STADE DUTIES are so called from Stade, in the kingdom of Hanover, a town situated on the right bank of the Schwinge, three or four miles from where it falls into the Elbe, and 22 miles west by north from the city of Hamburg. The name Brunshausen Tolls is now more commonly used, from the village of Brunshausen, at the mouth of the Schwinge, where there is a custom-house and a royal guard-ship, and where the duties are collected which are levied on vessels and merchandise passing up the Elbe. The original duties, which were regulated by a treaty made in 1691, were light, but were gradually increased by the Hanoverian government till they amounted to about 40,0001. a-year. The duties levied were about per cent. ad valorem, more on some articles and less on others. British vessels by a procla mation of Geo. II., December 1, 1736, were allowed under certain regulations to sail directly up to Hamburg, without coming to anchor at the mouth of the Schwinge, as other foreign vessels were obliged to do.
By a convention between the King of Hanover and the heads of the other Elbe-bordering states (Emperor cf Austria, King of Prussia, King of Saxony, King of Denmark, Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Duke of Anhalt-Coethen, Duke of Anhalt-Dessau, Duke of Anhalt Bemburg, Free and Hanseatic town of Lubeck, and Free and Hanseatic town of Hamburg), dated April 13, 1844, in conformity with articles 108 and 116 of Act of Congress of Vienna, of June 9, 1815, the Brunshausen Tolls were revised, regulated, and settled according to a Toll-Tariff agreed upon by the contracting parties.
These rates, by a treaty with Great Britain in July, 1844, were to continue in force till January 1, 1854. The treaty was then renewed, temporarily, while the question of the abolition of the duties was considered, as they were felt to be oppressive and unjust, nothing being done to benefit the navigation in return for them. At length a compensation of 3,000,000/. was offered, of which Hamburg, which would derive the greatest benefit, was to pay one-third ; Great Britain 1,125,206/., and all the other commercial states of Europe with the United States of America the remainder, in proportion to their com merce. This has been agreed to, but the ratification has not yet been completed.