The Express.
London, England, 1851-12-24 00:00:00

GE ItMA NY.

The following is the reply sent by the Prussian
rumnt to the invitation to attend, on the 2nd
)anuary, the Zell congress at Vienna. It is dated
the sth of Ike., so that all the announcements from
the Vienna ministerial press that Prussia could send
a representative to this congres, must have ben,
since the date above mentioned, wilful misrepresenta-

tjene
The Prussian government ha. been, by peakesch„
ckt, 0, put in pisee on on the 2Sth nit., oi • note from the
bgt„.,,at government, and a decree (eriap) of the
I,,aring the signature of the l'e'ans Minister Schwarz nburg,
contsiuing a new Austrian Zoll tariff, accompanied by the
eat e ...inn of a wish that conferences should be opened at
Virtues with reference to a customs and commercial treaty
with Austria, at the beginning of neat year. The Prussian
pus. riiment has not el. hayed carefully to consider this corn-
e.uaitation, bestowing on it the mature reflection its 1111-
p-ru.nee merits, and I run at present peepand to lay befere
veer eseelleney in reply the following censiderations : The
I.coaga. rove lament fully acknowledges the importar.ee of
MT {top shied. the Imperial government has token, by in-
trielnceng a new Zan system, and participates in the con-
eicti .n that this great project to ceten.l a commercial bond
is load the boundaries of Austria, and even of Germany,
wail make itself felt. It is true the brief time that has
elapsed since this communication was niade has not allowed
the Prussian government to examine on all sides the new
tend in its details, but it retognio s in the abolition of ill
state mo:.opolies and impost prohibitions, and prohibition.
of object, of consumption, and in the reduced duties on raw
materials, the opening of a new and promising lettere' not
only for Austria, but especially for Pretssia an I the Zoll-
r, in. The government aces in this relorm, the grandeur
of which, can only. have escaped the unprejudiced eye
through a deep conviction of the difficulties to he overcome
Lae its inevitable necessity and beneficent results can he
r nised, a successful move towards the recenciliation of dif-
fer. cat interests and circumstance!, at present, in the com-
mie:al world, opposed to each other, to attain which object
the Prussian government has exerted and continues to exert
its bat t ieleavuure. Fur these reasons his Majesty's govern-
ne et congratulates the cabinet of Vienna on a measure which
c aeot fail to strengthen the economic policy of all Germany.
a 1,. c.a. raiment of Prussia has also remarked with lively
saistaction, that the enlargement of the hounds of the Zoll-
verein by the treaty of the 7th September, and the corres•
pond.ug moiliticatanui of the existing Zollyerein treaties,
his ',aw.' sincere good wishes for their success in the Im-
p, rial government. The government must necessarily feel
the truest gratification in finding the treaty we have con-
cluded understood exactly in the sense in which it was con-
e.u.led, namely, not as one-sided, or esclusive, but as cor-
e,. s..n.ive, including, as far us possible, all German itite-
h.,. The government lays more stress on this point, as
ry ill concealed efforts have been made to ascribe motives
to its conduct in this affair which it is very far (rem enter-
t 'lhe taritl' re form in Austria, nlmoid simultaneously
will the treaty uniting the Zolt and Steuer vereins, is a fact
ve v great significance with reference to the future com-
a rival pnaperit)• of all Germany. Of the two great diffi-
culties to a comprehensive commercial union, the cominciciel
a, v. races of Austria front the rest of Germany, and the
eieie,on of Germany itself into many Z. 311 territories, the
maw is principally removed at the moment when the first
au p is taken towards removing the other, at least from the
creator partof Germany. Thu more confident the l'russian
government is in the hope of bringing the newly-organised
conunercial policy of Austria into n union with the new and
enlarged Zollverein, in a manner reepundent to the general
interest, so much more questionable dues it appear, whether
the present nionseat is propitious for entering into uegoei-
shouts for the accomplishment of this object. It would have
been highly gratifying to have concurred in the judgment
of the imperial government on this subject, but the govern-
ment, after the most consciencious reflection, finds it impos.
sable to do so. How matters stand with respect to the re-
novation of the Zullverein is well kuown. The treaty of
the 7th Septembir is concluded between l'rusmia and
Iluener alone ; and even with this limit it yet wants the
sauetion of the parliamentary representation of both coun-
tries. Of the Ilanoverian confederates, the principality of
bliaumburg-Lippe, has given in its adhesion to
the treaty. The, adhesion of the Duchy of Olden-
burg is still a matter of negotiation. The Zull con-
federates of Prussia will only be able to pronounce
their deel.ion when the congnas takes place touching the
coati:nuance of the Zoilvertin. 'Wanting, then, the formal
nnainty of the future extent of the &Aire rein by its junc-
tion with the Steuervereni, and considering Coe dependence
of its commercial interests en the extension this union may
take, the government is not in a position to say precisely
what alteration in the legislation and institution of the
Zollverein may arise out of the approaching uegotiations.
'the goveniment is in the midst of a development
out of which new relations must 'melee, over
which it can hays no exclusive enamel, and
on which therefore it is impossible at this moment to found
any certain conclusion.. The Prussian government, there-
fore belives that the time for opening a commercial confer.
tire will be when the rennvation of l'russia's commercial
fastens shall be complete, and she will be able distinctly Om
hue, having her own views firmly based on facts, what Is
to be expected from her. Till the •Zullverein has fully en-
tered into the new phase be lore it the government must
decline entering into the negotiations proposed, as previously
the tact, would he wanting which to consultations of this
kind arc indispensable, in order to arrive at any beneficial
results. The govseument consequently is unable to
at. e t the invitation of the unpeeed cabinet, but
it the MOM time expresses its full willingness, after the
congress fur the continuation of the Zollverein shall be closed,
to take part in any negotiations having for their object the
establishment of commercial relations between the Zoliverein
and Austria or other Gerne.:n state;.

