest of which is five miles broad. The other islands belonging to the government of Zealand are of little consequence. Saltholm, in the Sound, may, however, be partial. larized ; it is four miles long, and two broad ; almost covered by the sea in winter, but in summer affords good pasturage ; from it are exported to the capital, marble, freestone,•and lime.
Funen, the second of the Danish islands in extent, is 16 leagues long, and 11 broad. The Gulf of Odenzee runs considerably into it on the north-east. At the head of it stands the town of Odenzee, the ca pital. From twenty to thirty trading vessels belong to it. At Nyborg, on the Great Belt, a duty is paid by all merchant vessels passing through ; it is also the usual crossing-place to Zealand, and has a good port, and about as many vessels belonging to it as Odenzee. The island of Funen exports corn, and,
in the year there belonged to it fifty-seven vessels above 20 tons ; containing 2522 tons, with 109 men. From Rudkaebing, the only town on Langland, an island between Funen and Zealand, corn, salted meat, hides, honey, and wax are ex ported.
Laaland, the third of the Danish islands in size, is 11 leagues long, and from six to eight broad. Considerable portions of its coast are so low as to be inundated during the irregular elevations of the sea. The feathers of aquatic birds and corn are its princi pal exports. From this island Falster is separated •by Guldborg Sound, and from Awn by Grensund. It is eight leagues long, and from one to four broad. It exports corn and fruit. In the year 1799, there were in the bailiwick of Laaland and Falater four teen vessels, of 460 tons and 40 men. In the go vernment of Jutland, are the Islands of Lessee and Anholt, in the Cattegat ; the latter is surrounded by dangerous banks.
Bornholm• js an island about seven leagues and a half from the coast of Sweden, and upwards of 17 from the island of Rugen ; it is eight leagues long, and five and a half broad. Its shores are composed of steep rocks, surrounded by dangerous reefs. The principal imports are coffee, sugar, and to bacco ; the principal exports are salted cod, corn, poultry, and clay for the porcelain manufactory of Copenhagen, and freestone for its public build ings. The centre of commerce is at Ronne, near the middle of the west side of the Island. In 1800, this place employed 60 vessels and 180 boats, chiefly in the fisheries.
The first shore on the south of the Baltic is that of Holstein, the principal port-town of which is Kiel, a place of considerable commerce. The territory of Lubec succeeds. The city of Lubec is situate on the Trave, five leagues from its mouth. Its commerce is chiefly transit, and on commission, drawing from Russia, Sweden, and Denmark, their raw commodities, and supplying them with wines, silks, cloth, hardware, and colonial goods. It admits vessels of from 150 to 200 tons. In 1802 it had from 70 to 80 merchant vessels, and the same year 1868 entered, and 1234 cleared out. Travemunde, on the mouth of the Trave, about nine miles from Lubec, is the port where vessels destined to and from Lubec take their station. The Trave, near Lubec, is join ed b_y the Wakenitz, which, issuing from the Lake of Ratzeburgh, thus facilitates the water commu nication between Lubec and the interior.