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.

_Population and Administration._--Bohemia had in 1900 a population of
6,318,280, which corresponds to 315 inhabitants per square mile. As
regards numbers, it occupies the second place amongst the Austrian
provinces, coming after Galicia, and as regards density of population it
stands third, Silesia a