Steel Plates of Rhine Map
Those who regularly read their IMCoS Journal will know that I have an interest in Rhine maps and have been collecting panorama views of the river for a number of years. Subsequent to my last article on Rhine panoramas I have come into possession of plates which were engraved for a map of the Rhine.
A Cologne map
dealer has been very helpful in my search for Rhine panorama maps for a number
of years and has also allowed me to record and photograph maps in her
collection[i]. Some time ago she
telephoned to say she had something that might interest me. When I discovered
what she was offering, I simply could not resist! The parcel which finally
arrived was of two steel plates which actually presented a map of the Rhine
from Strasbourg as far as Rotterdam in the north. As well as the plates there
was a printed copy of the map, possibly executed 20 years ago and obviously
from the same plates.
Fig. 1. Two steel plates to produce an engraved Rhine panorama
As is usual for
many Rhine maps designed for tourists up to 1900, the actual title of the map
is given in three languages; as Rheinlauf von Strasburg bis Rotterdam; in French as Cours du Rhin de Strasbourg à Rotterdam; and in English as Course of the Rhine from Strasbourg to
Rotterdam. The map itself shows the course of the Rhine plus a great many
tributaries and (especially in the south) the main roads to the east and west
of the river. In the north the rivers Maas, Alte (or old) Maas and the Leck are
also shown. No railways are shown and Cologne Cathedral is portrayed with no
steeple or towers.
The map is illustrated with 12 small vignette
views of the various towns as seen from the river or a vantage point on a hill
opposite. Each view (there are 3 on the left, 9 on the right bank) is only
circa 25 mm high and is between 55 and 80 mm wide, the largest being Das Siebengebirg (literally "Seven Mountains"), an area southeast of Bonn near both Königswinter and Bad Honnef and
consisting of some 40 “mountains” (highest ca. 460 meters) and hills of
volcanic origin.
Fig. 2. Detail showing incompleted Cologne towers and Siebengebirg
According to Professor Sattler, F
W Delkeskamp, “the Master of Panoramas”, published his New Panorama of the Rhine in 1837 and this was reissued almost
every year for the next 25 years. Its success was attributable to the
introduction of illustrations in the margin, which made the panorama eminently
suitable as a souvenir.[ii]
After executing a relief map of Switzerland on nine sheets which was published
by the Wilmans publishing house in 1830 Delkeskamp had turned his hand to
improving his original Rhine maps of 1825-28. Probably during the summers of
1833-36 he drew illustrations of the scenic spots along the Rhine and these
appeared as marginal illustrations in the New
Panorama in the autumn of 1837.[iii]
The exciting thing about the steel plates, quite apart from the fact
that to find the original plates to a map of the 1800s is itself unusual, is
the fact that the map seems to be a contemporary of Delkeskamp´s introduction
of river views. Cologne cathedral, or High Cathedral of St. Peter and Maria, is a roman catholic church and at 157 meters
is, after the minster in Ulm, Germany´s second tallest and the third tallest
church in the world. However, the towers were the final part of a building
project begun over 600 years before (in 1248). Begun in 1842 the towers were
completed in 1880 making it the world´s tallest building at the time (for only
four years!). The vignette shown on the steel plates is an early view
pre-dating the construction of these towers. Another pointer to the age of the
steel plates is the absence of railways: Germany´s first steam railway was
built between Fürth and Nuremberg (1835) but the first in the west of the
country was the stretch Köln - Düren - Aachen - HerbesthaI, completed in 1843.
Fig. 3. Title panel to map on plates
A search for the map on the
internet discovered a guide not recorded by Sattler, Handbuch, für Reisende mit Dampfschiffen von London bis Straßburg. This volume was written by F. L.
Lachenwitz, who had been K. Kreis-Sekretär and Inspector by the Rheinischen
Dampfschiffahrts-Direkzion in Cologne. The work in question was written in 1836
after his retirement as Secretary and included a dedicatory page to the then President of the
company: Dem Präsidenten der Verwaltung der
Rheinischen Dampfschiffahrt, Herrn Heinrich Merkens, Ritter des rothen
Adlerordens. It
would seem that Lachenwitz published the book himself (Selbstverlag des Verfassers).
The copy now in the author´s collection has very attractive cover illustrations
of London (front) and of Strasburg, both surrounded by an
intricate floral border decoration (and lithographed by Goebels Fréres in
Cologne).
