BREMEN, GERMANY, _Nov. 21, 1854_.
My last was from Hanover. I now write from this free port and
commercial city, situated upon the banks of the Weser, which river
divides the old and new town. Its gardens are laid out in English
style, giving the new town a neat appearance, and many improvements
have been made since my visit in the summer of 1848.
Small vessels come to the city, but the larger class of steamers and
ships remain at Bremen harbor, a few leagues below.
The chief trade is with America. The quantity of cigars manufactured
from our tobacco is enormous, employing some thousands of persons, and
scattering the manufactured article throughout this land of smokers.
The number of emigrants forwarded to America is scarcely credible.
In most of the German cities, under the “Rathhaus,” or town hall, is a
wholesale and retail wine cellar, the profits of which accrue to the
church, bishopric, or city authorities, according to the circumstances
of an early granted privilege. Since the German reformation the right
here belongs to the municipality: and the cellars under the town-hall
are shown to strangers as among the prominent curiosities of the city.
The long succession of basements contains the choice qualities of
Rhine wine, in huge oak casks, varying in size, the largest containing
thirty-six thousand bottles of “_Rudesheimer_,” of the vintage of
1806. The heads of the mammoth casks are well braced by cross pieces,
with sculptured allegorical and historical figures in wood, and highly
gilded. In one room, the god Bacchus, and his followers, of life size,
all gilded and crowned with wreaths of grape vines filled with fruit,
are seated upon the centre of one of three large vats, dating back as
far as 1624. One of the cellars most renowned for quality is called
the Rose, and another the Twelve Apostles, from its containing only
twelve casks, whose names are painted upon metal plates, which are
attached to the heads. The wine in these casks is the delicious, light
_Hockheimer_ Rhine wine of 1718. The rivalry lies between Peter,
Simon, and Judas. A manager is appointed by the city authorities,
subject to the supervision of the director, and monthly reports are
made. City funds are appropriated, and the supply is kept up from the
last vintages, so that the public may be supplied with a pure article
at moderate prices. A large old sign, in the _Rose Keller_, has
the following inscription, literally translated from the German: “What
to the stomach, to the body, and to the heart, health, vigor and spirit
can give, can console the afflicted, can revive half dead persons,
yields this Rose wine.”