The New International Encyclopædia/Emden

EMDEN, ĕm'den. A city in the Prussian Province of Hanover, situated on an inlet of the Dollart Bay at the mouth of the Ems-Jade Canal and about 75 miles west-northwest of Bremen (Map: Prussia, B 2). It lies low, but is protected by strong dikes from the waters of the bay. The town was formerly surrounded by walls, whose site has been converted into pleasant promenades; it is well built, has spacious and well-paved streets, and is intersected by numerous canals, which are crossed by many bridges. The principal building, and one of the finest public edifices in the whole region, is the town hall, erected in the sixteenth century, which contains a library and a curious collection of ancient arms and armor. A large Protestant church, dating from the twelfth century, contains a number of fine monuments. Other interesting buildings are the museum of natural history and the old barracks. The chief industry is ship-building, but there are also extensive manufactures of paper, wire, tobacco, soap, mustard, basket-ware, etc. The herring fishery is also of considerable importance. Emden is connected with Wilhelmshaven by the Ems-Jade Canal. Population, in 1890, 13,695; in 1900, 16,453. Emden was known as early as the tenth century. In 1433 it came under the dominion of Hamburg. In 1595 it was raised to the rank of a free Imperial city and its commerce at that time was extensive. It was made a free port in 1751, was occupied by Holland in 1806, and with the whole of East Friesland was incorporated with the Kingdom of Hanover in 1815, and in 1866 was united to Prussia.