Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1921.djvu/848

 796 CZECHp-SLOVAKIA

Communications.— There 9,1-0 8,297 miles of railway line in the Republic of which 4,928 miles are owned by the State and the remaining 3,369 miles privately owned. Of the State railways 801 miles are double- tracked, and of the privately owned lines 199, miles. The total number of stations (excluding Slovensko) is 1,655.

The Peace Treaty vested the ( 'zecho-Slovak State with the right to use certain wharves in the ports of Hamburg and Stettin. Of the waterways of the country, the Danube is tin- most important ; its chief port is Bratislava (Pressburg). On the Elbe the two main ports are Usti (Aussig) and Deciu (Teschen).

In 1916 there were 3,549 post offices and 2,886 telegraph offices, and 48,210 miles.of telegraph wire ; 6, 993, 626 telegrams were despatched. In 1916 there were 56,799 telephone stations and 87,780 miles of telephone wire.

Banking 1 and Currency. — The main limited liability credit establish- ments of the country are the Raiffeisen Banks, the district agricultural credit banks, the municipal saving banks, and the civil credit banks, which deal with the savings of all classes of the population and satisfy their credit require- ments. The financial system is supplemented by the Postal Money Order Oifice, which acts as intermediary in the payment of accounts, and lias at its dis- posal all the post offices and the Clearing House at Prague. The banking department attached to the Ministry of Finance is at present also acting as a joint stock bank pending the carrying out of the legislative measures already agreed upon, There are also several district joint stock banks, such as the District Bank of Bohemia, the Agrarian Bank of Moravia, the Land Credit Establishment of Silesia, the Mortgage Bank of Bohemia, the Mortgage Bank of Moravia, and the Communal Credit Establishment of Silesia. These banks have the right to issue bqnds representing advances which have been made to the Government, to municipalities, or private individuals, the security for which is guaranteed in the form of a mortgage or other lien upon landed property.

At the beginning of 1919 there, were 15 commercial banks in Czecho- slovakia, with a total paid-up share capital of 745,000,000 Czech n -slovak crowns. Their reserve funds amounted to 334,920,000 crowns, while the total deposits of all kinds, including current accounts, represented 190,630,000 crowns. The combined assets of these banks aggregated 11,282,000,000 crowns. To meet the requirements of the trade position the banks are constantly increasing their capital. The aggregate increase of 12 banks during the first quarter pf 1920 amounted to approximately 360,000,000 crowns.

A Czechoslovak .loint-Stock Bank is being organised with a capital of 75 million francs in gold, and 75 thousand shares of 1,000 francs each. Of these the State will fake 25,000 shares. The Government will have no vote at the. general meetings of the company. The name of the bank will be "Bank of the LVr.ho-Slovak Republic." The shareholders will be repre- sented by tho Board of Directors to which the general meeting will send six- members elected for six- years, while the Cuvcr nt will be reprcsci.icd l>\

three members. The president of the Board of Directors will be nominated by the President, of the Republic for the duration of six years.

It is proposed to replace the present Czecho-slovak krone curreucy by franc currency in tho ratio of 3 kronen — 1 franc

The note circulation on January 1, 1921. amounted to 11,070,000,000 kronen.

Diplomatic Representatives. 1. Of Czechoslovakia, in Grkat Britain.

Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary. — Dr. Vujti eh Mastny (appointed May 1920).