Bohemia possesses over two hundred mineral springs, but only a few are
used for medicinal purposes. Among them are some of the most celebrated
mineral springs in the world, such as Carlsbad, Marienbad, Franzensbad,
Teplitz-Schonau and Bilin. Other springs of importance are Pullna,
Sedlitz and Seidschitz near Brux; Giesshubl near Carlsbad; Liebwerda,
Konigswart, Sangerberg, Neudorf, Tetschen, Johannisbad, situated at the
foot of the Schneekoppe, &c.
_Manufactures and Commerce._--From an industrial point of view, Bohemia
takes the first rank amongst the Austrian provinces, and at the same
time is one of the greatest manufacturing centres of Europe. Rich as the
country is in coal and iron, and in water supplies which can be
transformed into motive power, the inhabitants were not slow to utilize
these advantages, so that the industry of Bohemia made enormous strides
during the last half of the 19th century. The glass industry was
introduced from Venice in the 13th century and soon attained a vast
importance; the factories are in the neighbourhood of the mountains,
where minerals, and especially silica and fuel, are plentiful. The
finest product, the crystal-glass, is made round Haida and Steinschonau.
The very extensive porcelain industry is concentrated in and around
Carlsbad. The textile industry stands in the front rank and is mostly
concentrated in the north-east corner of Bohemia, round Reichenberg, and
in the valley of the Lower Elbe. The cloth manufacture is located at
Reichenberg; Rumburg and Trautenau are the centre of the linen industry;
woollen yarns are made at Aussig and Asch. Lace, which is pursued as a
home-industry in the Erzgebirge region, has its principal centre at
Weipert, while Strakonitz has the speciality of the manufacture of red
fezes (Turkish caps). The metallurgic industries, favoured by the
abundance of coal and iron, are concentrated round the mines. Industrial
and agricultural machinery are manufactured at Reichenberg, Pilsen and
Prague, and at the last-named place is also to be found a great
establishment for the production of railway rolling-stock. Sugar
refining is another industry, which, although of recent date, has had a
very great development, and the breweries produce a beer which is
appreciated all over the world. Other important branches of industry
are:--the manufacture of chemicals at Prague and Aussig; pencils at
Budweis; musical instruments at Graslitz and Schonbach; paper, leather,
dyeing and calico-printing. Hand-in-hand with the industrial activity of
the country goes its commercial development, which is stimulated by an
extensive railway system, good roads and navigable rivers. The centre of
the railway system, which had in 1898 a length of some 3500 m., or 30%
of the total length of the Austrian railways, is Prague; and through the
Elbe Bohemia has easy access to the sea for its export trade.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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