Emden.

Emden. the chief commercial town in the Prussian province of Hanover, is situated a little below the embouchure of the Ems into Dollart Bay, 77 miles WNW. of Bremen by rail. Emden, which strikingly resembles a Dutch town, is surrounded by walls and moats, is well built, has spacious and well-paved streets, with several lofty antique houses in the Dutch style, and is intersected by numerous canals, which are crossed by about thirty bridges. A canal runs south from the town to Dollart Bay, a distance of about two miles; but it is navigable at high-water only, and then by vessels of not more than 14 feet draught. The harbour accommodation has been improved in connection with the making of the canal from the Ems (q.v.) to the Jade. The finest building is the town-hall (built in 1574-76), containing a library and a curious collection of ancient arms and armour. Emden has a large shipping trade, especially in corn, cattle, butter, cheese, and bricks, and several manufactures; the principal industry, however, is shipbuilding. Several vessels leave this port every year for the herring-fishery. Pop. (1875) 12,874; (1890) 13,965. Emden belonged originally to East Friesland, and after various vicissitudes was created a free imperial town under the protection of Holland in 1595, and remained so until 1744, when it passed to Prussia. After belonging successively to Holland, France, and Hanover, it again became Prussian in 1866.