The Express.
London, England, 1863-11-11 00:00:00

COMMERCIAL MEETING IN AUSTRIA.

(nog a COI

VIENNA, Nov. 5.

A meeting has just been held at which sixty manu-
facturers and representatives of commercial houses
from Lower Austria, Moravia, Styria, and Bohemia,
were present either personally or by proxy. Among
others were thoseof Bachofen, P. Pacher, Regenhart,
Strache, L vonliaber, Marbach, &broil, J. Liebieg
andoo., Alex. von Scboller, Mayer, Skene, Frohlich
Sons, F. Heller, members of the Sugar Refinery
Company, of the Clothmakers'Company, of Reichen-
berg, Porges Brothers, Richter and SOUP, Mailer-
Melchior', Przibram, Dr. Stamm, Franz Hermann,
&c. The discussion lasted from 10 till 1 in the
morning, and from 4 till 8 in the afternoon. Almost
all these firms were represented in person, and
large as the meeting ma, it would have been much
more numerously attended had not the shortness of
time and other circumstances occasioned irregu-
larity in the invitations. After Dr. Gross, railway
director, had taken the chair, and Dr. Peez been
named secretary, a pamphlet published by some
manufacturers of the Reichenberg Chamber of
Commerce was read. It expressed regret at the
uncertainty, become almost unendurable to the
manufacturers, of politics and of commercial
questions, and complained of the discontinuance of
" enquetes," through which it could be ascertained
what branches of commerce could sustain a greater
or less competition from abroad, and where such
competition was dangerous or ruinous. This in-
formation once obtained, treaties of commerce
ought to be entered into with other countries.
Without it, everything is uncertain, and disadvan-
tageous treaties are concluded. No success of our
foreign policy can compensate for the losses in-
flicted at home by bad commercial arrangement&
The industry of the empire, from which the govern-
ment draws its nourishment, ought not to be the
plaything of diplomacy. High protective duties
are not required, and there is no reason in opposing
a nearer union with Germany ; but this union will
be better advanced by the strenuous development of
our constitutional life end by getting rid of certain
obstructions than by coquetting (dunk ein liebdugelti)
with free trade, which only estranges a portion of
Southern Germany. Meanwhile, the more exten-
sively progress is made in commerce and internal
industry in Austria, the more surely shall we be in
a position to sustain competition from abroad. The
meeting unanimously supported these views. During
this discussion, in which Messrs. Skene, Muller-Mel-
chiora, Strube, Stamm, Regenhart, Pacher Kreuz-
berg, Jordan, Gomperz, particularly took Part, the
meeting declared that on principle it had no objec-
tion to join the Zollverein on the condition,
however, that the Franco-Prnmaian treaty should
not be adopted for the new Zollbund ; that an
interval of time be allowed to those branches of
commerce absolutely requiring protection before
the complete unification, and that a mixed system
of weight and value be admitted under any new
tariff.

The meeting finally resolved to address a petition
to the Reichsrath, praying that they would either
form ...commission themselves, or at least promise
that no definite resolutions should be undertaken
without consulting • commission in any changes
contemplated in the 'Listing tariff. The care of
this resolution was entrusted to aoommittee consist-
ing of Dr. Stamm, MtUlar-Melcbiors, Strache, Re-
inhart, and Dr. Pens.