The Express.
London, England, 1853-02-28 00:00:00

LON 'JO Y, MONDAY. FEBRUARY 28.

r Tux Treaty of Commerce recently concluded be-
tween Austria and Prussia, comprehending, as it
does, nearly all the other States of Germany, has a
twofold significancy. Intrinsically considered, it is
• gr.eat. fact in the history of industrial progress;
extrinsically, it is a cause of political satisfaction and
assurance to the rest of Europe.
In it. economic aspect, the convention for twelve
year. which has been concluded after such protracted
'egotist on, aid the ratification of which we shall
probably be enabled to announce in a few days,
must be regarded as a great though cautious step
in the direction of Free Trade. From Trieste to
Cologne, from Milan to Dantzig differential
duties are to be abolished; and instead thereof
a system of complete reciprocity is in future to
be established. Raw materials of every descrip-
tion are to pus from one territory to another without
payment of any duty whatsoever, while a fixed
standard of ad valorem charge on manufactured
articles is to be maintained for purposes of revenue
by each State, but so conceived and arranged as to
abnegate all idea of prohibition or protection in
flavour of one German community against its nelgh-
hours. Stipulations are included in the treaty for
the adoption of a uniform scale of coinage. The
Prussian Eagle will continue still to figure on the
gold and silver pieces struck at the Berlin mint,
and the arms of Austria will be still impressed
upon the metallic currency of Vienna, but
the names and values of both will hereafter
be the same, not only in the greater States,
bat throughout all Germany, as well as in Hungary,
Lombardy, and the other provinces of the Empire.
Beventy•eight millions of people inhabit the region
which will be affected by these conditions ; and it is
perhaps enough to say that there is no one branch of
art, industry, or skill, from the mouth of the Elbe to
that of the Adige, whose field of labour and profit
will not be enlarged to a greater or less extent by the
changes which they imply. Theoretically considered
it is undoubtedly the most signal recognition of the
principle of equal competition which the world has
seen since the repeal of the British Navigation Laws ;
and practically, we can augur nothing but good to the
capitalist and the labourer of both Northern and
Southern Germany from a measure which, by open-
ing new scope for enterprise and exposing them to
the healthful action of natural rivalry, is likely to
develop new energies in the ono and to bring new
aids to the other.
It is no fair objection to what is thus proposed to
be done within the limits of Central Europe, that no
uniform tariff is thereby established with regard to
foreign merchandise. Each State and cluster of
States is still to be free to determine what imposts
they respectively choose to impose on British, French,
or Belgian goods at the external frontier. For pur-
peels of revenue, this is perhaps indispensable, owing
to the very different habits nod circumstances of the
various communities comprehended in the terms of
the treaty. The Bohemians live on bread and beer ;
the working population of the great cities of the north
subsist, like our own, to some extent on colonial
produce. It is clear that the same duties would be
unwelcome to both. Similar differences exist be-
tween the chief articles of consumption in Venice and
in Leipsic. The spread of civilisation will hereafter
do much to equalise conditions and assimilate cos-
toms; but so long as large amounts of taxation are
deemed requisite by the States of the Continent, it is
inevitable that these amounts should, in a con-
siderable degree, be raised by taxes on expenditure,
not upon income. And while such is the case,
Austrian finance cannot even approximately be as-
similated to that of Baden or Hanover, Saxony or
Prussia. On the other hand, it were a great mis-
take to suppose that the present Treaty is in-
tended as a substitute in any sense for
the Northern Zollycrein. The existing term
of that celebrated joint stock partnership of separate
States for purposes of revenue will shortly expire. Bat,
so far from discountenancing the hope of its renewal,
the newly adopted treaty of commercial union for
the entire Germanic body will serve to stimulate
afresh the desire of all who have hitherto been bene-
fited by membership in the Zollverein to secure its
continuance and perpetuation.
Important, however, as are the commercial bear-
ings of this new and judicious compact on the inter-
nal interests of Germany its political tendencies eith
reference to the rest of Luz.' ope are of still more conse-
quence. It is the first real step which has been
taken towards uniting the jealous and divided ele-
ments nominally but not really bound together by the
obsolete tie of &dynastic federally into one compact
and peaceful union guaranteed by a common sense of
self-interest and mutual benefit. It is proposed that
the treaty should subsist for twelve years ; and
should its conditions remain unrescinded for half
that period, it is in the last degree unlikely that
they will be abandoned at the expiration of the co-
/minted period. Great changes may occur in the
political relations of several of the provinces whose
names are now included in the great industrial pact.
But its stability need not thereby be endangered.
And so long as the German communities, commonly
so called, shall continue to be united by this bond
of economic brotherhood, the hitherto undeveloped
idea of a common fatherland will be strengthened.
A physically great and morally insuperable barrier
may at length be looked for as interposed be-
tween the two military giants. Divided Ger-
many mast always be the ensanguined battle
Seld of France and Russia. United Germany can
dims maze to keep the peace between the rival
ONES a Paris and llt. Petersburg. Dangers enough
Isere are elsewhere from the conflict of their ambi-
Sims—dangers which perhaps can only be guarded
=by the cementing of more intimate political
between Great Britain and the northern

