BERLIN, the metropolis of the Prussian monarchy, and the largest and finest town in Germany, (Vienna only excepted) cannot be otherwise than an important commercial and industrial centre. Among the six quartiers, or quarters, and the five suburbs, of which the city consists, are many manufacturing esta blishments of great magnitude. In the Ber lin Quarter are the Lager house and the royal Gewcrb house, where several royal manufac tories are conducted on a large scale. In the new Cologne Quarter is the Royal Salt Mag azine. In the Friedrichswerder Quarter is the Royal Foundry. In the Friedrichstadt Quarter is the Royal Porcelain Manufactory ; and the royal manufactory of gold and silver work. The celebrated Berlin iron trinkets are manufactured near the Oranienburg Gate.
Berlin is one of the first manufacturing towns in the Prussian dominions. Its chief productions are the celebrated Berlin china, silks, silks and cottons mixed, woollens, cot tons, stockings, and ribands ; and next in order are gunpowder, cast-iron ware, silk hats, paper, oils, refined sugars, and tobacco and snuff.
If war should not unhappily step in to check industry, Berlin will be well represented at the Hyde Park Exhibition of 1851. Its
iron, porcelain, terra cotta, silks, woollens, linens, paper, and machinery, are all to be illustrated by choice specimens. The Berlin castings are especially looked forward to with interest. Casting in zinc, an art not much practised in England, is carried to much per fection in Berlin ; cast groups in this mate rial, the size of life, are to be- forwarded to England. In terra-cotta and earthenware the Berlin manufacturers are endeavouring not merely to attain high artistic excellence, but also to produce good and cheap articles for every day use.
A very interesting feature, in relation to the Industrial Exhibition, is the formation of a committee at Berlin, for facilitating the visit of a large number of Prussians to London in 1851. Contracts are to be made with railway companies, and with steamboat and omnibus proprietors ; dwelling-houses and a dining hall are to be engaged ; and all expenses from Berlin to London, in London, and from Lon don back to Berlin, are to be charged to each visitor in one sum.