Berlin, Dee. 5. (Sign. il)
The revision of the Austrian budget is completed.
The credits opened to the Ministers of the Interior,
of Justice, and of Public Instruction have been con-
siderably reduced ; those of War, Finance, and Com-
111C roe are maintained.
A ktter dated Vienna, Dee. 19, says:
A amend meeting of the shareholden of the Austrian
Lloyd wa. held at Trieste on the 15th, when .t was deter-
mined that the share capital should be raised from 3,000,000
to 5,000,000, and the loan from 1,500,000 to 3,000,000; that
shares to the amount of 1,000,000 only should be imme-
diately issued, as the second million will be subsequently
requisite to cover the debt in England. A vote of confi-
dence in the director. woo passed unanimously in regard to
the mode in which the loan should be raised. This vote in-
cluded the prolongation of the commercial compact till
N.A. At the last meeting of the bank directors of this
capital it was resolved that between 3.3 florins and 40 florins
conventional coin of the next dividend should remain a float-
ing capital, and that the Minister of Finance should fix
the cipher. The interest of the Three per Cent. Central
Treasury Bonds, arnountsag to 1,100,000 florins conven-
tional coin, was consigned to the government, and a sum of
more than 1,000,000 florins was laid by with the rewire
food.
A correspondent writing from Frankfort, on the
Pith inst., says :----•"lhe Frankfort Senate has just
resolved to aced a representative to the Vienna Cus-
toms conference. The importance of this congress
will depend almost entirely upon the course adopted
by Prussia. Should Hanover remain true to the en-
gagements of September, Prussia will probably not
bind a delegate to Vienna. It seems impossible to
suppoee that the governments will ever adopt the '
Austrian tariff, as it at present stands. It is
founded upon the falsest principles of ceonomy,l
and calculated to protect interests which will ,
never do more than vegetate, and to tax the I
consumer beyond measure to the profit of •
few manufacturers. On manufactured articles, ot
which the importation is largest, such as the bat
qualities in silks, woollen tissues, and linens, the
Austrian rates of duty arc triple and quadruple those
of the Zollverein. 'lO adopt the Austrian system
would be to deliver up our body of consumers as a
prey, and to ruin a notable part of our commerce.
lksides, commercial union with Austria always pre-
sents insurmountable difficulties. Without speaking
of halt and tobacco, the imtsortation of which Austria
steadfastly refuses to permit, it would be almost im-
possible to fix upon any suitable scale upon which
the customs' receipts should be distributed among the
governments, for Austria consumes, in proportion to
the number of its inhabitants, much less than other

countries.%
The police have seized on the library presented
various patriotic booksellers to the. Frankfort
S•sonbly. the books are worth 12 thousand florins
at the least, and were never intended by their
&nets to gnttify the Diet, which was believed to
been for ever dead. Waggons have been
coming and going for several days to and from St.
Paul's Church, removing the furniture and fittings
!kled by tho Assembly, and in a few days the build-
Itif will be given up to the clergy.

NIVAL ATPOINTMENT.—ADMIIifLI7, DEC.
Clerk Li. A. Everslield, to Eccellent.