The florin is equal to 2s. 0d. 4-10 sterling. The increase under the head of importations within the ten years was equal, therefore, to nearly 33 per cent, and on exportations about 24 per cent. Amongst the imports may be remarked raw cotton to the value of about L.1,273,000; among the exports, raw silk, for about L.2,400,000; linens, for about L.770,000; woollens, for L.2,268,000; glass and earthen-ware, L.584,000; round numbers all. A mean value, imports and exports together, from 1835 to 1838 inclusive, of about twenty-five millions sterling annually, does not certainly represent a commercial movement so large as might be expected in an empire of the territorial extent, numerous population, and rich natural products of Austria. But, as appears, its progression is onwards; and seeing that, in 1836, she entered on the laudable undertaking of revising and reforming her prohibitory and restrictive system; that, in 1838, another not inconsiderable step in advance was taken by further relaxations of the tariff; and that she is at the present moment occupied with, and may shortly announce, fiscal improvements and tariff reductions of a more wisely liberal spirit still, it is not to be doubted that, with the accompanying extension of agricultural and mining industry, Austria is destined to take a much higher rank in the commercial world than she has yet attained.
The values of the external relations of Hungary and Transylvania with foreign nations direct, are of little importance. The bulk of the traffic with them doubtless passes through the Austrian dominions, properly so called. Thus their joint foreign traffic direct, was in—
| 1830, | no more than | 14,000,000 | florins |
| 1834, | decreased to | 11,511,000 | ... |
| 1837, | ... | 12,616,000 | ... |
The imports, only once, in 1836, surpassed those of 1830, within the eight years. The foreign exports were, in
| 1830, to the amount of | ... | 9,574,800 | florins. |
| 1837, the yearly amount | had increased to | 11,213,400 | ... |
But the commercial relations of Hungary and Transylvania, with the other provinces of the Austrian monarchy, were, on the contrary, satisfactorily extending. The returns before us, never before published here, it is believed, do not date further back than 1835, and exhibit the following results:—
| Florins. | Florins. | |||
| 1835, | Imports from Austria, | 79,678,051 | Exports to, | 46,408,290 |
| 1836, | ... | 96,057,019 | ... | 53,876,115 |
| 1837, | ... | 90,404,555 | ... | 47,878,424 |
| 1838, | ... | 101,396,470 | ... | 61,684,111 |
The value of manufactured cottons alone, imported from the other Austrian provinces, amounted, in 1838, to the almost incredible sum of sixty-four millions of florins, or say not far short of six and a half millions sterling; of woollens, the import was nearly to the value of eighteen millions of florins. It is difficult to conceive that such a mass of cottons could be destined for internal consumption alone; and therefore the suggestion naturally occurs, that a considerable portion at least must pass only in transit to the ports for re-exportation to the coasts of the Black Sea and the Levant; but on reference to the exports, we find cottons entered only for 31,296 florins. The proportions in which the different leading articles of importation and exportation enter into the total amounts of each may be thus stated:—
| Imports | ||
| Cottons for | 62 | per cent. |
| Woollens, | 17 | ... |
| Linen and hempen fabrics, | 4º7 | ... |
| Silks, | 1º7 | ... |
| Exports | ||
| Wool for | 45.6 | per cent. |
| Grains and fruits, | 19 | ... |
| Cattle, | 12 | ... |
| Various raw products, | 5º7 | ... |