The American Cyclopædia (1879)/Büsch, Johann Georg

BÜSCH, Johann Georg, a German philanthropist and writer on statistics and commerce, born at Alten-Weding in Hanover, Jan. 3, 1728, died Aug. 5, 1800. He was educated at Hamburg and Göttingen, and in 1756 was made professor of mathematics in the Hamburg gymnasium, which post he held till his death. Besides suggesting many theoretical improvements in the carrying on of trade by the city, he brought about the establishment of an association for the promotion of art and industry, and the foundation of a school of trade, instituted in 1767, which became under his direction one of the most noted establishments of its class in the world. Besides a history of trade (Geschichte der merkwürdigsten Welthändel, Hamburg, 1781), he wrote voluminously on all subjects connected with commerce and political economy. His collected works were published in 16 volumes at Zwickau in 1813-'16, and 8 volumes of selected writings, comprising those on trade alone, at Hamburg, 1824-'7. For some time before his death Büsch was almost totally blind.