or Elsinoor, a port-town of Denmark, seated on the Sound, in the isle of Zealand. E. Long. 13° 23'. N. Lat. 56° 0. — It was a small village, containing a few fishermen's huts, until 1445, when it was made a staple town by Eric of Pomerania; who conferred upon the new settlers considerable immunities, and built a castle for their defence. From that period it gradually increased in size and wealth, and is now the most commercial place in Denmark next to Copenhagen. It contains about 5000 inhabitants, amongst whom are a considerable number of foreign merchants, and the consuls of the principal nations trading to the Baltic. The passage of the Sound is guarded by the fortres of Cronborg, which is situated upon the edge of a peninsular promontory, the nearest point of land from the opposite coast of Sweden. It is strongly fortified towards the shore by ditches, bastions, and regular entrenchments; and towards the sea by several batteries, mounted with 60 cannon, the largest whereof are 48 pounders. Every vessel, as it passes, lowers her top-tops, and pays a toll at Elsinore. It is generally asserted, that this fortres guards the Sound; and that all the ships must, on account of the shoal waters and currents, steer so near the batteries as to be exposed to their fire in case of refusal. This, however, is a mistaken notion. On account indeed of the numerous and opposite currents in the Sound, the safest passage lies near the fortres; but the water in any part is of sufficient depth for vessels to keep at a distance from the batteries, and the largest ships can even sail close to the coast of Sweden. The constant discharge, however, of the toll, is not so much owing to the strength of the fortres as to a compliance with the public law of Europe. Many disputes have arisen concerning the right by which the crown of Denmark imposes such a duty. The kings of Sweden, in particular, claiming an equal title to the free passage of the Strait, were for some time exempted by treaty from paying it; but in 1720, Frederic I. agreed that all Swedish vessels should for the future be subject to the usual imposts. All vessels, beside a small duty, are rated at 1½ per cent. of their cargoes, except the English, French, Dutch, and Swedish, which pay only one per cent. and in return, the crown takes the charge of constructing light-houses, and erecting signals to mark the shoals and rocks, from the Categate to the entrance into the Baltic. The tolls of the Sound, and of the two Belts, supply an annual revenue of above £100,000.