The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-08-01
The Italian Confederation and
German Commercial Union.

German Commercial Union.
--~----~>~--------~~-~--
The italian Confederation ~ n Conan
clAl League Like tho German Zoft
rein-Aistory OF German Commerce and
Origin OF the Customs Union-- The X0ls
REIN the Source or Agricultural, Manuf
turing and Commercial Prosperity "a u
msSy-Its PoittacsI Importance 10 Pruss,
The Agricultural Resources, nlanufactu
and Commerce or ltAly--fn n Commers
League Sardinia would have the Sc
Position ~ Prussia in Northern Germu
Tho Italian Confederation 10 likely TO be formed IN
~ well ss political league, for without
tts prosperity and the developement Of III
sources would stu be retarded. the Germanio poli
established by the Allies after tho
snfow Of tho first Napoleon did not promote the anu
turing and commercial interests Of Germany. Oa
contrary, stood in tho way Of all progress, and
country was far more prosperous when II was an cm
A commercial union was wanting, such "a that "
forms one Of the fundAmeatal laws Of tho Amer,c.
Pubhc-the perfect freedom Of Commerce bet roo.
several states.
After the great sway which the towns OK the Hsns1
League exericised In the Middle Agsa oyer thu indu
and commerce Of Europe had been overturned Ger,,
became entirely dependent on foreign supplies.
English, Dutch, French and Italians for many years
Piled the German markets; but towards the latter
Of the eighteenth century the liberal measures no
by the Emperor Joseph and Frederick II. revived
national industry, and gave Q new impulse to II,
Under the continental system Of Napoleon tho cal
manufactures in particular advanced much In San
and In the Prussian possessions; but they sgai,
clined on the opening Of the market 10 the Eael
who were able by their superior machinery 70
nish dry goods much cheaper than the Germsn m,
fscturer. During the continental blockade es,sbI
ed byNspoleon necessity forced Great Britain TO estsb
manufactures OF linen in Ireland, and to Increase
growth Of fax in England, Ireland and Canada. The
succeeded, and Ireland soon began to furnish those
niles In which Germany had hitherto found its best
ket Bot since the establishment OF the great comm,r
nDion-the zolverein or Zoliverbaude Che "ton
chiffon" or alliance "a great impulse has been
to German manufactures. The growth Of the col
wooen and other manufactures in the Union snoe
formation, has been exceedingly rapid. The inpor
cotton WOOL and Gotten yarn doubled in three or !
years, and the exports OF German manufactured q
were tebled, whilst the imports OF foreign manu-
tured cotions considerably declined. In saxony the
Of all manufacturer has been exceedingly great
The articles Of export nom the German oommsr
union are corn, nen lead, wool, worsted, cotton,
worse1 cloth, metals, quicksilver, glass, mirrors ho
salt, china, honey. wax, sheep, sulphur, vtrio pew
wine and fruit The articles Of importation are silk,
ton, coffee, sugar. spices, indigo, sochneai drugs,
fruits of the South, olives, oil wine, cheese and e weir
Germany is advan.ageousiy situated for commeI
lying in the centre Of Eurcpe-bordering on the nd
upon two seas and in the south upon another which o
I'm pirnSn el,H
large navigAble rivers-it seems by nature desti|
for large commercial State There was also . u
when its fleets covered the seas Of the world and vi
the commerce Of almoat the whole Of Europe was a|
hands That this ceased to be the case and that Germ
occupied only subordinate position among the comm
cai nations Of Europe, was owing to It's de,line IN
powerful and united empire into q league
petty States, without thorough and intimate union
trade and commerce. Commerce requires the spplica
Of united powers TO one common end but instead Of Il
until Of late years, everywhere might DO Seen in Germ
the contest Of opposing forces each State looking to
own fancled interests. There not river in Germs
which could be navgAted for few miles without the
post Of numerous tolls not high road, good or bad
which taxes were not Levied every where commerce
checked BY custom houses excuses, and all those shac
by which blind and miscaculatng policy ruins what
ID endeavoriDg to protect.
But this is all changed now, and the rich ms.sri
which Germany offers for national industry have not bl
neglected. on the contrary, that country may be pla
next to Great Britain France and the Netherlands in
spect Of national industry. How was this great chat
brought aboutp
The Northern German Confederation, which Pru(
meditated ~ . counterpoise against the Southern
Western Confederation Of the Rhne-caled into exste
by the elder Napoleon, and main cause Of Prussian
tility against him-was broken off before its completion
the war Of Prussia and Russia and other allied ID
against the Emperor Of the French and then the Germ
confederatlons confederation Of oil the German Sat
which was settled by the treaty Of Vienna and carried
by the Holy Alliance-anticipated and prevented
Northern political Confederation under the
Prussia But Prussia did not lose sight Of the dea
has since practically carried it out by the
Northern and Southwestern commercial league, viii
has greatly contributed to her political inf1uer
and consolidated her strength In Germany At frat
league established between Prussia and Bavaria on
but after wards, under the name Of the Zollverein
united for the purposes of trade ten Of the otherwise
dependent States Of Germany 1t was formed in Is
az ID came into practical operation in the beginning
1884 Previous to that time the States of which
union is composed did not allow of the introduction
merchandise across their respective ronters without
payment of duty; and 10 cases. where domestic
dusiry wac to be protected the importation of ma
articles was prohibited.
The object Of the league to establish perec. FIR
dem OF Intercourse between thoEe countries and thus
promote their agricultural and commercial prosperity
well as TO combine together people having the 80
language and the same national feeling but whom is
restrictions and diversity Of government had kept
much apart To this end, eli duties aud ali custom hou
were entirely abolished within the Uniop whilst one
form tariff Of duties oreign goods was established
the proceeds Of those duties were divided among the
veral States according to their respective populao
The effect Of this great aud wise to s null
in very extraordinary degree the improvement q
prosperity Of Germany; and though some minor intere
have suffered the advantage to the whole il ncompaa
greater than the injury.
The Zolverein was no. intended as league hostile
the commerce OF foreign nations but it adopted the Or
cpie of sefdeience which Prussia had long before ac
upon towards Eugand, in consequence of the extrem
vexatious restrictions existing in that country on two
the principal articles Of Prussan growth corn and limb
"she should not have complained" says Kuuke in IS
"that all our markets were oyeraow mr. vfb Eaoltsh