States of Germany. Be this as it may, however, it
is no trivial gain that so broad and firm a basis
should have been laid for the erection of a lasting
bulwark like that we have described against the
westward encroachments of Muscovy and the
eastward aggremions of Gaul. We would that
Tt were permitted us to hope for the realise-
d= of a similar federation for purposes of
owner= between the various communities of
Italy. The project was urged by many of
the wisest and best of her sons six years
ago, but in the paroxysm of revolution it was un-
happily forgotten, and in the paralysation of all
thought and progress which has subsequently inter-
vened, the notion seems to have been wholly laid
aside. Sooner or later wo are confident that it
will be revived, and that the example set by Ger-
many will be followed by the other nations of the
weld.

Pons LAW ES.LIFY.—On Saturday a return from
lbe Poor Law Board was printed showing Use number of
Car:in receipt of poxlaw relief on dm let January,
. the corresponding period of tie present year.
Oa the lit January, 1852, the slumber was 835,3.10, and
798,443 ea the let January last. The decrease after deduct-
hag the Jarman was 35,91'7. Of adult able bodied paupers
Om decrease was 11,098 in the year.
THE ALLEGED MURDER AT BRIITON.—SinCO the
elenmitment of Elizabeth Vickers from Lambeth police
own, for the wilful murder of her late benefactor and
master, lir. Jones, plans of the residence of the deemed
have been taken, both for the prosecution and defence, to
be produced on the trial for the inspection of the court and
jury, to enable the latter to come to a just conclusion in
the melancholy ease. The trial itself will come on at the
Old Bully in the tonne of the week.
TUE STRIKE OF TILE SOUTHAMPTON SEAMEN
(says a correspondent) still continues. Mont seamen are
now undergoing bard labour for a month In Winchester
Owl, for refusing to go to sea in the Bengal stammer. They
were offered their liberty after they were before the magi,-
notes if they would consect to go to sea. They, however,
ptferred to ga to gaol. The firemen and cosi•trimmers
have bad a meeting, and have resolved to memorialise the
steam-packet companies for an increase of wages. Their
wages at the present time arc 31. 10s. and 41. a month. The
Hampshire independent states that all the children of the
seamen on strike have been dismimed from a school SSW
Mrslssd by the Peninsular and Oriental Company,

FRANCE.
PARIS, SCNDAT EMITS°.
Despatches from Constantinople declare that the
allegations as to the mediation of France and Eng-
land are without foundation. There has been nothing
definitive settled by the cabinet of Vienna.
The King of Denmark received some days ago a
deputation from the island of Finland regarding the
political differences. His Majesty has pro-
the country shall not suffer from tho

PARIS, SATURDAY EVENING.

All the prisoners arrested On Feb. 6 have now been
set at liberty, all hope of establishing a case of con-
spiracy having been abandoned. Most of the corres-
pondents recently liberated have been called upon to
find bail, but it is very unlikely that the law officers
will encounter the risk of defeat in a public prose-
cution. . .