The book is a mine of information
about the operations of the company and the history of steam boat operations on
the river. It was not intended as a travel guide, although there are some
references to sights, it was far more a non-fiction account of trade and
tariffs[iv].
Some of it makes fascinating reading, e.g. we are told exactly what food and
drinks are available on board the steamboats as well as how much these cost in
the different restaurants on board. For example, we are informed that breakfast
in the Pavilion is 60 cents, in the Large Kajute only 50 cents and in the bow
Kajüte it costs 35 cents, each price being quoted in both the contemporary
Prussian currency and in Dutch guilders.
Fig. 4. Handbuch, für Reisende mit Dampfschiffen
The Handbuch, für Reisende mit Dampfschiffen von London bis Straßburg was published in 1836 and although Lachenwitz states in the prologue that he expects to bring the book up to date with reissues no further edition is known. The book contents do not call for a map, so later insertion is possible. However, the indicators suggest that the steel plates were ready in a period between 1836 and 1842 and if the earlier date is correct this would predate Delkeskamp´s New Panorama by one year. However, no contemporary printed copy of the map as found on the plates is known, only the lithograph version (another copy in cardboard covers is known). Were the steel plates ever used to make printed copies or were they immediately turned over to the lithographer who used them to produce images on stone for lithographic printing? The vignettes may have caused the lithographer some problems but why include a new scene? The plates pose a tantalising enigma.
History of the
Rhine Steam Ship Company - Rheinischen Dampfschiffahrt
Although Wager and Watt had attempted to
start a steam ship enterprise on the Rhine with little success it was the Dutch
who really initiated long-term operations on the river. After Biart Oreille
& Co. had failed to set up regular operations between Antwerp and Cologne
in the Hoffnung von Antwerpen it was
left to the company of Van Vollenhoven Dutilh & Company to lead the way.
The company was founded in 1822 and their success was immediate with a
share-holding company being set up within a short time with the permission of
the King of the Netherlands and the Neederlandsche Stoomboot-Maatschappij was
created. The (royal) chamber of commerce in Cologne was so excited at the idea
that they bought as many shares in the company as they could and by 1825 there
was a regular service between Cologne and Rotterdam. Connection was also made
with trade to and from London.
By 1825 this enterprise was operating a
connection to and from London and Cologne and had a number of ships at their
disposal including the Batavier which
operated between London and Rotterdam; The Stadt
Düsseldorf and Prinz Friedrich von
Preussen which sailed from Rotterdam and Düsseldorf; and at least five
ships sailing between Cologne and Rotterdam, including Agrippina, Ludwig, Stadt
Nimwegen, Stadt Köln and Zeeuw.
In 1825
agreement was reached between the Dutch shipping company and the chamber of
commerce that the Dutch should operate all ships from Cologne downstream and
that the Preussisch-Rheinische Dampfschiffahrt should operate traffic upstream.
On 15th September 1825 a test passage was undertaken on the ship der Rhein. The passage to Strasbourg
took 74 hours and 28 minutes: the return journey only taking 27 hours and 2
minutes.
Regular
connections between Mainz and Cologne began on 1st May 1827 and
during the season a total of 97 journeys took place between the two cities
carrying 7393 persons upstream and 11231 down the river. A total of 57135
Zentner[v] of goods were additionally
carried. On 11th September there was a slight accident. The Concordia was drawn against one of the
rocks – today known as Concordia Rock. This led to subsequent widening of the
channel.
1828 saw a rise
in the numbers of people (33,352 in both directions) and goods (83,292 Zentner)
as well as the carriage of wagons (403) and horses (55). This increase
continued almost unabated and in 1835, between 12th February and the
end of the season on 13th November a total of 113,447 passengers,
1173 carriages, 149 horses, 589 dogs and 181,075 Zentner of goods had been
transported. Together with services from Strasbourg this provided travellers
with the possibility of journeying from there to London in four days. This
journey would have cost a passenger travelling in the Pavilion class £6 1s 10p
or just £2 0s 0p travelling in the Matrosen-Raum.
