This city has undergone a variety of revolutions. It was made an archbishop's see by Lewis the Debonnaire in 833; but the see was afterwards transferred to Bremen. Upon the extinction of the Carlovingian line, it became subject to the dukes of Saxony, of whom it was afterwards held by the counts of Holstein. Adolphus III. in con deration of a sum of money, with which the Hamburghers furnished him upon his expedition to the Holy Land, fa voured them with a great many privileges, which were sub sequently confirmed by the Emperor Barbarossa. The ci tizens afterwards purchased their entire liberty from Albert of Orlamund, Count of Holstein, for the sum of fifteen hundred marks of silver ; and it was confirmed to them by succeeding counts, as well as by Christian I. king of Den mark, after the county of Holstein had devolved to that crown. The Danish kings, however, have, on several oc casions, revived their claims to the sovereignty of this city, which has frequently obliged the inhabitants to pay very large sums for the confirmation of their liberties. But Hamburgh was declared a free imperial city in the year 1618, and was summoned to the diet of the empire in 1641.
The government of this city is vested in the senate and the three colleges of burghers. The former exercises the executive power, and has the right of assembling and dis solving the body of the burghers ; the latter grant taxes, and administer the revenue. The senate consists of thirty-six per sons, viz. four burgomasters, four syndycs, twenty-four counsellors, and four secretaries or clerks, the chief of whom is called a prothonotary. The burgomasters and counsellors only have votes. When a vacancy occurs, a new member is chosen by lot. The members of the legislative body are cho sen from the five parishes or wards of the city. The first col lege consists of the aldermen, three of whom are chosen by the inhabitants of each parish. Every parish also sends nine persons to the second, and twenty-four to the third college. The ordinary business is regularly brought by the senate before this assembly; but when there is a new law to be made, or a new tax to be raised, after having passed this court, the measure must farther be laid before a general assembly of the burghers, in which every inhabi tant householder may appear and give his vote.
Hamburgh is most advantageously situated for trade and commerce, both foreign and domestic. The Elbe forms a good harbour, being navigable for ships of large burthen until within four miles of the town, when they must unload into smaller vessels, which, by means of the canals which traverse the city, can be brought to the very doors of the warehouses. At the period when the Hanseatic league was formed, Hamburgh became a principal member of that celebrated confederacy, which brought the trade of the world to the ports of the Baltic and the north of Germany. In subsequent times, when the other nations of Europe, par ticularly the Dutch and the English, cultivated a more ex tensive commerce, the trade of Hamburgh, along with that of the other Hanseatic towns, declined. But its situ
ation is so favourable, that it has always been able to com mand a considerable commerce, especially when the great maritime powers are at war, as Hamburgh then becomes the great mart for colonial produce for the sup ply of the continent of Europe. During the war of the French revolution, the trade of this city rapidly increased ; and it still continued to enjoy the advantages of its situation, capital, and credit, under the continental system adopted by Bonaparte, in consequence of which, most of the ports of Europe were shut against the commerce with England. AVhile the blockade of the Elbe continued, the merchants of Hamburgh still carried on a profitable, though circui tous, trade, by the Danish ports of Tonningen and Husum. But the prosperity of this commercial city received a se vere blow by its forcible seizure and unnatural incorpora tion with the French empire, and the subsequent plunder of the bank. Since the overthrow of Bonaparte's system, and the consequent return of Hamburgh under its old laws and government, that city may be expected to recover, in some measure, its former prosperity and importance.
The commerce of Hamburgh consists 1st, In the ex port of its manufactured produce ; 2dly, In the importa tion of foreign merchandise ; and idly, In the re-exporta tion of these last articles to different parts of the continent. The principal manufactures of this city are, the refining of sugar, the printing of cotton cloths, the manufacture of vel vets and silk stuffs, of laces, metal buttons, knit stockings, sail cloth, Etc. The establishments for the refining of sugar, which are very numerous, have been long flourishing, and arc esteemed among the best in Europe. It has been calculated thatthey produced daily 700 small loaves of sugar, of about 4 pounds weight, and 400 large loaves, from 6 to 7 pounds. The raw sugar is procured chiefly from England, the earth used in purifying it from Rouen, and a great part of the manufactured article is exported to Russia. The printing of cotton formerly employed twelve establishments, which gave occupation to 600 workmen each; but their number has been since greatly reduced, in consequence of similar manufactories having been established in other countries. There are about twenty establishments for the manufacture of velvets and laces, which are exported to Russia and different parts of Germany. The manufacture of silk stuffs and woollens is inconsiderable, and only for home consump tion. That of knit stockings is of more importance. They are sent into the interior of Germany, and some occasionally to Italy. Dyeing forms another branch of the manufactures of Hamburgh, whose dyers arc esteemed the best in Germany. Besides its own manufactures, Hamburgh imports from England, France, Holland, Italy, &c. all sorts of rich silk stuffs, and the finest velvet brocades, besides fine cloths of all kinds, for the purpose of re-exportation. This city also exports timber to a considerable amount annually, par ticularly to France and Spain.