Hi M ELEY!
Thanks. Taking the pictures was a bit difficult as it is rather dark in the exhibition but with a special permission for a Wikipedia-Project I was able to use a Tripod and other tools
For example the exposure time of the Stabringgeschütz has been 30 seconds.
You are right sailing was the only way to reach the harbour of Hamburg from the North Sea until the steam engine were used for powering ships. Even hauling or towing was not possible. The River Elbe has been deep enough and it was also wide enough for beating against the wind.
The arquebuse barrels were new and unused matchlock types. Either they were bent by a heavy weight or by the excessive heat of the burning wreck. Especially one barrel is smoothly bent on its end.
Attached you will find the copper engraved print of the exploding ship from 2nd July 1622, which is most probably showing the origin of most/all of this objects. I think the image gives a good idea of the incident costing 45 of the ships crews lifes.
As no records were found in any harbour or customs books of Hamburg regarding the payload (copper ingots, arquebuses etc.) for this ship, historians believe that it was going to break the Dutch blockade of Spain, smuggling strategic merchandise and weapons. That times the hanseatic City of Hamburg was bound by contract with the Nedtherlands to disable any supplies to Spain - but some hanseatic merchants made a good business out of it. It is believed that the ships canons were loaded in order to repel official patrols and pirates.