Page:Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition, v. 11.djvu/470

Rh 448 HANOVER Ernest Augustus was succeeded by his blind son, George V. Personally King George was of an amiable disposition, but he shared his father s extravagant conceptions of royal rights, and at once appointed a ministry whose aim was to get rid of the incon venient constitution of 1848. The second chamber, however, resisted its designs so energetically that in 1852 the more re actionary ministers had to resign, and in 1853 even the modified cabinet was completely defeated. The king then created a Govern ment which advised him to appeal to the confederate diet. This was done, and in 1855 the diet proclaimed the constitution of 1848 to be invalid. That a more easy triumph might bo secured, the states assembly was dissolved, and a ministry was formed which boldly restored the nominal constitution of 1840. This Govern ment spared no effort to obtain an overpowering majority, but, as it still encountered some resistance in the new parliament, fresh elec tions were ordered, and in 1857 it had the satisfaction of meeting as pliant a body of deputies as the king himself could wish. The people, however, were not in sympathy with their nominal repre sentatives, and gave many proofs of their discontent with the arbitrary rule to which they were subjected. In 1862, when an attempt was made to impose upon the schools the use of a catechism of the 17th century, the popular feeling was so decisively expressed that the king was compelled to dismiss his ministers. The new cabinet, which was rather less extravagant, included Herr &quot;Windt- horst, who had for a short time had a seat in the Government that resigned in 1853, and who has since acquired distinction as leader of the Ultramontane party in the imperial parliament of Germany. King George could not long submit even to a slight modification of his absolutist notions, and in 1865 entrusted Herr von Borries, who had done him faithful service in previous administrations, with the task of bringing together a cabinet to his liking. Meanwhile, however, dangers had arisen in Germany, compared with which the internal troubles of Hanover were of small account. Herr von Bismarck, who now controlled Prussian policy, was devising methods for the realization of his vast schemes ; and it became increasingly clear, after the Schleswig-Holstein war, that the minor states of Germany would soon have to accept finally the lead either of Prussia or of Austria. Before the outbreak of that conflict Hanover and Saxony had despatched troops to Holstein for the purpose of executing the will of the bund. Although the federal army was driven back by Prussia, Hanover seemed for a time to be favourable to her rather than to Austria ; but in reality the sympathy of the court was altogether with the latter power. On the 14th of June 1866, in regard to the decisive question whether the federal army should be mobilized, Hanover voted in the con federate diet with Austria ; and by doing so she irrevocably declared on which side she would range herself in the approaching struggle. In consequence of this vote Prussia addressed an ultimatum to Hanover on the 15th of June, requiring her to maintain unarmed neutrality and to accept the scheme for the reform of the confedera tion, which the Prussian plenipotentiary had submitted to the diet before retiring from it. As Hanover rejected these demands, Prussian troops at once crossed the frontier; and on the 17th of June they were in possession of the capital. On the 27th a battle was fought at Langensalza, in which the Hanoverians were victori ous ; but they could make no use of their victory, and were soon compelled to capitulate. At the conclusion of the war, by the treaty of Prague, Hanover, with Hesse, Nassau, and Frankfort, was annexed to Prussia. King George addressed from Hietzing, near Vienna, a protest to the European cabinets, but it was disregarded ; on the 3d of October 1866, his dominions were formally taken possession of, and in the following year the population were sub jected to the Prussian constitution. In 1878 George V. died at Hietzing, but his son, Ernest Augustus, duke of Cumberland, maintains his right to the crown ; and there is still a party in Hanover which expresses itself favourable to his claims. The mass of the population, however, whether originally willing to be annexed to Prussia or not, have submitted to the inevitable, and there is evidence that they are gradually becoming loyal subjects of the Prussian king. HANOVER, the capital, is situated in the south of the above province, on a sandy but fertile plain on the river Leine, which here receives the Ihme, and is from this point navigable to the &quot;VVeser. It is 38 miles W. bj T N. of Bruns wick by rail, 157 miles W. of Berlin, 78 S.E. of Bremen, and 107 S. of Hamburg. The Leine flows through the town o o having the old town on its right bank, and the Calenbergei new town between its left bank and the Ihme. The old town is irregularly built, with narrow streets and old- fashioned houses ; while the new town has wide streets, handsome buildings, and beautiful squares. Of the latter the most remarkable are the square at the railway terminus, with an equestrian statue of King Ernest Augustus in bronze ; the triangular theatre square ; George Square, with the statue of Schiller ; Waterloo Square, with a column 99 feet high, surmounted by Victory, and having inscribed on it the names of 800 Hanoverians who fell at Waterloo. In the gardens near the square an open rotunda has been erected enclosing a marble bust of Leibnitz, and near it a monument of General Alten, commander of the Hanoverian troops at Waterloo. The town has numerous churches ; in the chapel of the palace are preserved the relics of saints which Henry the Lion brought from Pales tine. The royal palace built 1G3G-1G40, rebuilt 1837 contains a picture gallery and collection of natural curi osities, and the palace of Ernest Augustus is remarkable for its historic collections, especially the famous Welfen museum. The other principal public buildings are the record office, containing a library of 150,000 volumes ; the town-hall, built in the 15th century; the theatre, the museum, the aquarium, the handsome railway terminus, and the exchange. Hanover has a number of colleges and schools, and is the seat of several learned societies. During the last ten years the town has become the seat of various new indus tries and of an increasing trade. It is connected by rail Plan of Hanover. f&amp;gt;. Mai-kt Kirclie. 7. Town-Hall. 8. Royal Castle. 9. Palace of Ernest Augustus. 10. Library. 1. Cavalry Barracks. j 4. Gerrge Square; 2. Bank. statue of Sclvllei 3. Theatre. | 5. Royal Palace. with Berlin, Harburg, Bremen, Hameln, Cologne, Alten- beken, and Cassel ; and the annual fairs for cloth, leather, yarns, linen, wool, &c., are frequented by large numbers of buyers. There are several banks and a chamber of com merce. Almost every industry is at present represented, whilst in former times the inhabitants derived their chief support from the presence of the court and the nobility. The town possesses large cotton- mills, iron- foundries, and machine factories, numerous tobacco manu factories, breweries, distilleries, &c. Hanover was the first German town that was lighted with gas. It is the birth place of Sir William Herschel the astronomer (1738), of the brothers Schlegel, and of the historian Pertz; and the philosopher Leibnitz died there (17 1C). The population has increased from 49,909 (including suburbs) in 1852 to 106,677 in 1879 (with the adjoining Linden, 127,576). In the vicinity are the royal palaces of Herrenhausen, the unfinished Welfenschloss (formerly Mont Brilliant), and Marienburg, the private property of Queen Marie, all sur rounded by gardens.