Page:Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition, v. 11.djvu/425

HAMBURG 405 metres long and 1200 metres wide at the widest) that of the Outer Alster (Aussen Alster). The fortifications as such were removed in 1815, but they have left their trace in a fine girdle of green round the city, though too many inroads on its completeness have been made by railways and roadways. The oldest portion of the city is that which lies to the east of the Alster; but, though it still retains the name of Altstadt, nearly all trace of its antiquity has disappeared, as it was rebuilt after the great fire of 1842. To the west lies the new town, incorporated in 1678; beyond this and contiguous to Altona is the quondam suburb of St Paul s, incorporated in 1876, and towards the north-east is the quondam suburb of St George, which arose in the 1 3th century, but was not incorporated till 1868. The old town lies low, and it is traversed by a great number of narrow canals or " fleets" (for the same word which has left its trace in London nomenclature is used in the Low-German city), which add considerably to the picturesqueness of the meaner quarters, and serve as convenient channels for the transport of goods. They generally form what may be called the back streets, and they are bordered by warehouses, cellars, and the lower class of dwelling-houses. As they are subject to the ebb and flow of the Elbe, at certain times they run quite dry, and afford a field of operations for ue fleetenkieker, who wanders along the oozy channel to pick up any articles of value, and at other times they are filled 15 to 20 feet above their ordinary level. 1 As soon as the telegram at Cuxhaven announces high tide three shots are fired from the Stintfang at the harbour to warn the inhabitants of the " fleets" ; and if the progress of the tide up the river gives indication of danger, other three shots add emphasis to the warning. Then the dwellers on the lower levels make a rapid escape 1. Schiller s Monument. 2. Adolph von Schaum- berg s Monument. S.New School Buildings. 4. St James s Church. r>. Markt Halle. 0. Thalia Theatre. Plan of Hambur< 8. Johanneum and 11. Bank. Town Library. 9. St Catherine s Cl). 12. Exchange. 1 14. Post-Office. 15. Town Theatre. 7. St Peter s Church. 1 10. St Nicholas Ch. 13. Site of Old Town-; Ifi. Synagogue. Hall. with their property. At the time of the equinoxes the inundation may be repeated for several days in succession ; but when all is over the people (the Liid von cle Water- kant) return like rats to their oozy and dripping abodes. In fine contrast to the dull and dismal fleets is the bright and handsome appearance of the Inner Alster, which is enclosed on three sides by handsome rows of buildings, the Alsterdamm in the south-east, the Old Jungfernstiog in the south-west, and the New Jungfernstieg on the north- west, while it is separated from the Outer Alster by part of _the rampart gardens traversed by the railway which unites Hamburg with Altona. These streets and especially the Old Jungfernstieg are fashionable promenades. The largest of the public squares of Hamburg is the Hopfen- markt, which contains the church of St Nicholas, and is the principal market for fish, meat, vegetables, and fruit ; 1 17. Observatory. 18. Sailors Home. 19. English Episcopal Church. 20. St Michael s Ch. 21. Town-House or liathhaus. 22. Sailors Poor- house. others of importance are the Gansemarkt or Goose Market, the Zeughausmarkt, and the Great New Market. The churchyards, of which several are pleasantly laid out, are all to be removed to Ohlsdorf, about 4 miles from the town. Of the churches actually existing in Hamburg (the old cathedral had to be taken down in 1805), St Peter s, St Nicholas, St Catharine s, St James s, and St Michael s are those that give name to the five old city parishes. The church of St Nicholas is remarkable more especially for its tower, which until the spire of the Cologne cathedral reaches its projected elevation of 511 feet, will probably continue to be the second highest building in the world, rising- as ifc 1 In 1843 pegels or water-gauges were established at Hamburg and Cuxhaven. In 1872 their zeros were lowered respectively 9 - 80 and 4 31 ft., so that they both stand 9 6 ft. above the zero of Harburg

and 107 above that of Kiel.