The Sun.
London, England, 1856-02-21 00:00:00

AUSTRIA.

A letter from Vienna of the 16th, • in the Post
Ampt Gazette, says :—" Count Boul, it is affirmed,
has been charged by the Empress-Mother, Caro-
lina Augusta, to present to the Empress of the
French the order of the Star, with a letter from
her Majesty. The order of the Star, founded in
1668 by the Dowager-Empress Eleonora, reckons
amongst members 41 ladies of reigning houses."--
Another letter of the above date, in the Augs-
burg Gazette, says :—ln well-informed circles, it is
said that the leave of absence obtained by Prince
Gortschakoff is only a preliminary step to his de-
finitive departure from this Court, where he will,
it is thought, be replaced by M. de Fenton."
VIENNA, Feb. 17.—The evident desire of the
Washington Government to pick a quarrel with
England excites attention here, and people in
office are ,strongly inclined to suspect the
President of endeavouring " to kill two birds
with one stone." In plain English, his partisans
are believed to have two reasons for agitating
against England ; the one to secure the re-election
of their leader ; the other, to make a diversion in
favour of Russia. The incorrect telegraphic
news of the departure of Mr. Buchanan from
England caused a slight panic here, but it ceased
even before the intelligence was contradicted, as
the moneyed world firmly believes peace will be
restored with Russia, and foresees that the "state:•
men" will lower their tone as soon as they learn
that.such is likely to be the case. Austria is at
present on very decent terms with the Washington
Government, but she regards its continual endea-
vours to find a pretext for meddling in European
affairs with such a jealous eye that the good, un-.

derstanding is, not likely to be of any great dura-
tion.

PRUSSIA.
BERLIN, Feb. 18.--In imitation of Paris and
Vienna, Berlin is now also going to have its
" Credit Institution," as it is called for want of a
better name ; a bank it is not, but it is to be
everything else ever heard of for promoting joint-
stock companies, commerce, manufactures, agricul-
ture, and the welfare of the commonwealth in
general. It will also be permitted to issue its own
paper, bearing interest and payable to bearer.
The managing committee will consist (as far as
the names have as yet become known) of seven
of the largest landed proprietors in Prussia, for
the most part members of the highest nobility,
and nine of the richest bankers in Berlin and
Cologne, thus combining landed property and an-
cestral rank with large money capital and extensive
business experience. The capital is to be 30,000,000
thalers, in shares of 200 thalers each, with liberty
subsequently to increase it to 50,000,000. No diffi-
culty is apprehended in obtaining the Royal appro-
bation and permission, as the project apparently
enjoys the fullest approbation of the Minister of
Commerce, who gave the members of the future man-
aging committee a grand dinner last Tuesday. Short
of permitting the establishment of private banks,
with power to issue theirnotes, the Minister of Com-
merce seems to leave no stone unturned to inspirit
trade, manufactures, and enterprise in Prussia ;
after having procured the expulsion of millions of
spurious paper money issued by all sorts of States
and corporations in Germany and circulating in
Prussia, Herr von der Heydt has lately authorized
an extension of the Royal Bank, and put it on a
better footing as regards the share the Government
has in the capital and the profits ; we hear also of
a Credit Bank being about to be opened in Breslau
for the benefit of the Silesians, and also of an in-
stitution set on foot by a number of landed pro-
prietors, who propose to raise 40,000,000 thalers
by the issue of shares, and apply the capital to the
improvement of agriculture on their own estates ;
perhaps the last two are only the same under dif-
ferent names.