Rassegna storica del Risorgimento

La vigilia del '48
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A slight disturbance took place in this city a few days since, but this was of a nnaneial and not a politicai character. When the government of Austria last spring obtained a loan of 80,000,000 of Florins, front three bankers in this city it was under the stipulation that the niinister of finances would purchase up tbe stock of the various rail-roads of the Empire, and not suffer the same to fall below a eertain amount of value.,5) This engagement he continued to fulfil untili reeently, when the expense attendant on the transportation of a large body of troops to the Italian frontier, forced hhu to withdraw for a while from the market. Upon this step the panie on the bourse became excessive, the disorder so great that the troops had to be called in, abusive and threatning placards were stuck upon the doors of the fin ance mànister's residence, and altogether the aspect became so alarming, tbat the government through their agent was induced a gain to enter the market, when tranqnillity was thereupon restored.16)
Tra le condizioni del prestito statale, concluso nel 1847 con i banchieri Roth-sehild. Sina e Arnstein Eskelcs, Stiles sbagliò nell'includere la direttiva del governo, di­chiarata già nel 1846, di comprare le azioni ferroviarie ogni volta che esse avessero per­duto troppo sulla Borsa di Vienna; vedi il ce Vortrag des Hofkammer-Prasidenten Frhr. v. Kubeck vom 14. November 1846 ... iiber die steigenden Verlegenheiten des Geldmarktes , S.ÀJW., Minister Kolowrat-Akten, 2062 ex 1846. In seguito alle condizioni del prestito sta­tale del 1847, il governo doveva comprare, le sue proprie obbligazioni al 5 con denaro dal suo fondo d'ammortizzamento piando queste erano sotto la pari; cfr. il Vortrag del barone Kubeck in data 17 febbraio 1847, Finanzarcbiv, Wien [d'ora innanzi F.A.W.], Gebeimprotokollsakten der allgemeinen Hofkammer, 2686 ex 1847; e ADOLF BEER, Die Finanzen ósterreichs im, XIX. Jahrhundert, Prag, 1877, pp. 160-161.
16) Cfr. KARL GLOSSY, Wien 1840-1848. Bine amtliche Chronik, Wien, 1919, voi. II, pp. 262-264. Un dispaccio dell'ambasciatore inglese a Vienna, Lord Ponsonby, sin qui ine­dito, risulta interessante per le informazioni che fornisce sulla situazione finanziaria a Vienna nell'autunno del 1847: a In November 1846 Baron Kubeck... agreed to take, at par, ali the Austrian Railroad shares, which only paid 4 per cent, and for this purpose a 4 dotation de la Banque - was made, it is said of 10 millions of florins a month, to be drawn as required. Since last November money having become much dearer than it then was, the Austrian Capitalists have been naturally eager to invest their money in English or Frencli Stock, where a return of 5 and 6 per cent was to be obtained, and bave accor-dingly been selling out their Austrian Railroad Stock, which Baron Kubeck by his agree­ment is obliged to take. On Saturday last (the 19th) Baron Kubeck suddenly announced, that He would not take any more; it is said, this was in consequence of a conference with Prince Metternich on the preceding Evening, but be this as it may, an immense panie was created. The House of Rothsehild, Sina c c refuscd to transact any business, and the Government seeing the manner in which publick confidence had been shaken by Baron Kubeck1 proceeding, were obliged to direct that He should continue to take the shares, and on Sunday Morning, a most unusual thing, He accordingly did buy up ali the shares in the market to the amount of 9 millions, and declared his readiness to take any amount that might be offered. The following days Monday and Tuesday thero was stili great exeitement at the Exchange[,] Every body anxious to see and nobody to buy. As my informant said this measure of Baron Kubeck has * tellement embrouillé le credit ici * that it must be sometime before confidence can be restored.... Lord Ponsonby a Lord Pal-merston, in data 22 settembre 1847, Public Record Office, London, F.O. 7/337.
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