PRAGUE. During the year ended June 30, 1898, there has been a considerable falling off in the exports to the United States from the district of Prague (which embraces about two-thirds of Bohemia, with some 4,000,000 inhabitants) in the chief products, as will more fully appear from the following table: Up to date, Prague has had no good sewerage system, but there is at present a desire on the part of the city government to construct a system after the latest and best approved plans, and to this end, a committee has been at work obtaining information from the various large cities in Europe. This committee will submit a report during this year, which will be acted upon by the city government. CONDITIONS OF TRADE. While trade in some lines of American manufactures, viz, the Westinghouse air brake, electric motors, bicycles, and farming machinery, has been increasing perceptibly in this district, the system followed by our manufacturers should undergo material changes, if they intend to compete in this market. United States manufacturers should treat business men and houses here in the same manner as they treat them at home; that is to say, if the manufacturer in the United States is placed in correspondence with entirely responsible houses here, who show a disposition to try an American article and are desirous of obtaining a sample (not as a loan, but for purchase), it will not do for the American manufacturer to write that it is his custom not to ship to this country unless the money be first deposited to his credit. This only creates suspicion in the minds of the business men here, aside from the fact that no good house will entertain the idea of doing business on such a principle. Let the American manufacturer who desires to enter this market send a salesman conversant with the language and sell to the houses direct, for business men here calculate as closely as they do in the United States and are averse to paying a middleman. There is not as much risk by a seller to be taken here as there is in the United States, for there are no exemption laws, and the financial standing of firms can easily be ascertained. A house can not do business here if it fails to meet its paper or bills promptly. NOTE. This scale of wages does not apply to similar laborers in the country, who receive from 30 to 40 per cent less. The wages in raw-sugar factories and sugar refineries throughout Bohemia run from 30 kreutzer (12 cents) to florins 1.60 (64 cents) for each 12 hours' work. NOTE. In addition to above monthly wages paid to train engineers, they are allowed a certain percentage on a saving of coal. AGRICULTURE AND CROPS. The following is a copy of the official table, not yet published by the imperial royal agricultural bureau for the Kingdom of Bohemia, showing the number of acres planted and the total yield in 1897: It is claimed that last year's crop was not a very good one, as far as small grain is concerned, and from inquiries, I am led to believe that this year's crop will be good. PRAGUE, July 30, 1898. HUGO DONZELMANN, Consul. SUPPLEMENTARY REPORT. COMMERCE IN 1898. The export from this district to the United States, for the six months ending June 30, 1898, amounted to $745,751.78, and the principal items making up this amount were glassware, gloves, porcelain and pottery, bed feathers, beer, beet-root sugar, collars and cuffs, human hair, and musical instruments, as will more fully appear from the statement hereto attached. As there are no statistics here showing the importation of goods from the United States to Bohemia, it is not possible for me to report definitely on this matter. From my own observation, however, I can state that there has been a considerable increase in the following lines of goods imported into my district: Electric motors and machinery, agricultural implements, hardware, bicycles, canned fruits and dried fruits, spokes, hubs, pig iron, and padlocks. It is to be regretted that our exporters do not realize that if they want people here to buy, they must show them their goods and give prices f. o. b. Hamburg, Bremen, or London. TERMS AND CREDITS. Terms on which goods are generally sold in this market by foreign houses vary with the kind and class of goods. Staple articles are generally sold at ninety days, with 2 per cent off for cash in thirty days, except sugar, which is always cash. Textile goods are sold at four months, with from 3 to 5 per cent off for cash within thirty days. Fancy goods, toys, and sporting goods are sold on from four to six months, with from 5 to 6 per cent discount for cash within thirty days. But the general custom is ninety days' credit, with 2 per cent off for cash. IMPROVEMENTS. Sewerage. The city of Prague is at present building an extensive sewerage system, which, when completed, it is claimed, will be on the most approved plan. The project is to convey all the sewage by a canal to a place about 3 miles from the city, where it is to be gathered into a reservoir and, after undergoing a process of evaporation and filtration (for which purposes the latest and most approved machinery will be employed), is to be sold to the farmers. Street railways.