Evening Republican, Volume 22, Number 145, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 June 1919 — "MERCHANTS' HAVEN" [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

"MERCHANTS' HAVEN"

THE Vikings, scudding about In their little sailing ships to plunder, pretty well controlled commerce a dozen centuries ago. In the course of their scuddings they founded on the north coast of the island of Sjaelland, where nature had provided a protected harbor, a town which they called Kobenhavn, or “merchants’ haven,” and which is now known to the world as Copenhagen, capital of Denmark. The merchandising done at this haweircbiisistediafgeTytnfhbsedays' of receiving stolen treasures from the big blond raiders and providing the sea rovers in return with mead for their drinking horns. The traders flourished and eventually began to find some outlet beyond their own country for their increasing stocks, and thus Copenhagen -grew to commercial importance, so much so, in fact, that it became one of the influential members of the Hanseatic league and a rival of Hamburg, Bremen, Lubeck and the German North sea and Baltic ports. In the Thirty Years’ war Germany was torn and plundered and Copenhagen took a spurt ahead of its German rivals. King Christian IV, recognizing Denmark’s opportunity, promoted trade. In 1620 he built on one of the waterways which cut into the city a house, and that striking, many gabled structure still is used as a stock exchange. It is of red tapestry brick and is surmounted by a spire formed by the twisting together, ropelike of the bodies of four great copper dragons. This spire, green with the verdigris of centuries, may be seen on clear days far out over the Oresund. that separates Denmark from Sweden. Germans Got the Trade. But in later,days the Danish traders lost some of the aggressiveness of Eric the Red and old Christian, while the north Germans became more and more the merchants of the Baltic and the North sea. Then came the theft by Prussia of Schleswig-Holstein and later the digging of the Kiel canal. Copenhagen became an easy-going city of a glorious past, while the ships from the seven seas anchored at Hamburg or Bremen. The world war, however, gave Copenhagen another opportunity, and now the old “Merchants’ Haven” hopes again to take mercantile sea honors from the castle banner of Hamburg. Regarding Copenhagen’s aspirations, Albert E. Haase, writing in the New York Times, says: The war made Copenhagen a clearing house for Europe. As the capital of one of the most important neutral European countries itdjecame a political center of great significance. Changed conditions brought prosperity and a new class of business men assumed control. The financier supplanted the Iproducer. Denmark’s financial system was,, even before the war, sound. Her methods for mobilizing her credits had long been accepted by the financial world. Old banks expanded and new banks came into existence. It is reported that deposits grew to almost four times their pre-war amount. Ihsurance records of old Denmark were shattered in a manner that never had been thought possible; for Copenhagen became the place in which American and European insurance companies placed their reinsurance, a business which -had once gone to the central powers. On the heels of this increased financial Rower came a positive assertion of-Initiative on the part of the Danish business man. World-wide trading organizations came Into being and Copenhagen became the home of these organizations, the branches of which were chiefly in countries at war with Germany. Among these organizations is the Transatlantic company, which was started ip 1916, to compile information regarding foreign trade and to invest capital in firms engaged in foreign trade. This organization has, so far, succeeded in associating itself with seventeen importing and exporting companies. Another important organization is the General Commercial Company, Ltd., started in 1917, which differs fyom the Transatlantic company only in that it is concerned chieflyVith Russia and South America. Though increased financial power and strong commercial organizations free from German influence are sources of stfong assurance to the Danish trader, yet the frOe port has been the foundation of the, confidence upon which they have placed their hopes. Their confidence in Copenhagen’s free port has not been lessened by the constant warnings that Sweden and Norway will not stand with* folded arms while Denmark attempts to gain supremacy in

the Baltic trade. Again and again the warning is made that Malmo and Gothenburg in Sweden, and Bergen and Christiania in Norway, are planning free harbors. The Dane knows that more cities of Scandinavia will be needed to handle the enormous resulting traffic* yet he is well aware of the sact f that the geographical position of either Malmo or Gothenburg is not as favorable as that of Copenhagen. Norway’s claims do not loom large, for Bergen and Christiania cannot be plslced in the same category with” Gothenburg or Malnio. A Free Port 25 Years. The port of Copenhagen has been free for more than 25 years. For a period of years it was not improved, but during the war changes have been made and a real development has taken place. It has been estimated that more than $10,000,000 has been spent thus. Its tonnage capacity, reported to be 1.600,000, has been pronounced as inadequate for the traffic which Copenhagen may expect. This condition, however, may be easily overcome, since the free port, being north of the city, is at a point where it may be enlarged to twice its present capacity. The free port is a semiofficial institution, and is in close connection with the Danish customs department. In fact, it is an agency of that department* Like all other free ports, it offers certain advantages to the foreign manufacturer. Goods may be stored in its buildings free of duty for any length of time. Thus the privilege is afforded to the Baltic distributor of having a convenient storehouse for his goods, which may accumulate during a slack season. When the demand becomes heavy the Baltic trader is in a position to meet the wants of his customers immediately. The cargoes of ocean-go-ing vessels may be unloaded at Copenhagen and distributed in the Baltic regions by the smaller steamers which call at the less important Baltic ports. These steamers would return to Copenhagen with the exports of the Baltic regions, which would form the return cargo of the ocean-going Vessels. The convenience which the Copenhagen free port affords the foreign manufacturer is not confined to the Baltic territory alone; for Copenhagen may well take Hamburg’s place for all Europe. As Hamburg was at one time so Copenhagen is now a terminus for many ships calling at all ports of the world, and chiefly European ports. Hence it offers the same service that Hamburg did in former years, that ia» quick and cheap transshipment of goods, when the demand is heavy, to all important European ports.

Canal In Copenhagen.