The Patrie thus notices an event which has caused
considerable interest in Paris:
A decision of the Minister of Police ordered the expulsion
from the French territory of Mine. Selma, calling herself
ale Coastses de Solos, sad of Mr. Wyse, both foreigners.
Thrums prom assamei, without any right, the name of
wad Ist km respecting the illustrious name
wilsf tlartmorpol, they on the contrary made use of it to
Weir lammMalous disorders, and to abuse more easily
ale ellidelley of perbons who came near them. Mme.Solms,
in Mkt* sows this measure, appealed to her quality of
Frenchwoman, sad brought the cue before the tribunal of
the Seine, which declared the plea invalid. The decision
of the Minister of Police has been carried into execu-
tion, and Mae. Somme and Mr. Wyse have quitted
France.
Now this contemptuous mode of disposing of
" poor relations" is really very hard. Everybody
knows that Mr. Wyse, an English member of parlia-
ment and English ambassador at Athens, married
the Princess Lietitia Bonaparte, daughter of Lucien
Bonaparte, Prince de Canino. The Mr. Wyse and
the Counters de Solms so scornfully alluded to in the
above paragraph are children of that marriage. Their
assumption of the name of Bonaparte is no new thing.
The name of" Bonaparte Wyse " is familiar to Euro-
pean ears, and the Countess de Solme has not seldom
been styled a princess. As far as there may be an
virtue in the blood of Napoleon 1., she has as much
of it as the Emperor himself. Her case is not yet be-
yond the protection of the law, although it is true,
as the Patrie says, that she has actually been sent
out of the country. The original order of the
Minister of Polioo gave her rive days to make
her arrangements for leaving, but in consequence of
a remonstrance written by herself and her brother,
which, in the eyes of the Minister was disrespectful,
they both received a peremptory order to leave
France in twenty-four hours. The Countess de
Solme is now in Brussels, having been forcibly ex-
pelled from Paris, leaving behind her a sick child
13 months old, whose health, according to a medical
certificate, is likely to be seriously injured by her
absence. M. Berryer, yesterday, renewed his appli-
cation to the Civil Tribune of the Seine, to prove
the illegality of the order with respect to the noun.
tem. He stated, and the fact cannot be doubted,
that her husband, Count de Solute, was born at
Strasburg, and was consequently a French citizen.
The proof of her marriage with him was there-
lbe• all that was necessary to show that the
government had no legal power to expel her from
rane. But M. Berryer farther stated that the
Count de Solms was not technically merely, but prac-
tically, a Frenchman. He had been set down on the
meshing lists for the army, had voted as an elector,
sod, moreover, had done signal service at the election
of the President of the Republic in 1849, as letters
which he was prepared to produce would testify.
The formal objection on account of which the court
dismissed the last application was now remedied by
the issue of a summons against the lady's husband
eeillointly with the Minister of Police. M. Berryer
peeped the court for immediate judgment on the
ground of urgency, founded on the medical certificate
of the state of health of the countess's infant. The
marriage certificate was produced. The imperial
advocate required legal proof of the nationality of the
Count de Selma, and although that is a fact of which
no morel doubt is entertained, the court felt com-
pelled to adjourn the proceedings for a week, in order
that inquiries might be made.
The Patrie says of the budget now about to be
voted by the Corps Legislatif, that it has about it a
" character of sincerity " never heretofore seen, owing
to the exigencies of the parliamentary regime. In
this budget, the same authority affirms, truth is 'sub-
stituted for exaggeration, method and harmony for
irregularity and confuseddiscussion. Up to the pre-
sent moment the public have nothing but the Patrie's
word for the truth of this assurance, seeing that the
debates upon the budget in the Council of State, with
the Emperor in the chair, are conducted with the
strictest secresy. The public, however, know this,
that the budget, as presented by the Minister of
Finance, showed a deficit of upwards of
fifty millions. Whispers are current that the
protracted discussion still going on at the
ries is directed to the means of complying with
positive orders from the Emperor that this deficit
shall be immensely reduced, if not extinguished, and
that a budget shall be presented showing, if not •
surplus, at least but a trifling deficiency. With those
data it is not difficult for the public to arrive at or
of three conclusions—either that ministers must have
contemplated culpable extravagance, that they are
grossly incompetent, or that the reform in the budget
will be a reform upon paper only—in other words, •
",Flemish account." In matter sof finance it is nec
to work by " wit, and not by witchcraft,"rin
the result of the debate, yet unconcluded, in the
chamber where Napoleon first presided over the
Council of State, should confirm common rummest
the subject, the wondrous amelioration of M.
ue s budget will be attributed by the public to
rather than "sincerity," which the Patrie
to be its distinguishing characteristic.
appears from the police reports that the 24th of
Febomory did not pass over without some attempts to
solobnite the anniversary, but, pursuant to strict
odors, arrests were made wherever any demonstra-
the' of the kind was known. But few of the work-
men of Mem& Call and Co., the machine builders, of
the Quid de Billy, went to work on that day, and
Hay seas wont away, saying that they could not
week cia mesh an anniversary. It appears that the
ma win excited to do this by a letter addressed to
= blooms° person unknown. Five of them wore
but were released after a warning from the
Nin of police. About ten workmen, chiefly
emieffie-makers, assembled on Thursday, in a wine-
mkop of the Barriers Rochechonart, to fete the anni-
, moor, at the revolution of 1848, and sang demo-
mode mow They were all arrested, and a search
being made in the lodgings of two of them, anar-
chical publications were found there. All the men
were conveyed to the Prefecture of Police.