The Minneapolis journal., 1903-04-30
OF Cod
Catch Of the Norwegian Fisheries Is
Unexpectedly Large Famine
Not Feared Now.
Baleful Predictions Of Fishermen
Prove Groundless Scientists
Are Proved Right.
corr..nondance Of rhe Journal.


Christiania, Norway April 15.--Gloomy
as the outlook was when last wrote |
about the cod, a different story can now be
told Last week, with only four working
days. according to Norwegian custom,
more than 1000, 900 cod were caught, and
the prospects are still good.
aiThe fisheries have yielded better results
than was prophesed by the fishermen
early in the season. At numerous meet
ings in the beginning Of the year, the fish \
ermen declared that the seal would spoil
the catch Of the year entirely, and that
want and starvation would be prevalent
all along the coast. Everybody who said
anything to the contrary was considered
a novice And as the princfnal cause OF
all this misery was given the wholesale
destruction of the whale, as 1t was the
whale that always had kept the seal away
from the coast, now that the whales were
killed we had the seals with us. Against
this theory Of the fishermen the arguments
of men of science were not considered
| March "a. DR.. Hjorth, the leader Of the
government scientific search expedition.
| cabled that the fish were coming: His
! statement was based on careful SCIENTIFIC
/ investigation, leaving both the seal and
4 the whale out of the question, and sure
enough the following Two weeks 1000
cod were caught, and the catch was lar
gest in the location where the seal had
been most numerous. These results will
help to win credence for the conclusions
reached by men of science, and the public
will no longer put blind faith in what
over excited and ignorant fishermen pro-
claim. = 49,
| Until Easter the total catch was twenty
six and one third millions, whereof 1O,500,-
900 were caught in Lofoten district. Last
year the catch up to the same date was
! 80 900, 900. in 1901 27.000,000 and in 1900
only %, 900, 900. If the fisheries in Fin
marken continue to do as well as they
l1eve< that the average for the season will
be-. satisfactory, and far better than at
first expected.
i Aid from America.
Should there be any deficiency; the
money sent from America for the needy
ones up north will go far to cover it. AS
far as can learn, more than $4,000 have
been received in Norway from America
for relief of the poor this season, of which
Minnesota s share amounts to about $lS,
900. Outside of what has been sent thru
, the central relief committee Of Minneapo-
lis money has been received from Chicago
and elsewhere DR., Kfopsch. editor of the
; Christian Herald, New York, has given
> 10000 kroner to Norway's ~poor This
gentleman has done some great charitable
! work in Finland and northern Sweden
From Renville- county, Minnesota, M. j
Bowling has sent $500 to United States
Consul General Henry Bordewich here
who has turned the money over to the
Norwegian premier.
): +, y "1roderfoIkenes Vel:'' 49,
In my previous letter I mentioned tht
. speech delivered by Professor Bugge or
: Scandinavian unity. The words of tha
= gentleman seem already to have brough
= results. Last might a society was formed
: here with Swedes and NorWegians TO
members, their number being about $50
King Oscar has given special permission
c its name. About fifty Swedes. ladies a1r<
y gentlemen. came here for, the organization
r. meeting. 49, I....>. =. :,s,r. .~ .,eA :. =, e,
: The principal paragraphs in the bylaw
Z of 1the society are: -" -
The aim of the society within each of tn,
= brother countries is to work for closer knowl
! edge and better understanding of one another
" between, the people of Sweden and Norway.
: To reach this aim, the society :shoulds endeavo
: to have joint meetings Of young peoples .socie
= ties Of the two countries. and Of sports clubs
j. Interchangeable in each country; tourists an
Is school children's excursions from countr
to another and thus. thru cooperation with tour
. ist and similar clubs. stimulate the intercours
a, between Swedes and Norwegians. make the &C
- cess for the youths Of one country as easy a
- possible TO 1.-THE institutions of learning In th
~ other country, and thru lectures and exchang
:. of literature to work toward the same end.
1e Z Every Swedish and Norwegian man Q
of woman of any age can become a membe
q" by paying so ore: (13 cents) annual due:
y, or SO kroner once for all. .-
On On This is only small beginning of what
in perhaps once will prove a work Of tf
e: greatest Importance and benefit to thes
40 two Scandinavian countries M A.