The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1844-04-27

European Correspondence Of the Herald.
BERLIN, Feb 18th, 1874
Sscrd Movements Of the Zolr1eim-State of Trade
Postage, &c. &c.
JAMES GORDON BENNETT, ESQ.,
The political horizon appearing quite clear at
present, and all the clouds that ''lowr'd upon it
being in the deep bosom of the ocean buried, peo-
pie are now turning their attention chiefly On inter.
nal improvements and commercial affairs, such as
the duties on Importation, &c. The Prussian 60
vernlnent, one ofthe most enlightened in the world,
has always paid special attention to matters of this
sort bur here, as elsewhere, mistakes and miscal-
cuations will occur from time to time, and the ut
most care and circumspection only serve to show
that, with the exception OF his Holiness the Pope,
we are all fallitSs mortas. There has been sort
of Congress lately held in this city, composed OF
delegates from each of those German States that
constitute the customs league (Zollyeren) alluded
10 by Mr.. Tyler In his last message. They have
had several conferences hut all their proceedings
beng enveloped in profound mystery, like every
thing else that has the least conneXIon with poll
tics, the measures resolved upon have not vet
reached the public ear. Something, however, has
leaked out-several Of the delegates, for instance
proposed higher duties the importation of Eng
land that, after paying freight, carriage, and other
expenses, II is sold lower than the iron can be
smeted III Germany. Several furnaces in Sllesia
and on the banks of the Rhine, have been obliged
in consequence to leave off work and discharge
their men, and the masters are now crying
out for protecting duty the only near s
OF enabling them to compete with the Eng
lsh iron. The railroads, too, IN this vicinity
and almost every other part of the country, have
had their rails supplied by England, proof
how backward they are IN the manufacturing of
this and many other articles. On the other hand,
the ship owners In the seaport towns of Prussia,
who want the foreign iron for ship building, have
petitioned against raising the duty, and there will,
probably, be no decisive measures taken at pre-
sent.
Another application has been made to the con-
ference by some of the cotton spinning establish
ments for an additional duty on cotton twist There
is duty now charged, within the limits of the
"Zollveren," of two Prussan dollars the 100 lbs,
and if reports tobe trusted, they want to have
it raised to six Prussian dollars, but they are not
likely to succeed in this either, it is opposed by
the cotton manufacturers. The latter would have
to give so much higher prices for their cotton-yarn,
which is chiefly imported from England, the spin
ming mills OF Germany not producing half the guam
tity used by the manufacturers; besides this, they
do not spin the higher numbers, from COS upwards
All cotton fabrics subject to Importation duty
fifty Prussian dollars per 100 lbs. The duties on
mportatons charged by the net weight, as fixed
by the Prussian tariff of 1918, and adopted by the
" Zollvereln;" the consequence is, that fine
or cost, than common, making 1t fall heavier on
such articles consumed by the lower classes
1t amounts, IN fact, to a prohibition common
goods. The German manufacturers being protected
by this high duty they afford to sell their pro-
auctions lower than the English, and only few
fine articles in muslias and other light stufls made
of cotton, can be imported for consumption within
the limits Of the "Zollvereln." Under these cir
cumstances, 1t was to be expected that the cotton
manufactures in this country particularly such as
carry on the spinning, weaving and printing OF cot
ton cloths, would be going ahead famousy, but the
reverse has been the case hitherto. Some of the
principal establishments of this kind have gone
by the board, and even some great printing works
in the vicinity of this city, that had adopted all the
latest improvements, and whose printing equals
any thing effected in the same line either in France
or England, have been obliged to stop working and
sf hP na " Sqs n RfF Rssg
caprice of fashion has contributed in some degree
towards diminishing the sales printed cottcns, AL
though other printed goods have supplied their
place since, for instance the inoussellnes de lame,
which the printing establishments alluded TO exc
cuted likewise in good style but it is chiefly laid
to the competition of the owners OF print works,
who try to Guido each other in reducing their
rates ill they reduce their own profits to
zero. In the manufacturing of brown domes-
tics, they would be quite unable to COM
pete with England, if il were not for the pro-
tecting duty, as mentioned in my first remarks
The silk manufacturing was introduced here many
years ago by French refugees, and being always
iostered by prohibitions, some of the silk goods
produced at Berlin have attained high degree of
perfection, regards quality and colors, chiefly
black, which now bought largely at the fairs by
the Poles, and exported to Denmark, Sweden and
Norway. The duties on silk goods, though appar-
emily high, Zone Prusslan dollar per lb,) do not
operate as check upon the importation OF French
silks, being less onerous for light articles, whose
weight Is trlting In proportion to- their ue, than
for heavy cottons. This Is another proof that the
system Of charging duties by weight is far more dis
advantageous to the poor than to the rich expen-
slve French silks, which can only be afforded by
the more alliuent classes OF society, being taxed in
some cases only 10 TO l29 per cent, when the duty
would amount to 80 per cent on common cotton
goods, that worn exclusively by the lower or
ders. similar inequality prevails IN the rates
charged on foreign wines and spirits the duty by
weight is the same on common claret as on cham
paign, which makes ii 100 per cent on the tor
mer and less than % per cent the latter On the
whole, therefore, the system OF al ratort"h duties
is preferable, although it occasionally gives rise to
disputes; but the plan OF charging by weight bene-
fits the few manufacturers at the expense OF the
public at large This is pretty strongly felt here,
and many are the hparlburnngs 1t gives rise to.
A grievance chiefly felt by the merchants, bank-
ers and trading community IN general, Is the high
postage. The example oil great reduction Was
| set few years back by England, and followed to
some extent by A ustra and Russia 1t is to he
hoped, therefore, that Prussia will not allow her
self to be distanced in the march of improvement
AS yet the authoriies Of this country have no,
been able TO screw uptfeir courage to the idea OF
parting with the enormous revenue derived from
this branch of administration. Including the mo-
nopoy of forwarding all parcels and packages be-
low the weight of 40 lbs, as well AZ a tax on post
horses used for travelling, the post office depart
ment has brought of late, it is said, revenue OF
two millions Prussan dollars per annum., Giving
this up mt once, would of course be attended with
no small inconvenience, and it is hardly fair to ex
pect The Prussian government to make so great
sacrifice without some hesitation. A reform may,
nevertheless, be confidently predicted in this as
well as in other departments; n great dea has been
already effected since the accession OF the present
monarch and he is admitted on all hands TO have
the will rs well the capacity OF placing his
kingdom on level with the most enlightened and
fourlshing states in either hemisphere. ABB
Island Porto Rico.
Correspondence OF the Herald.l
Sr. JOINS, p. r., 9th April, 1914