The present revenue of Prussia is estimated at seven millions and a half sterling, more than double what it was during the reign of Frederick the Great, and considering the population and the circumstances of the kingdom, is as great in proportion as the /30,000,000 now levied in France. This revenue is derived front taxes on the land, on persons, on patents andlicenses, on stamped paper, and on a custom-duty on foreign productions. In those pro vinces lately obtained from the French empire, the same taxes continued to be levied that were paid to their former government. But nearly a third of the whole revenue is obtained from the royal domains, and other departments, namely, mines, game, coinage, posting, over all which the king exercises an hereditary right or royalty.
But though the king's official income be so great, there is no court in Europe less extravagant than that of Prussia, and the present sovereign pays, if possible, less attention to external splendour, or personal gratification, than any of his predecessors ; and the revenue arising, as stated above, from the royal domains, is devoted principally to the service of the state, the expense of the royal household not exceeding the comparatively trifling sum of /200,000 annually.
The following list, which shows the revenue produced in each province, calculated in gulden, (equal to about two shillings British,) exhibits also their relative resources and opulence.
The Prussian monarchs, though they have uniformly kept a strong military force, have been distinguished for economy in the management of the revenue. The father of Frederick the Great, with a revenue of only /1,200,000, left at his death, which took place in 1740, a well-replen ished treasury, and a standing army of 76,000 men. And Frederick the Great himself, notwithstanding his expen sive wars, and the extensive national improvements which he effected, at his death, in 1785, left. /7,000,000 in cash. This sum the improvident habits of his successor not only soon dispelled, but lie accumulated considerable debt. The present king, on his accession, (1797) used every method to redeem the debt which his father had bequeathed to him ; and would, ere now, have been successful, had it not been for the rupture of 1806 with Bonaparte, and the subsequent hostilities in which he was engaged, and which the battle of Waterloo (1815) brought to a happy and splendid termination. The debt of Prussia is calculated to be about /26,000,000, part of which (6,000,000,) is a loan from Britain. Of the currency of Prussia, about a seventh part formerly consisted of paper money, which has of late nearly disappeared, almost every thing being transacted by gold and silver coin.
The government of Prussia is more of a military de scription than perhaps any other on the continent. This object has been uniformly the policy of the successive sovereigns; and at this moment, in a time of profound peace, the support of the military establishment requires more than the half of the whole revenue of the kingdom. The bravery and superior discipline of the Prussian army were celebrated even before the time of the great Frede rick, under whose reign it attained to a degree of perfec tion in these respects altogether unrivalled. His present majesty, in regard to the army, is distinguished by the same spirit and views which animated his predecessors. During the late war, the number of Prussian troops ex ceeded 200,000 men, who, though not always victorious, exhibited on various occasions, particularly on the field of Waterloo, a display of military skill, and an ardour of bravery, that gained them the admiration of the world. The present number of troops on the peace establishment is about 160,000, exclusive of two species of militia, de nominated the Landwehr and the Landsturin—the former, which consists of men between twenty-five and forty years of age, is exercised but one day in the year in time of peace, but in war it becomes a disposable force, liable to be marched wherever its services may seem necessary; the latter, which consists of all males above forty years of age capable of bearing arms, is called out only on occa sions of emergency ; and then its duty is merely domestic, in maintaining internal tranquillity. The regular army is levied by a conscription, compelling every young man, when twenty years of age, to serve for a limited time. Almost all the males of the kingdom, it is thus evident, are either in the army, or are liable to be called out in cases of danger or alarm ; a state of preparation %t Bich the long and open frontier of the kingdom probably renders neces sary, particularly as it is environed by the great military powers of Russia, Austria, and France. There are, as stated under the head of literary institutions, good military schools in different parts of the kingdom, particularly at Berlin, Konigsburg, Breslau, and Stolpe, in Pomerania. The acquisition of Dantzick, and other ports on the shores of the Baltic, may perhaps in time render Prussia a maritime power: but at present she has no navy, all her attention and pride having hitherto been placed in her land forces. The greatest portion of the kingdom forms a part of the Germanic Confederation, and maintains a stipulated number of troops, (79,234, in time of war,) for its defence.