The reconstruction of South-Eastern Europe

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SOUTH-EASTERN EUROPE

their national interests can be greatly enhanced by them.

With her 14,000,000 inhabitants and a territory of some 260,000 sq. kilometres (about 100,000 sq. miles), and an extensive sea-coast this new State will be by no means a negligible quantity. Great Britain will have every interest to prevent any other military and industrial country from subjugating it economically, as economic subjugation might easily lead to political and military enslavement. But besides that negative interest Great Britain must look to capture for her trade and industry the Southern Slav State, as her commercial and economic importance will greatly arise in the near future. Another matter of commercial importance as well as strategical interest to Great Britain must be, that the shortest continental route to the East must be in friendly hands. As Sir Arthur Evans has shown in his authoritative article, ““ The Adriatic Slavs and the Overland Route to Constantinople,” published in the Geographical Journal, April 1916, it would be possible to reach Belgrade from London in thirty-nine hours, some five hours quicker than it was possible before the war to reach it by the Orient Express—viz. forty-four and a half hours. That overland route would run entirely through friendly countries: London — Paris— Milan — Mestre -Gradisca —Ljubljana (Laibach)-Zagreb-Belgrade. From Belgrade to Salonica the existing railway! line

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