The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-09-11

IN marken have attracted consider
~ able attention tn German firan-
cial circles since the Swedish
riksdag and the Norwegian
stor.hing have decided to build railroads
to the Norwegian coast A prominent Ger
man financial paper calls the attention q
German investors 10 the slunber!ng mill
lions OF Norrland and the immense oppor-
tunity for making money which is open
to capital in Sweden. A patriotic mathe-
matician has already figured out that Norr-
land is large and rich enough TO support
a population equal to that Of the United
States. That being true. emigration from
Sweden ought to cease entirely. Within
the last few years emigration from Swe-
den has decreased considerably. owing TO
good crops and good business conditions.
generally ascribed to the protective tariff
enacted by the Bostrom regime. But in
spite Of mathematical calculations as to
xhe population Norrland can or ought to
support, 1t is fact now generally con-
ceded that immigration viii Increase this
fail, and in all likelihood assume its old
time limits. From present outiooks the
crops will fail all over Sweden Spring
fingered too long in the lap of winter. and
the sowing took place too late. In order
to make matters still worse. 1t has been
raining almost continually ali summer. The
hay crop Is failure. In some places the
hay has been washed away by the heavy
rains, whatever was saved was only half
cured, and from many farms come re-
ports of fires In barns caused by sponta-
neous combustion. The rye fields hug the
ground, and some fields are completely I'M
der water. Farmers who can save fodder
for their cattle out Of the grain fields con-
slider themselves lucky. Sweden will ba
compelled to import rye, and the millions
usually received for exported oats will be
reduced to a trifie. Under such conditions
the people are not allured by hopes Of
the future wealth Of Norrland. People can
not wait. The farmers will sell their
farms and emigrate to the United States.
The close Of the war and the good times
which generally follow in the wake of
successful war will induce many to emf
crate who otherwise would hesitate.
The Norwegian steamer Adrfa, Capt.
Rasmussen, Of Bergen arrived recently In
New York Although flying a neutral tag
during the war the Adria performed ser
vices for Uncle Sam for which the captain
and crew would have had 10 pay dearly,
had the steamer fallen into the hands Of
the Spaniarda The Adria was a fruit trad
er between New York and the West Indies
prior to the war and was operated in con-
junction with several other steamers be-
longing to the same firm. When the mill
tary invasion OF Cuba was decided upon
the Adrfa WAS chartered to go to Cuba to
fish UP the cables, which had been cat in
order to put the Washington authorities in
direct communication with the army in the
field. She was conveyed by couple OF
small gunboats carrying Col. Allen. OF the
signal corps and an army of telegraph op-
orators. In an interview with reporter OF
the Nordiske Blade Capt. Rasmussen stat
ed that he was frequently interrupted by
Spanish gunboats and the steamer was once
In danger of being blown up by Spanish
torpedo boat. when the battleship Texas
arrived and drove tho Spanish away. It
was the Adria that fixed UP the cables off
Guantanamo taking both ends on deck and
serving as a central station Whenever
cable had been located. marines from the
nearest rar-cf-war were sent on board OF
the Adria to asst IN hosting the cables
and chains, "and," said Cept. Rasmussen,
ut made a peculiar impression on me. as
/ stood on the bridge and heard those for
eign man-of-wdrs men. whenever things
did not go quick enough TO suit them. give
their feelings vent in the most sonorous
Norwegian oaths that ] ever listened to-
The Adria was N the blockadng squad
ron when Hobson sailed the Merrimac.
formerly the Soiveig, also OF Bergen. into
Santiago channel and Capt. Rasmussen
supplied Iobson with the Necessary wires
for the torpe1oes. with which the Merrimac
was sunk.
Corporal punishment in the Swedish
army was abolished more than twenty
years ago. Since that time the officers
have been obliged to content themselves
with occasionally boxing the ears Of the
soldiers or a wel-applied kick. Even this
punishment Is more than the law allows.
but no complaints have been registered
against officers for such manifestations Of
their tel,1j,Ng :. few weeks ago Private
Hede OF the Svea battalion took spin
on bicycle belonging TO Lieut.. L.udquist
without asking the iatters permission to
use the wheel When he returned the
lieutenant met him and ordered him TO
report In his room. where he gave him
severe flashing after stripping him to the
waist. The following day the private was
unable 70 leave his cot in the barracks. A
doctor was sent for, and the matter was
reported 10 headquarters The case was
whispered about abroad and finally reached
the ears ~ a reporter. who published it.
The newspapers took II up generally and
demanded that the offender be punished
for his brutality. The war department
finally ordered a court-rnartlaI II Is likely
that the lieutenant will he sentenced 10