LEIPZIG. This busy city, the second in rank but the first in commerce in Saxony, has extensive manufactures in oil, paper, musical and optical instruments, bronzed articles, hats, leather, hardware, &c. The town has a tri bunal of commerce, an exchange, savings' bank, a discount bank, and several assurance companies. There is a considerable trade in American and Russian furs ; and the wool fairs, especially that held in June, are very important. Leipzig, though comparatively small, has become one of the most important cities in Europe, owing to its university, its fairs, and its book trade. These fairs have laid the fotndation of the prosperity and wealth of Leipzig. The concourse of mer chants from various countries is very great, and the value of the manufactured goods of all kinds sold annually is estimated at upwards of three millions sterling.
The singular concentration of the German book-trade in Leipzig has been a main cause of the celebrity and wealth of that city. The
first two booksellers, who were also printers, that settled in Leipzig were Steiger and Bos kopf, in 1545. There are now 110 publishing establishments, and 23 great printing houses, with 14 printing machines and 260 presses. Above 40 millions of sheets are annually printed at Leipzig, and the bales of books brought thither every year amount on an average to 30,000 cwt. For the trans action of business, and settlement of accounts, there is a handsome building called the Booksellers' Exchange, which was opened in 1836.
At the Leipzig fairs of 1850 it was remarked that the attendance of great buyers had some what slackened : the increased facilities for travelling having enabled merchants to visit the manufacturing towns, and make some of their purchases there.