656 



DENMARK. 



Statistics. 



Govern- 

 ment offi- 



Chancery 

 of Den- 

 mark and 

 Norw.iv. 



German 

 chancery. 



College of 

 revenue. 



Chamber of 

 customs. 



College of 

 finances. 



College of 

 commerce. 



War office. 



Admiralty 

 • dike. 



Piovi'nces. 



Stifts. 



ampts, &c. 



The king of Denmark is assisted in the exercise of 

 his royal functions by a privy council, composed of such 

 persons as he may judge most deserving of his confi- 

 dence, and whom he nominates and dismisses at his 

 pleasure. The great officers of the state are generally 

 members of the council, and the prince royal and the 

 other princes of the blood sit in it by right. It is here 

 that laws are proposed, discussed, and receive the royal 

 sanction, and that all the important affairs of govern- 

 ment are transacted. The business is prepared in the 

 different colleges or chambers to which it more imme- 

 diately belongs, and through which all applications to 

 the council must come. 



These different offices of government are, first, the 

 Chancery of Denmark and Norway, which was 'esta- 

 blished in 1660. Its jurisdiction, at first very exten- 

 sive, has been gradually circumscribed. At present 

 the interpretation of the laws, ordonances, and rescripts, 

 belong to it. Its authority also extends to the public 

 education, to ecclesiastical matters, and to the poor's 

 laws. In it are drawn up all edicts and patents, dis- 

 pensations, grants, letters of nobility, of legitimacy, and 

 •of naturalization, safe-conducts, and passports into fo- 

 reign countries. The archives of the state are also 

 kept in this chancery. Of late it has been divided into 

 several chambers, having each its separate department. 

 2d, The Chancery of Germany, detached from the for- 

 mer in 168S, and having the same jurisdiction with re- 

 gard to the provinces of Sleswick and Holstein. 3. The 

 Office of Foreign Affairs. 4th, The College or Chamber 

 of Revenue. To this chamber, which formerly had 

 the superintendance of the whole revenue of the state, 

 at present belongs the collection of imposts, the manage- 

 ment of the royal estates, the direction of the territorial 

 police, and of that of the forests and highways. Con- 

 fiscations, fines, the royal lottery, and all donations to 

 the public revenue, are also within its jurisdiction. It 

 has also the general superintendance of the mines, and 

 of all matters connected with the internal and com- 

 merci&J administration of Iceland, the Faroe islands, and 

 Greenland. 5th, The Chamber of Customs, established 

 in 1 76O, whose province it is to collect the revenue a- 

 rising from the customs and tolls throughout Denmark, 

 Norway, and the Duchies ; to superintend the inferior 

 agents, and examine their accounts. The Chamber of 

 Customs has besides, the direction of all matters relating 

 to the Danish American islands and possessions on the 

 coast of Guinea. 6th, The College of Finances, esta- 

 blished in 1771. It makes up the state of the revenue 

 and expenditure, and brings forward such representa- 

 tions and proposals concerning them, as circumstances 

 may require. It has also the management of the pub- 

 lic money. 7th, The College of General Economy and 

 of Commerce. This college, whose jurisdiction extends 

 to every thing connected with national industry, is di- 

 vided into four offices, having each their separate pro- 

 vince. 8th, The War Office. This office lias the di- 

 rection of the army in Denmark and of the Duchies. 

 There is a separate office for Norway. 9th, The Ad- 

 miralty Office. This office issues all the appointments 

 and orders for the navy, and directs every thing con- 

 nected with maritime affairs. Besides these offices es- 

 tablished in the seat of government, there are various 

 inferior ones for particular objects, in different parts of 

 Denmark and Norway, connected directly or indirectly 

 with the supreme authorities. The number of indivi- 

 duals of all ranks employed in the colleges and other 

 offices of administration, amounts to about four hundred. 



