Independent Bohemia: An Account of the Czecho-Slovak Struggle for LibertyNosek, Vladimir
History
Independent Bohemia: An Account of the Czecho-Slovak Struggle for Liberty
Nosek, Vladimir
Czechoslovakia -- History; World War, 1914-1918 -- Czech Republic -- Bohemia
In the past Bohemia was the richest part of the Habsburg Empire, with
well-developed agriculture and industries. Bohemia produced 829 lbs. of
grain per inhabitant, the rest of Austria 277 lbs. The Bohemian lands are
responsible for 93 per cent. of Austria's, production of sugar, most of
which has been exported to England. Hops of remarkable quality are produced
in Bohemia, and Pilsen beer is known all over the world. Bohemia
manufactures over 50 per cent. of all the beer produced in Austria. Bohemia
has also abundant wealth in minerals, the only mineral which is not found
there being salt. Bohemia produces 60 per cent. of Austria's iron and 83
per cent. (26 million tons) of her coal. As regards trade, almost all the
business between Bohemia and Western Europe has always passed through
Vienna, which of course greatly profited thereby. This will cease when
Bohemia becomes independent.
Two-thirds of the total Austrian exports, the value of which was over
L63,000,000 in 1912, come from the Bohemian lands. To England alone Austria
exported L9,000,000 worth of Bohemian sugar annually. Bohemian beer, malt
and hops were exported especially to France, textiles and machines to
Italy. On the other hand, Germany and German-Austria imported from the
Bohemian lands especially agricultural products (butter, eggs, cheese,
cereals, fruit), also coal and wood manufactures.
In 1905 Austria exported 425,000 metric tons of wheat and 186,000 metric
tons of malt, which were mostly produced in Bohemia. The export of Bohemian
beer brings Austria 15,000,000 kronen annually (L625,000), of malt
55,000,000 kronen (L2,290,000). The Bohemian lands further export
130,000,000 kronen (L5,430,000) worth of textiles annually.
The Austrian import trade is also largely dependent on Bohemia. All French
articles bought by Bohemia come through Vienna, two-thirds of the whole
French export being destined for that country.
As regards England, in 1914 L2,676,000 worth of goods were exported to
Austria-Hungary, the greater part of which again was destined for Bohemia,
the chief articles being printing and agricultural machines and textile
manufactures. England will after the war find a good market in Bohemia, and
valuable assistants in Czech banks and business men in the economic
competition against the Germans in the Near East, since the Czechs
boycotted German goods even before the war. Prague is a railway centre of
European importance, being situated just midway between the Adriatic and
the Baltic Sea. An agreement with her neighbours (Poland, Yugoslavia and
Rumania) and the League of Nations arrangement would secure her an outlet
to the sea by means of international railways, while the Elbe and Danube
would also form important trade routes. Bohemia would become an
intermediary between the Baltic and Adriatic as well as between East
and West.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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