Page:EB1922 - Volume 31.djvu/371

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HAMBURG—HAMILTON
335

HAMBURG, Germany (see 12.871). Pop., according to the census of 1919, 1,050,359; in 1910, 1,014,664. The commerce, industry and shipping of Hamburg had constantly been increas- ing up to the outbreak of the World War, as was particularly manifested by the development of the Hamburg-Amerika line. That shipping company increased its capital in the year 1912 by 25 million marks (pre-war = 1,2 50,000), in order to deal with the constantly growing traffic. On April 3 1913 the Ham- burg-Amerika line launched the s.S. " Vaterland," which was the greatest passenger steamship in the world. Again on Nov. 8 1913 it raised its capital from 150 to 180 million marks (9,000,- ooo) . In its business controversies with the North German Lloyd, the Hamburg-Amerika line pursued the path of developing as rapidly as possible into the greatest German shipping company. Simultaneously the intellectual and commercial life of Hamburg were greatly quickened. In Jan. 1912 the elevated and under- ground railway was opened. In April 1911 the Hamburg Senate proposed the appointment of a committee of the Burgerschaft (the representative assembly of the citizens) to consider the question of a university. A bill for the foundation of a university with three faculties was adopted by the Senate in Dec. 1912, but in Oct. 1913 was rejected by a majority of 80 against 73 by the Burgerschaft.

The prosperous development of Hamburg was suddenly interrupted by the war. The 25oth anniversary of the Chamber of Commerce was commemorated on Jan. 19 1915 under the shadow of economic decline. On April 18 1917 the Burgerschaft had appointed a commission with a view to bringing about a reform of the class franchise which had hitherto existed in the Hanseatic cities (Hamburg, Bremen and Liibeck). A measure of electoral reform for Hamburg was adopted on June n 1917. The city and territory nevertheless had as severe an experience of the revolutionary movement as any region in Germany. The Council of Workmen and Soldiers which had been set up in the first days of Nov. 1918 assumed complete political power on Nov. 13. The Council wanted to form a state of Great Ham- burg by adding portions of Prussian territory. The region of Cuxhaven belonging to Hamburg declared its independence on Jan. ii 1919 under Spartacist (Communist) leadership. The republic of Cuxhaven, however, only lasted four days; it was overthrown on Jan. 15 by the officials, the state employees and the schoolmasters of Hamburg. At the end of Jan. and at the beginning of Feb. 1919, Communist disturbances broke out in the city itself; they were due in part to the occupation of Bremen by troops of the German Reich. For a brief period the Communist working classes of Hamburg remained under arms, but were ultimately disarmed by the soldiers who had remained faithful to the Government of the Reich.

In those days of revolutionary tempest the university of Hamburg was founded on March 28 1918; a very democratic constitution was conferred upon it on Jan. 28 1921 by the law of the Reich dealing with the governing bodies of higher institutes of learning and scientific teaching (Hochschulbehijrdengesetz).

An election for the Hamburg Burgerschaft took place on March 16 1919, when 81 Majority (moderate) Socialists, 13 Independent (extreme) Socialists, 33 Democrats, 14 members of the German People's party (old National Liberals), 13 representatives of the Economic League (lower middle class, tradesmen, etc.), and six members of the German National party (the old Conservatives) and the Catholic Centre were elected. The new constitution of Hamburg was adopted on Dec. 29 1920 by 95 votes against a minority of 4.. consisting of the whole of the Right and the Communists.

This new constitution, which was adopted in a similar form in the other two Hanseatic cities (Bremen and Liibeck), reduced the Senate to the level of a democratic and parliamentary Government i he power which formerly emanated from the Senate now proceeds from the Burgerschaft. The Senate is no longer elected for life, but is chosen on parliamentary grounds by the Burgerschaft. The principle of a referendum was introduced into the constitution. The franchise MS no longer confined to citizens of Hamburg, but is extended to all citizens of the Reich who may be present in Hamburg on the day of the election.

