The Sun.
London, England, 1865-04-10 00:00:00

Austria and the Zollverein.

BERLIN, April 8.
The -following is a synopsis of the Commercial
Treaty concluded atthis capital between the Austrian
Plenipotentiaries, on the one hand, and the repre-
sentatives of Prussia, Bavaria, and. Saxony, as dele-
gates of the Zollverein, upon the other :
" The arrangements comprehend a Commercial
Treaty and a Customs' cartel. Two annexes are
appended to the first, stating the goods the impor-
tation of which into the two contracting States is
to be henceforth free or subjected to reduced duties.
A third annex (C) contains the text of the Customs'
cartel. Lastly, two separate notes contain certain
stipulations which could not be inserted in the main
document without danger of interfering with the
liberty of the contracting-parties in ulterior negoti-
ation with foreign Powers. The preamble of the
Commercial Treaty states the object of the contract-
ing parties as being to open the way to a general
Customs' union throughout Germany.
" Art. 1 stipulates the suppnassion of the prohi-
' bitive system, either upon y,.exit, or transit,
unless for tobacco, gunpowder, and playing- card—s,
and reserving the prohibitions demanded by reasons 1
of police, or, in extraordinary cases, by the neces-
sities of war.

" By Art. 2 the contracting parties engage that
neither will grant any facilities in entry, exit, and
transit duties to other States, unless the same ad-
vantages should be rightfully acquired by the other
contracting party, and without its being bound to
make any compensation. From this clause are ex-
cepted the facilities now or to be granted to States
union with one of the contracting parties. This
exception applies equally to the advantages granted
to other States by virtue of anterior treaties ex-
pressly interdicting the extension of these facilities
to others. Nevertheless, these facilities shall notbe
granted to these States in a more extended degree,
even after the expiration of these treaties.

" Art. 3 appoints the Ist of July next for the
time when the facilities reciprocally granted to the
exchanges of the two countries upon the basis of the
free entry of unmanufactured natural products shall
come into force, as well as the tariff stipulated by
the treaty for industrial products. Austria engages
in every case not to levy higher duties upon the
goods specified in annexes A and B than those agreed
upon, in the immediate passage of free commerce
from one country to the other.
" Art. 4 agrees that in case, pending the duration
of the present treaty, one of the contracting parties
should think fit to lower the tariff of entry duties
upon goods specified in the annexes, each party re-
serves to itself the right of only admitting the same
goods on the footing actually agreed to upon pro-
duction of a certificate of origin.
" Art. 5 suppresses the export duty levied on the
part of the Zollverein upon rags and paper rem-
nants, and upon the part of Austria upon rags,
leather remnants, bones, and, generally, the resi-
duum of animal matter.

" Art. 6 establishes free entry and exit duties-
-Ist, upon all goods intended to be sold at fairs with-
out entering directly into commerce, except upon
articles subject to octroi ; 2d, upon cattle belonging
to one or other of the two countries which has been
brought to fairs and removed ;without being sold ;
3d, upon unbleached stuff intended to be washed,
blanched, finished, calendered, dyed, and printed ;
thread for sewing and making lace, leather and skins
for tanning or dressing, and generally upon all pro-
ducts imported for the purpose of being worked,
prepared, improved, and exported after having un-
dergone such process.

" Arts. 7 to 10 state the measures to be taken to
facilitate Customs formalities between the two coun-
tries.

"Art. 11 suppresses the right of stations and the
taxes consequent thereon.
"Arts. 12-14 regulate the measures intendel to
facilitate maritime and pluvial navigation.
" Arts. 15-17 apply similar facilities to commerce
along roads and railways.
"Art. 18 grants reciprocal facilities to the subjects
of the contracting parties for the exercise of profes-
sions and trades upon the territory of either.
" Arts. 19-21 reproduce the ordinary stipula-
tions as to the reciprocal admission of consuls and
the regulation of their duties.
" Art. 22 formally declares that the stipulations
of the treaty do not apply to provinces which,
although belonging to one or other of the contract-
ing States, are outside the general Customs' zone of
the country.

Arts 23 and 24 refer to certain formalities.
i 4 Art. 25 states that after July 1, 1865, the treaty
shall supersede that signed Feb. 19, 1853, and shall
continue in force until Dec. 31, 1877. It adds that
the high contracting parties reserve to themselves
the liberty of carrying on negotiations to grant each
other ulterior advantages for facilitating reciprocal
commerce, as well as to arrive at the completest
possible approach of the respective tariffs, and more
especially to settle the question of a General Cus-
toms' union. As soon as one or other of the con-
tracting parties consider the opportune moment for
resuming negotiations to have arrived, it shall make