Denmark and Norway are divided into eleven pro- 

 vinces, or grand bailiwicks, called Stifts-ampts, of 



which there are three in the islands, four in Jutland, Statistics. 

 and four in Norway. Each of these provinces is go- '- ■" k***J 

 verned by a Stifts-ampts-man, a post corresponding to 

 that of Lord Lieutenant in Britain, or of Intendant in 

 France, to which last it approaches the nearest. The Poi; C y f 

 Stifts-ampts are subdivided into districts or bailiwicks, the court in 

 called ampts, under the superintendance of inferior go- tne disposal 

 vernors, called ampts-men. The Duchies of Sleswick ^public 

 and Holstein have a Governor-general, who resides in °" lces * 

 the castle of Gottorp. The cantons of Eystcrsted and 

 Ditmarsen, the Lordship of Pinneberg, and the county 

 of Rantzau, form likewise distinct governments ; and 

 the city of Altona also has a separate governor with the 

 name of President. Ever since the revolution in 1660, 

 the court of Denmark had been disposed to employ in 

 the public offices of the state foreigners, especially Ger- 

 mans and persons of humble rank and fortune, in pre- 

 ference to natives and the ancient and more wealthy 

 nobility. The nobles were sufficiently ambitious of 

 procuring employments under government, which in- 

 deed is necessary for protecting their estates from the 

 exorbitant exactions of the public collectors. But 

 foreign adventurers, and men of low condition, were 

 more convenient and pliant tools of the minister or fa- 

 vourite. This policy, the source of so much discontent 

 and oppression, government solemnly renounced, by 

 the publication of a law on the 1st of January, 1776", 

 according to which, none but natives of the Danish 

 states were to be admissible into public offices and em- 

 ployments, excepting in the case of such extraordinary 

 merit as might justify the exception. This law, which 

 was declared to be a fundamental law of the kingdom, 

 was received with universal applause. 



The court of Denmark was formed by Christian V. Royal esta* 

 on the model of that of Louis XIV. which he had seen blishmemy 

 during his travels in France. The principal establish- 

 ments are still retained, but on a much less expensive 

 footing. Indeed, an attention to economy pervades 

 all the departments of the Danish government. There 

 are stated days for levees and the grand galas of the 

 court. The king's guard consists of several companies Royal palaJ 

 of infantry and troops of cavalry ; and the chief en- ces. 

 signs of majesty at this court are of a military kind. 

 The chief residence of the Danish court is Frederic's Frederic's 

 Place, in Copenhagen, which was purchased for the place, 

 royal accommodation after the burning of the vast and 

 magnificent palace of Christiansburg, which the Danish 

 system of economy has hitherto prevented from being 

 rebuilt. There is also in the capital the palace of Ro- Rosenberg, 

 senberg, built by Christian the Fourth, which has' not 

 been inhabited of a long time. There are also, in dif- 

 ferent parts of the country, castles and villas belong- 

 ing to the royal family. Fredericsborg, about eighteen Frederics-; i 

 miles from Copenhagen, the principal building of which hoi & 

 is -a magnificent edifice. Fredensborg, or the Castle of F reaens . 

 Peace, so named because there the peace was signed borg. 

 with Sweden in 1720. It is situated in a delightful 

 country, about eight miles from Cronberg. Marien- M ar ; en . 

 burg, a villa situated on a height overhanging Cron- burg, 

 berg, and commanding a beautiful view. Hirscholm, Hirscholm. 

 fourteen miles from Copenhagen, in a very unfavour- 

 able situation, in building and embellishing of which 

 Christian the Sixth expended very large sums of mo- 

 ney. Jaegersprvs, about thirty miles from the capital, Jaegers, 

 in the gardens of which palace monuments have been prus. 

 erected to the illustrious men of the country ; and Fre- Frederics- 

 dericsberg, built on an eminence in the neighbourhood berg, 

 of Copenhagen, which is the usual summer residence 

 of the king and royal family. The kings of Denmark, 

 in their public deeds, take the following title : " N. N. 



