CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE, associa tions formed by tradesmen and merchants for the purpose of protecting and furthering the commercial interests of the community to which the chamber belongs. In America and England the chambers of commerce are volun tary associations with no recognized official functions. In continental Europe chambers of commerce are endowed with official char acter, and are often vested with administrative functions concerning trade. In some countries it is made their duty to express their opinion in advance upon proposed legislation, and in the Hanse cities they must by law be consulted be fore certain kinds of legislation can be con sidered. Among the various methods employed to promote the ends of such associations are the following: The influence of legislative action for the benefit of commerce; not infrequently legislators engaged in drafting regulations affecting industry seek the views of the more important chamber of commerce, the collection of trade statistics, the gaining of economical or other advantages, by combination, the settle ment by arbitration of mercantile disagree ments. The oldest body of the nature of a chamber of commerce was started in Marseilles at the close of the 17th century. The value of such bodies became apparent and they sprang up rapidly throughout the civilized world. In mediaeval Venice and in the Hanse towns they do not seem to have existed in the sense in which they are understood to-day. The first institution of the kind in the United States, the New York Chamber of Commerce, was organ ized in 1768 and incorporated by royal charter from King George III in 1770. There are now similar bodies in every city and town of conse quence in the United States officered by men of standing in the community, and rendering in telligent and effective service. The oldest chamber of commerce in Great Britain, that of Glasgow, dates from 1783. Edinburgh fol lowed two years later, and for long held a leading position, but the most important British chamber of commerce at the present time is that of London, founded so lately as 1::1. It
has instituted a series of examinations in com merical subjects, and lectures are delivered under its auspices. Junior and senior com mercial certificates are granted after examina tion to those who display the amount of knowl edge required. In 1860 there was formed an Association of Chambers of Commerce of the United Kingdom, which holds annual meetings in London. It includes nearly 100 chambers.
The extension of the functions of chambers of commerce in the United States has been con siderable in the decade between 1890 and 1900. The movement had its origin in Germany and grew out of the organized efforts of the last 20 years to foster the world commerce of the empire. The chambers of commerce in leading cities like Berlin and Hamburg undertook the commercial training of young men, with a view i to their future advancement in mercantile life and the consular service. The result was the securing of a higher order of talent in such pursuits. The hint thus thrown out was promptly taken up in the United States. The New York Chamber of Commerce, in 1899, voted a 'fund for the endowment of a lecture course on commerce at Columbia University; in Chicago a chair of commerce was established by that city's chamber at the University of Chi cago, and in August 1900 a School of Com merce, Accounts and Finance was established by the University of New York. Students were assured in the event of a satisfactory course of study, that they would be given posts in leading commercial establishments or ap pointed to consular offices so far as influence could attain that result. The movement is destined to mark a new era in the influence of chambers of commerce.