The universal geography : earth and its inhabitants

COPENHAGEN.G3sea, and the land route between two peninsulas. All the passenger and goodstraffic between Great Britain, Germany, Sweden, and the Baltic converges here,so that Copenhagen has naturally become a great commercial centre. It stands onthe Sound, which, although not the only, is by far the safest and most convenientchannel communicating with the Baltic. Vessels can often pass from sea to seaunder one tack, and the prevailing west wind is almost as favourable to the egressas it is to the ingress to the Baltic.The proper site for the capital of the state might seem to be Elsinore, at thenorthern entrance to the Sound, where it narrows to the proportions of a riverand this place has accordingly been always of the greateststrategical importance,especially since the introduction of artillery sweeping right across the channel.Still the actual site of Copenhagen presented the great advantage of a safe roadstead,a vast natural haven. The inlet between Sjalland and the islet of Amagcroffered a tempting port to vessels navigating these waters, which they did notfailto avail themselves of as the traffic between the two seas became more regular.The first historical reference to the place in 1043 speaks of it as simply theHafn, or " Haven," as if it were such in a superlative sense. About 1200 theDanish chronicler Saxo Grammaticus calls it Portus Mercatorum, a name it hassince retained. Even strategically its position is as important as that of Elsinore,for the ship channel hugs its shores, continuing southwards through the DrogenStrait between Amager and Saltholm, while the Swedish side is blocked by shoalsand rocks. Thus the Copenhagen forts, like those of Elsinore, command all thenavigable portion of the Sound, and when this place became a royal residence itspolitical supremacy was easily established. Its influence soon reached far beyondthe Danish lands proper, and the most populous city of Scandinavia aspired to tbeposition of common capital of the Norse world.But notwithstanding its admirablecommercial situation, tbe lands surrounding it were not sufficiently compact toenable it to maintain its supremacy amongst the cities of the North. Comparedwith the great powers hemming her in, Denmark herself is too insignificant torely any longer on her own resources, and her best hopes of preserving herautonomy are placed in the rivalry of her neighbours. " St. Petersburg," saidits founder, " is a window opening on Europe." Might not Copenhagen become awindow opening on the world ? Happily two, and, including England, threeformidable rivals have their eyes equally turned in this direction.Copenhagen stands, so to say, on a strait between Sjalland and Amager. Shiftingsands have been reclaimed by means of embankments, and islets still preservingtheir name of holm have been united with the shore. But the numerous canalsabout the naval and mercantile ports give the place quite a Dutch appearance.Often ravaged by fire, it is largely a modern city, and the walls and ditchesformerly enclosing it landwards have been almost completely levelled to makeroom for its expansion, especially towards the north and west, in the direction ofFrederiksberg. But the city proper is separated from the coast by a citadel andforts facing seawards, and fortifications have even been raised on artificial islets inthe midst of the waters. These frowning batteries still recall the gallant defence