-The city of Prague has taken another great step by finally consummating, after several years' negotiation, the purchase of the street railway franchise, which had originally been granted to a Belgian company for a period of fifty years. This company had built a few horse-car lines, which did not answer modern requirements, Prague being, next to Vienna, the largest city of Austria. Hence the city council, after purchasing the franchise, has let a contract for substituting electricity for the present system and also for extending the existing lines over the greater part of the city. A large power house is to be built in Holleschowitz, a suburb of Prague, as well as several stations in the city, from which the current will be distributed, the contract calling for the changeable current system. It is calculated that the operation of the street railways will require a power of 550 volts, and the furnishing of electric lights to private dwellings and streets, 120 volts. The main power house is to be 290 feet long by 80 feet broad and 24 feet high, and to contain the following machinery: 10 Tischbein boilers, each having 230 square feet heat surface; 10 triplex expansion machines, each of 1,000 horsepower; 10 dynamos of like power, and all other necessary apparatus. It is expected that, when completed, it will give a new impulse to various industries now lying idle for the lack of electric power, and that electric motors will be greatly in demand. The city of Tilsen, in my district, also let a contract a few days ago for building electric street railways, with a large power house; and nearly every city of any size in Bohemia is contemplating building elec tric lines and using electric power in their various manufacturing establishments. TRANSPORTATION. The city of Prague, being situated on the river Moldau, which flows. into the Elbe, is endeavoring at a large expense to deepen and widen the channel of the Moldau, so as to enable vessels from Hamburg to come up as far as Prague. A new railroad is being built between the famous watering places, Karlsbad and Marienbad, in Bohemia, and it will be completed about the 1st of December, 1898. The distance between the two places is only 21 miles, and the road is being built by a private company. This will eventually cause a change to be made in the present time card of the Buschtehrader road. Until now, a person had to go via Eger to get to Marienbad, but by this road, one can go direct from Karlsbad. LICENSES, ETC. There are no changes in currency values or octroi duties, and the tariff rates of this country have not been changed. The fee for carrying on business as a commercial traveler in Bohemia is the same as formerly reported-40 cents for a written permit. American samples can be displayed for sale without any special license. TRADE POSSIBILITIES. There are great possibilities here for American products, such as oats, corn, corn meal, oatmeal, cornstarch, boots and shoes, rubber boots, heating stoves (self-feeders), furniture, agricultural implements, green and dried fruit, bacon and salted and canned meats, sole and upper leather, photographs, organs, pianos, electric machinery, watches and clocks, and typewriters. But this market must be studied. What trade is not in the hands of the home producer is done by the English, the German, and the French, and our exporters can not expect to get their share of the business by relying upon commission houses in either of the three countries named. Let them come and look after the business personally or by agent. A consul being, strictly speaking, a commercial agent, will, by reason of his position, become acquainted with the heads of the most important business houses in his district, and will be able to introduce the American traveler and assist him by acting as his interpreter; but CR 98-VOL 2- -2 a consul can not, upon the mere written request of an exporter, inclosing price lists, catalogues, etc., accomplish the feat of inducing inerchants and dealers in his district to buy American goods. It might be possible, if a sample office were established in connection with the consulate, in which specimens of the various articles sought to be introduced were exhibited. It should be remembered that people in most instances want to see what they expect to buy. PRAGUE, October 19, 1898. HUGO DONZELMANN, Consul. Declared exports from the consular district of Prague to the United States from January 1, 1898, to June 30, 1898. Total. Mar. 31, 1898. June 30, 1898. $9,378.71 $21, 319.30 $30, 698.01 7.394.57 1.594.71 17, 268. 03 8, 383.45 609, 12 12, 415.74 3, 914.98 20, 629.57 1, 537.93 2,535. 23 14, 454. 46 9,032.92 Glassware Glove leather. Graphite. Gum Hair, buman Hops.. Laces Linen goods. Machinery 563.83 6, 035. 14 5,953.34 2,226.36 577.52 29, 125. 71 530.24 9, 335, 24 7,669.65 512.52 2, 928.71 3,435.31 3,493.23 3,471.76 9, 390. 15 289.23 4, 096. 79 11, 280.80 4,097. 12 81,378.91 12, 105. 68 56, 223. 68 48, 163.96 530.24 10, 508. 23 1, 903. 47 17, 268.03 17, 718. 69 2, 170. 74 20,085, 39 16, 943. 01 584.84 1,076. 24 9, 639. 28 16, 010. 80 129. 26 3,447 83 3,083. 16 77.051.74 91, 305, 85 512.52 2, 392.93 5,463.94 28,696.82 9, 032.92 3, 435. 31 563.83 9.528.37 9, 425. 10 11, 616. 51 866.75 4,096.79 22, 255, 50 8,728.69 155, 690.29 16, 275. 06 385.64 393, 216, 78 745, 751.78 REICHENBERG.' In this consular district, business generally has been depressed during the year ending June 30, 1898. Both local and foreign trade have suffered, and all the varied industries of the district have been affected. In reply to circular of August 5. |