kraks vejviser 1934 handelsvejviser

229

DANISH SHIPPING and other Communications. Navigation du Danemark — Danemarks Schiffahrt — La Navigacion de Dinamarca.

The economic position of a country and its relative share in the world turnover are more dependent on the country’s Communications than upon anything else. Therefore, as the great political economist Adam Smith has written, advances in this domain are the most im- portant of all. The geographical position of Denmark, between the Baltic and the North Sea—both of great importance to international commerce — together with the faet that the country has an unusually long coast line (about 130 geographical miles for every 100 square miles), pos- sessing a large number of excellent harbours, is responsible for the faet that the Danes have from olden times been one of the foremost seafaring nations of the world. Only three nations have a larger merchant fleet in proportion to the size of the population viz: Norway, Gt. Britain and the Netherlands. „ The Ports. *" Harbour towns existed in Denmark as far back as in the Viking age, and were in- variably found situated down the many fiords, thereby permitting what was deemed the most effeetive protection against the depredations of pirates. Later on harbour towns arose along the coast sheltered by the castles of the Crown or the Nobility. Of Denmark’s 81 market towns 65 possess harbours, 5 are situated in the vicinity of loading places, and 11 only are inland towns proper. Moreover there are in addition to the market towns over 200 small harbours (fishing etc.), ferry stations and landing piers. The stormy west coast of Jutland, inaccessible for shipping by reason of the many sand reefs, offers most ‘formidable resistance to the construction of harbours, and it was only after a special Act of Parliament was passed on the 24th of April 1864 that the construction of a large harbour at Esbjerg could be commenced. It is from this port that a material part of the Danish export of agricultural produce takes place. The Danish State owns the harbours in Elsinore, Frederikshavn, Esbjerg and Skagen (The Shaw) 'and also some of the larger fishing harbours. Most of the Danish harbours in the market towns belong to the respective municipalities. The Port of Copenhagen is an indepen- dent~ institution, in the management of which the State, the Municipality and the large trade organizations are represented. 'J'he Copenhagen Free Port is owned by the Copenhagen Har­ bour Board but is managed by a joint stock company. The Federation of Danish Ports (Sammenslutningen af danske Havne) comprises most of the Danish provincial ports. Detailed mention of these ports will be found on page 236 and following pages. After the extensions carried out during the last ten years the Port of Copenhagen and the Copenhagen Free Port together constitute the largest and best harbour in Scandinavia and the Baltic. It has a total length of quayage of 35 km. The greatest depth of water is 10 m. which enables the largest vessels to navigate the harbour (See advertisement on page 234—235): The Free Port was opened in 1894 (the same year as the Kiel Canal) and it is of great importance to Copenhagen as a distributing centre to the Baltic. Also several of the Danish provincial ports have daring and after the Great War been extended and deepened considerably, and may now be called at direct by very large vessels. These ports are provided with modern technical facilities^ of various kinds and there are cranes, silos, elevators, tugs, icebreakers, railway lines down to the quays, tanks, bunkering sta­ tions, drydocks etc. permitting of an expeditious dispatch in loading and discharging, the execution of repairs and the provisioning of ships e£c. etc. An excellent pilotage and beaconage service facilitates navigation.