HESSE-DARMSTADT

HESSE-DARMSTADT, a grand duchy of Germany. This dominion is not compact, but consists of two portions of nearly equal extent, and of several smaller detached parts, and is on both sides the river Rhine. The southern portion is bounded on the north-west by Nassau, on the north by Frankfort and Hesse-Cassel, on the north-east and east by Bavaria, on the south by Baden, on the south-west by Bavaria, and on the west by Prussia. The northern portion, some parts of which are separate from the others, is enclosed in the territory of Waldeck and of Nassau, and some are surrounded by Prussia, whilst others are in contact with Frankfort and with Hamburg. The whole extent is 4070 square miles, and it is divided into the following provinces, viz.

According to the returns of 1826, the duchy contained 97 cities, 56 market-towns, and 2136 villages, with 99,203 houses. The religious denominations in 1822 were: Lutherans 391,185, Catholics 157,792, Calvinists 108,255, Jews 14,982, and Menonites 986. Although the population has greatly increased since that date, the proportion of the several sects to each other is not supposed to have been altered, the numbers of the clergy continuing the same, viz. 686 Lutherans, 166 Catholics, and 126 Calvinists. This is one of those states the territory of which has been augmented by the events of the revolutionary wars, having increased between the peace of Luneville in 1801 and the year 1816, to more than double its former extent.

Hesse-Darmstadt. The whole of the territory is rather mountainous. None of the elevations, however, exceeds 2000 feet; but in the southern division, where the majestic Rhine breaks through the land, there are on both its sides extensive plains, rich and fertile, and in the northern part, near the Maine, some moderately large valleys. It is generally a well-watered country. Its streams empty themselves into the sea by the Rhine and the Weser. The first of these rivers receives the waters of the Pfir, the Selze, the Nahe, the Neckar, the Maine, and the Lahn; the latter only the streams of the Altfell, the Schwalm, and the Eber. Few districts of the same extent have a greater variety of climate. In the neighbourhood of the Rhine and the Maine it is mild and agreeable, the winter is short, the summer warm, and the air generally dry. The hay harvest begins early in June, the corn harvest in the middle of July, and the vintage in the latter part of September. On the Odenwald, on the other hand, the climate is raw and cold, the spring begins later, and the fruits ripen several weeks later.

Considering that the ancient rotation of a fallow succeeded by two corn crops is commonly adhered to, the land is productive of corn; but rye is the greatest crop in extent, though some good wheat is grown. Fruit is very abundant, but in general little selection is made of the best kinds of each. Apples, pears, plums, almonds, and chestnuts abound. Wine is, next to corn, the most important production, and the annual value of what is raised is estimated to amount to about half as much as that of the grain. The breeds of cattle present nothing remarkable: the cows are tolerable, the sheep not numerous, and the horses rather few; no pains being taken to improve the races. Wood is an important article, because it can be easily conveyed from the forests by the Maine and the Rhine to the great market for that commodity in Holland.

The mineral wealth consists of the produce of some iron and copper mines, in the latter of which cobalt is found; but the quantity of these articles is insufficient for the consumption. The manufactures of Hesse-Darmstadt consist chiefly in working up the raw materials of wool, flax, and iron, into articles for internal consumption; and, besides these, there are small establishments for making paper, glass, copper, and iron; whilst the people in the more barren parts are industrious and ingenious in making a variety of toys and wood utensils.

The chief articles of export are winter and summer barley, wine, tobacco, rape oil, dried fruits, madder, clover-seed, wood, honey, wax, and feathers. These are given in exchange for colonial goods, generally conveyed from the ports of Holland, and in articles of dress and furniture, brought from France or from the Netherlands.

Education is well attended to. In the university of Giessen there are 480 students; there is a medical school at Mayence, and a gymnasium in Darmstadt, Mayence, and Worms, and village schools in all parts, excepting on the west bank of the Rhine, which was so long possessed by the French.

The government is hereditary: the grand duke is addressed as his Royal Highness, and till 1820 was an unlimited sovereign. In that year a representation was introduced, divided into two chambers, who concur with the sovereign in the formation of new laws.

The revenues of the state amount to L.587,600 sterling, of which domains and royalties of the prince yield L.150,000, and the remainder is derived from direct and indirect taxes. The expenses, including interest on the public debt, are nearly equal to the income. The debt is about L.1,430,000, and the interest on it is L.68,190. The army consists of 1380 cavalry, 5880 infantry, 650 artillery, and 660 gendarmes, in all 8421. The contingent which Hesse-Darm-

stadt is bound to furnish to the Germanic confederation is 6195 men.

Hesse-Homburg, a small independent principality in Germany, under the government of a prince of the family of Hesse-Darmstadt. Towards the west it is bounded by the territory of Nassau, but on all the other sides by that of Hesse. It has, however, a part of its possessions to the west of the Rhine, surrounded by the provinces of Prussia, of Bavaria, and of Lichtenburg. The whole extent of both divisions is 170 square miles. It contains three cities or towns, thirty villages, twenty-seven hamlets, with 3250 houses, and 20,400 inhabitants, of whom 12,700 are Calvinists, 5500 Lutherans, 2050 Catholics, and a few Jews. It is divided into two provinces, viz. Homburg on the east, and Meisenheim to the west of the Rhine. The latter is the largest division. They are both well cultivated, and yield a surplus of corn, wool, flax, and wood; and Meisenheim grows some good wine, and has coal-pits, by which it is enabled to carry on some manufactures of glass and of ironmongery goods. The revenues of the state amount to about L.18,000 sterling, besides some estates of the sovereign, of L.3500, arising from private estates in the Prussian province of Saxony. The debt of the state is about L.45,000, which is gradually lessening. Homburg furnishes a contingent of two hundred men to the general confederation. Homburg, the capital, and the residence of the prince, is situated on the river Eschbach, and is overlooked by the palace, from whence is a most extensive prospect. It contains a church for each of the religious sects, and a synagogue for Jews, with 388 houses, and 2964 inhabitants, who find occupation in making flannels, linen goods, and hosiery, and in supplying fruit to the market of Frankfurt.