HAN'BITRG, TUE REPUBLIC OF, is the largest of the free cities of Germany, and is situated in lat. 53° 32' n., and long. 9° 58' e., on the n. bank of the Elbe, at its junction with the small streams of the Alster and the Bille, about 75 in from the German ocean. Hamburg Was founded by Charlemagne in 804, but its commercial history began in the 13th c., when the emperor Frederick I. granted it the free navigation of the )Elbe from the city to the sea, with the right of levying a toll on foreign shipping. These privi leges were confirmed by his son, Otho IV., who raised Hamburg to the rank of a free city. In 1241 Hamburg joined with Lnbeek in the formation of the Hanseatic league (q.v.), and from that time increased rapidly in wealth and commercial importance,' augmenting its territory by the purchase of the township of Ritzebrittel, at the mouth of the Elbe (where the harbor of Cuxhaven is now situated), and several villages and islands in the vicinity of the town. Under the protection of the German emperors, Hamburg soon became powerful enough to defend itself and its commerce both by sea and land, and carried on war for a considerable period against the Dutch and the Danes. though with varying success. It early embraced the doctrines of the refor mation, and m consequence of the vigorous administration of its affairs, never had an enemy within its walls during the stormy period of 'the thirty years' war. The fre quently recurring disputes with Denmark ceased in 1768, when that power renounced all claim to any portion of the Hamburg- territory, The prosperity of the city continued to increase until 1799, when it great commercial crisis occurred, fullowed in 1806 by its occupation by the French, which, with a few interruptions, lasted till 1814. During this period the town was strongly fortified, it being Napoleon's intention to make Hamburg the stronghold of his power in northern Germany. The sufferings of the citizens were very great, and their losses were estimated at £10,500,000. Their miseries culminated in the siege which the French under Davout sustained from the Russians in the winter of when 30.000 people were driven out of the town, many of whom perished of cold and hunger. In 1815 Hamburg joined the German confederation, and enjoyed a return of its former prosperity until the terrible fire of 1842, by which, within three days, one-third of the city was destroyed, and great loss of life and property took place. The fire was, however, not an unmixed evil, for advantage was taken of the oppor tunity to reconstruct that portion of the town, which by its broad, well-lighted, and well-drained streets, and fine and lofty houses, offers a striking contrast to the remain ing part, much of which is devoted to wholesale business, and intersected by canals communicating with each other and with the river, by which goods are conveyed in lighters to and from the warehouses. The old ramparts have been converted into
gardens and walks, and the beauty of the city is greatly increased by two large sheets of water formed by the Alger. and surrounded by good hotels and private houses, many of which in the suburb of Uhlenhorst, about two miles from Hamburg, are very charming.
There are several fine buildings, of which the exchange—where 4,000 merchants and others meet daily—and the picture gallery are the principal. Among the churches the principal are—St. Nicholas's, built from designs by sir Gilbert Scott, at a cost of £200, 000. as a memorial of the fire of 1842. a very film Gothic building, with one of the loftiest spires in Europe (983 ft. high); St. Michael's, built in the 18th c., in the Renaissance style, and also by a lofty spire (432 ft. high); and St. Cathnrine's, which is interesting from its age, being one of the few churches that escaped the fire.
Hamburg is the commercial emporium of northern Europe, and has recently been connected by bridges across the northern and southern branches of the Elbe with liar burg in Hanover, by which direct railway communication has been obtained with the free city of Bremen, and the route to Paris shortened by several hours. Great facilities have been given for the loading and discharging of steamers by the recent construction of extensive quays furnished with steam-cranes. warehouses, and communication by rail with the whole of the continent. Constant efforts are made to deepen the bed of the river, and under favorable circumstances vessels drawing 18 ft. can go up to the harbor at high tide. The number of sea-going ships that entered the port in 1876 was 4,991, with a burden of 2.180,451 tons, including 2,903 steamers of 1.721,048 tons, the total crews being over 70,000. ,The annual imports" have trebled within the last 21 years. The goods sca,land, mid river, on au average of the five years 1801 -73, amounted to 62,624,000 cwts., with a value of £78.680,000 per annum, of which 24,270,000 cwts., valued at £28,806,000, were front the United Kingdom. The average weight of the outward cargoes in the same period was about 12,000 cwts. In 1875 the total value of imports was £85,050,000.