RECENT PROGRESS

OF

COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY

IN HUNGARY.

Pest, March 30th, 1836.

SINCE wants have so much increased in both hemispheres, it is natural that the desire to satisfy them should have equally increased. To remain stationary, whilst all the world marches towards this object, would be to go back. This is an incontestible truth, of which Hungary, in its turn, begins to be more and more convinced. Our journals, which occasionally give details of the Association for the Navigation of the Danube by steam-boats, have slightly alluded to the Protocol of the last general meeting, held on the 12th February. We hope that a few supplementary words on this subject will not be uninteresting to our readers.

It is to the indefatigable zeal and to the circumspection of its founders that the Society owes the happy results it has obtained, that is to say, in surmounting, in the interval of ten years, and with small means, the difficulties opposed to them by the elements and political relations-difficulties which might have appeared insuperable to limited understandings. The greater these obstacles were the more commendable was the modest tone in which the Report is pleased to allude to what yet remains to be desired and to be accomplished. It was only in 1835 that the Society assumed

the direction of all the vessels, now amounting to seven, all of them of superior construction, and provided with the best and most costly English engines; and still the funds of the Society only amount to 700,000 silver convention florins. The last vessel, of one hundred horse power, the Ferdinand I., which left Trieste on the 15th of March, is about to effect the immediate communication with Constantinople: The Maria Dorothea has already performed the voyage between that city and Smyrna. The Argo, as heretofore, will take charge of the service of the left bank of the Lower Danube beyond the Iron Gate, whilst the Francis I. is destined to do the same on the right bank, inhabited by Turkish communities of importance, where it will meet the Ferdinand I., for which destination they are now preparing her at the docks at Buda. Thus we shall succeed in removing the quarantine obstacles, which hitherto have been grievously felt, and which, last year, prevented also the steam navigation projected by Prince Milosch; for, by these two vessels taking always the Turkish side of the river, travellers will arrive, without delay, from Constantinople at the quarantine at Orsowa. These arrangements, which are in perfect conformity with the object and with other similar ones, will soon put an end to every just complaint, and will efface the unfavourable impression that Mr. Quin may have made on some persons, by his narrative of his voyage on this part of the Danube. Nevertheless, this impression can hardly have been made, if it be considered that Quin is utterly destitute of foresight, and that, in his naïve carelessness, he chose the most disadvantageous period of the year, that is to say, the late season of the year 1834, which was the driest season within the memory of man. Moreover, as the year 1835 was remarkable for singular changes in the elements, it was not a proper time to make, for an extent of 400 leagues between Presburg and Galatz, the arrangements necessary to expedite travellers and merchandize with rapidity, to take care of them in the vessels, and in the places of disembarkation, in spite of so many obstacles; and, in fine, to supply the magazines with a sufficiency of combustible matter. appears, however, that the wishes of the patriots for the success

It

of so many efforts are about to be accomplished, since the service of the Argo, which, in 1834, showed a deficit of 18,745 fl. 56 kr. gave, in 1835, already an excess of 5,871 fl. 50 kr.

The results of the steam navigation are more favourable still on the Upper Danube, where, only last September, the Zriny joined the Pannonia, and where, in a few days, the last steam-boat, the Rondor, (a Hungarian word which signifies palatine) is about to be consecrated to the same destination, by the voyage which the illustrious consort of our palatine will make in her from Presburg to Buda. An eighth steam-boat, about to be constructed, will complete this service on the Upper Danube. In order to be able to make this acquisition, and then to enlarge the establishment by a greater number of steam-boats, 700 new shares have been issued, which will be distributed to the proprietors of the 1400 old ones, in the proportion of half a new one for an old one, so that the funds will be raised to 1,050,000 florins.

Hitherto, the shareholders have only received five per cent. annual interest, and no dividends, for they have wisely preferred putting into a reserve fund the greater part of the 4407 florins, which now make up the net surplus. Nevertheless, only a few days ago, the shares had already risen 30 per cent. which sufficiently proves the great confidence justly inspired in the administration of affairs.

Although the Zriny did not commence her first voyage until the 22d September, and the Maria Dorothea sustained a considerable injury, still 17,727 travellers had been expedited up to that period by the five vessels which then existed. A port, near Buda, which is perfectly adapted to guarantee the vessels of the Danube against the thaw, and the evacuation of which is now proceeding, has been assigned to the association by its august patron, the Archduke Palatine. A dock has been established in the neighbourhood, in an island of the Danube, under the excellent master ship-builder, who hitherto directed the construction of the vessels of the association at Trieste. In this school the natives will gradually be formed for the service of the steam-boats, on board which are now heard almost all the languages of the Tower of VOL. III.NO. XXIII.

S

Babel. As Prince Metternich, the powerful protector of all that is really useful, takes a lively interest in the affairs of the company, it may henceforth be certain of the most active support. That which has hitherto much impeded it has been the circumstance that goods sent by the Argo to the Black Sea have been very rigorously treated by the quarantine at Odessa. A second attempt is therefore being now made, by diplomatic means, to obtain for the merchandize subject to the quarantine, and which is addressed to the Russian ports of the Black Sea, the same favour which the vessels in the Mediterranean enjoy, in demanding permission to have them sealed, and furnished with a certificate delivered by the Russian authority residing at Vienna. The friendly relations subsisting between the Russian court and our's give reason to hope for a happy result on this point, in the same manner as the Turkish government lately rescinded the decree of last year, which forbade its subjects to travel by Austrian or English steam-boats. Some time ago, the steam navigation companies in Wurtemburg and Bavaria, having asked whether the Austrian company would be disposed to co-operate with them in good fellowship, in order to make Ulm the point of departure for the vessels which should occupy the whole course of the Danube, our administration has been authorised to make an agreement for this purpose, reserving to the Imperial and Royal government the right of ratifying it.

Thus, then, the road is cleared to realise what, ten years ago, did not appear possible; that is to say, a direct commerce between central Europe and the East. At present a great deal is said, although nothing official has transpired, of an iron railroad, to communicate from Vienna by Oedenburg as far as Raab. It is, however, to be presumed that the railroad will not be confined to this, but that it will, one day, be prolonged to Pest, and even by Stolack as far as Debretzin: at least, this idea would be worthy of the spirit of the age, so fertile in enterprise, and likewise the execution of this project would find no obstacle in the country, for a continuous plain extends from the Raab to Dotes, and, further on, there is only one river to be passed in order to enter into the valley

of Predium, and, passing by Zitzke and Bia, to travel towards the Danube, between Promontori and Buda. This iron railway would fulfil every expectation that can be formed of these kind of establishments; there never would be any dearth of merchandize or travellers, for, after breakfasting at Pest, one would set out for Vienna, and arrive there in time for the opera the same evening. This railroad being also practicable the whole year round, might very easily be maintained, together with the steam-boat navigation. For this, however, not only money and intelligence are required, but time, and a law for appropriating the line of road; and it seems at least very doubtful whether this law can be voted by the present Diet, because the closing of the Session is already fixed for the commencement of May. It is said, however, that the project of the law of expropriation looks a little like despotism, which vexes the great proprietors, so that it will be difficult to come to a result.