In accordance with provisions of the constitution of the Reich the new constitution of Hamburg shows itself to be an absolutely democratic, parliamentary system of Government. The Burger- schaft (representative assembly) consists of 160 members elected on the proportional system. The right to vote for the Burgerschaft is acquired at the age of 20, the right to be elected to it at the age of 25 ; at the age of 30 any citizen is eligible for the Senate. In execution of the provisions of the constitution of the Reich a Labour council and an Economic council were formed for the representation of economic interests. Attempts to form a unified economic representa- tion of the people failed. A feature of the old system of so-called " deputations " was retained for Hamburg in the shape of the Finance Deputation for dealing with finances of the city state.

(O. KR.)


HAMILTON, SIR IAN STANDISH MONTEITH (1853- ), British general, was born at Corfu on Jan. 16 1853. He was educated at Wellington College and in Germany, and joined the army in 1872. He served with the 92nd Highlanders in the Afghan War and the Boer War of 1881, and was severely wounded on Majuba Hill, one arm being permanently disabled. He was then for several years intermittently on the staff of Sir F. (Lord) Roberts. He served in the Nile Expedition of 1884-5, f r which he was promoted brevet major, and in Burma in 1886-7, for which he was promoted brevet lieutenant-colonel. In 1887 he married Jean, daughter of Sir John Muir, Bart. Promoted colonel in 1891, he was on the staff of the Chitral Relief Force in 1895, for his services in which he received the C.B., and he then became deputy quartermaster-general in India. He com- manded a brigade on the North-West Frontier in 1897, and was afterwards commandant of the school of musketry, Hythe, for a year. On the outbreak of the South African War in 1899 he went to Natal on the staff. He commanded a brigade at the early engagements around Ladysmith and during its siege, and was promoted major-general; after its relief he commanded a mounted infantry division during Lord Roberts' advance from Bloemfontein to Pretoria and into the eastern Transvaal, for which he was made a K.C.B. He returned home early in 1901 to become military secretary at the War Office, but towards the end of the year went, back to South Africa nominally as chief of the staff to Lord Kitchener, although in reality he was employed chiefly as the commander-in chief's deputy to control particular groups of operations from time to time during the closing stages of the struggle. He was promoted lieutenant- general for his services.

He was afterwards again military secretary and then quartermaster-general at the War Office, and in 1904 he went out to the Far East to accompany the Japanese armies in the field. His diary and impressions of the Manchurian campaigns he published under the title A Sta/ Officer's Scrap Book (2 vols., 1906-7), a book which by reason of the interest of its subject, the charm of the author's style, and the combination of war experience and of imagination which inspired his judgments and criticisms, at once took rank in Europe as a modern military classic. On his return he had charge of the Southern Command until 1909, being promoted general in 1907, and he was afterwards adjutant-general at the War Office for a year. He took a prominent part on behalf of the voluntary service system during the early years of the Territorial Force and the campaign in favour of compulsory service led by Lord Roberts, and in the course of this controversy he published a book under the title Compulsory Service (1910), which he wrote at the request of Lord Haldane. In 1910 he was created G.C.B., and appointed commander-in-chief in the Mediterranean and inspector-general of the Overseas Forces, in which capacity he visited and inspected the newly organized forces of the Australian Commonwealth in 1913. On the outbreak of war in 1914 he served for some months as commander-in-chief of the Home Defence Army in England. Then, in March 1915, he was selected to take charge of the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force, which was intended to cooperate in opening a way into the Black Sea (see DARDANELLES CAMPAIGN). The naval effort to force the Dardanelles having failed, he found himself obliged to undertake operations in the Gallipoli Peninsula, and although his army was very ill-equipped for the task, he succeeded in landing it in the face of the enemy; but in spite of this good beginning he was speedily brought to a stand-still. Having, after considerable delay, received substantial reinforcements, he made a great effort in Aug. to improve his position, but the operations failed to accomplish what was intended,