The river, on which Bremen is situated, was so heavily silted up, that sometimes in Summer, one could wade through it; no sea-going vessel could reach the town. Under these circumstances, the opportunity of establishing a cotton market in Bremen might easily have been missed. The trade which was indigenous to Bremen passed, in the second half of the 19th century, through a period of transition. The shipping business from olden times, a main stay of Bremen's commerce, had to adapt itself to more modern requirements. The small vessels hitherto used, had to make way for bigger ones, the steamship had entered into the world's traffic. There was hardly a proper connecting link with the interior, no water ways existed, and the efficiency of the railways was extremely poor. Surely, these were not conditions that cried for the opening of a market centre. Yet it was established, it grew and blossomed into success. Was this chance or method? We owe many thanks to the State of Bremen for its co-operation, for, with astounding energy, this small state undertook to build a sea-port in Bremen town. This necessitated the deepening of the river "Weser", to which work the neighbouring states lent no help, but rather, placed difficulties in the way. This grand work deserves an essay of its own, on account of its influence on the commercial, political and economic position of Bremen. Here only, be it mentioned, that the furtherance of the cotton trade was a constant stimulus to this great plan. The authorities and the representatives of the trade were in the best harmony, and the most perfect arrangements were made for the dealing with cotton. Great practical knowledge and experience was shown, in settling the question of how to raise the interests and amortization needed for the vast expenditure, and of how much the trade could bear without crippling it. The state furnished the capital for the building of great warehouses, and within a number of years their cost was paid off, as planned. In this way, Bremen became equipped with all modern requirements for the handling and storing of cotton, which, even to-day, are unsurpassed. The port has the highest reputation for the quick and painstaking unloading and dispatching of cotton cargoes.