HAMBURG'S RIVAL.

Taihape Daily Times, 10 January 1919, Page 5

HAMBURG'S RIVAL.

Copenhagen is going to be a worldcentre after the war.

Now is the time for Britain to set her house in (order in the neutral countries' capitals, the first of which is the "Queen of the North." whose destiny seems assured because of her geographical position combined with the economic readjustmnets of the war.

The war has 'opened up a new world to Copenhagen, The Copenhagen of 1914 and 1918 are sundered. It is the sundering of "little" business from "big. 7 ' As I write (says Shaw Desmond, the Daily Express special correspondent) Denmark's captains of finance are juggling with millions like any Hooley or Rockefeller, while the other day my newspaper announced in capitals: "Denmark has 500 millionaires." It was the epitaph of the old Denmark —the Denmark of butter and eggs. To-day the financier swings Denmark as he swings the world.

Look at the facts, go Jnto any Copenhagen, bank to-day, and, if you can get them to make time, speak with the directors. They all tell the same story. Deposits, mortgages, loans —all are doubled, trebled, quadrupled. In the balance-sheets of the Copenhagen insurance companies you are faced with premium incomes running into millions. It is the story of gargantuan (turnover, of world ramifications, a place in Europe's sun. But why all this 1 ? It is because, with the breakdown of former communications between the warring -countries. Copenhagen has become a sort of European nerveganglion, used by both the Allied and Central Powers, as a sort of international elea ring-house. Denmark is flooded 'with M-o-.insuvances 'OE-S with the other business of Europe and Amidrica; the companies which »originally "spread their risks" by reinsurance with enemy countries have been compelled to seek new outlets, and have found Copenhagen, with its central, dominating, neutral position, ready to hand. When the war is over Copenhagen will probably see its population above tthfc million mark, while its shadow will darken the sun of that Hamburg which may believe today it is destined to extinguish. Already United States officials have been inspecting the possibilities of the free harbour, and the day may come when we shall see a line of giant steamers running between Copenhagen and' New York instead of the present modest little fleet.