The Rules and
Regulations concerning carriage were drawn up on 20th May 1827 and
consisted of 1. (expeditions-komptoiren
and) Fares and belongings and embarking and disembarking; 2. Duties of the
civil servants to the passengers; 3. Duties of passengers. The third section
makes interesting reading: rule 35 – besides not being allowed to bring
non-declared goods on board, items which might annoy other travellers were also
prohibited such as powder (gunpowder?), vitriolic acid, sulphuric acid, or
soot, down (feathers), asafedita (also known as devil's dung or stinking gum), leather glue, limburger cheese, old clothes and rags! Rule 44
forbade smoking in the inside rooms of 1st and 2nd class
but smoking with covered pipe (presumably clay pipe with small lid) was allowed
for 3rd and 4th class (page 85).
The first-class
passengers could be served at meals by their own personnel, otherwise classes 1
to 3 could demand service: the 4th class were not eligible for table
service! (rule 52).
Finally, section
4, General Regulations, included common sense rules such as the Administration
will not allow more passengers to travel as the ship can carry; and in the
event of unavoidable delay passengers should be brought to their destination as
soon as possible at the cost of the shipping company.
In addition to the above rules and regulations there were strict guidelines concerning the restaurants and the meals and stipulations as to how much each beverage or meal should cost in each class. For example, the following had to be offered at breakfast: chocolate, coffee, tea, bouillon, eggs, meat, butter, cheese and sufficient fresh, best, white, grey or black bread as required by the passengers. The midday meal in first class (Pavilion) had to include a strong meat soup; roast beef with potatoes and gravy or beef with gravy and appropriate side dishes (to be changed daily); two vegetables (besides potatoes) with two side dishes, of which one had to be meat; two ragouts according to season; two intermediate courses, one being sweet; two roasts with salad; jam; dessert. Price – one thaler per person without wine.
The maps and plates
Fig. 5. Title panel to map in Lachenwitz` guide
The handbook map shows the same
course of the Rhine but with only two small vignette views of Das Siebengebirg
(sic). Whereas the steel plates would have been used for intaglio printing,
this map is a lithograph and has the printer´s signature in two languages: Lithogr. Institut
der Gebr. Kehr & Niesse in Cöln and Lithographie
des fréres Kehr & Niessen á Cologne.
The note on Booking Offices (in 3
languages) is between Worms and Speyer (left) and the note on coach connections
(3 languages) is placed between Karlsruhe and Srtrasbourg (right). There is now
a five-line border and the area at Dinslaken is missing as is the area west of
Venlo (north of Jülich) and small area south of Weilburg (which is also
missing). The approx. size of the lithographed area is 895 x 160 mm.
As mentioned, there are only two
views: Siebenburgen found on the steel plate; and the other is different (and
slightly larger than the others). The various notes are also in different
locations on the map compared to the plates. The signatures are new. Inspection
of the print taken from the plates and the map in Lachenwitz indicate that the
plate was produced earlier than the printed lithograph. This would make sense
as several publishers took maps executed first on copper and later transferred
them to stone for lithographic printing, George W Bacon being a good example in
the UK.
Fig. 6. Siebengebirg on Lachenwitz` map
The map found in the handbook has been pasted into the inside cover (and was not bound or glued into the folds) so may have been added later. Other copies of the map have been found, but folding into covers. There is no evidence of excision from other covers, but also no reference to a map on title page or introduction to the handbook. So, although the book is dated 1836, the engraved plates could be older, but not later than 1842 (based on Cologne Cathedral and railway information). A date of 1836 for the plates is certainly not unreasonable. The steel plates are in very good condition and have been examined with the possible future intention of running a few prints off them.
Fig. 7. Comparison of title panel of steel plates (left) and Lachenwitz (right)
[i] I
would like to thank Mrs Angelika Herzogenrath at Goyert Gallery in Cologne for
her help and assistance.
[ii]
Professor Alfred Sattler in the list of exhibits which accompanied the RHEINPANORAMEN Reisehilfen und Souvenirs
exhibition at the Universitäts- und Stadtbibliothek Köln from 7 May to 24th
July 1993.
[iii] Professor Alfred Sattler in the catalogue which accompanied the RHEINPANORAMEN Reisehilfen und Souvenirs exhibition, page 30.
[iv] Geschichte der Dampfschiffahrt auf dem Rheine –
Tarife für Passagiere, Wagen, Pferde und Hunde – Tarife für Güterfrachten –
Restaurazion auf den Rheinischen Schiffen bzw. Niederländischen Schiffen –
Nachrichten (Informationen) über die Benannten Orte.
[v]
Although it varied from area to area a zentner
was approximately 50 kilogrammes and was officially set at this level from 1st
January 1840 for customs purposes.
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