The Sisseton weekly standard. (Sisseton, Roberts County, S.D.) 1892-1929, 1908-01-10
in THE SCANDINAVIAN NORTH
Cleanings of Important Neus of Nor1vay, Sweden
and Denmark, with Occasional Comments
-
W oDLAND
NORWAY.

NORWAY.
AS in the northwest of the United
States, the snowfall has been light in
Norway so far. The fall was unusual.
ly damp and dreary.
Olaf Hanson, leading comic actor,
has been appointed director Of the
Bergen theater. This position was
once held by Bjornstjerne Bjornson.
A question Of considerable inter-
est at Christiania is, Who shall sue
coed Bjorn Bjornson as director of the
National theater? Among those con-
sidered is Siguard Ibsen, son of the
great dramatist, and prominent in the
diplomatic service. but he has declared
that under no circumstances would
he accept the position.
The press of Christiania speaks of
the holiday trade in that city and
throughout the country in general as
having been very satisfactory, being
larger than it was last year. 1t ap-
pears from this that, in spite of the
, poor harvests, there was more money
! among the people during the holiday
season this year than last, and that
there is prosperity in the land is fur
Their shown by the willingness of the
! banks and merchants to give credit.
The panic was felt in Norway, as
, we'll as in most of the other countries,
but 1t was of shorter duration there
than in Sweden and Denmark.
Vigeland, the prominent sculptor,
has been engaged to design fountain
| to be set up in the Eidsvolds Plads,
between the storthing building and
| the national theater. The work
which will be an elaborate group of
allegorical figures, will cost about
$4,000, and, as is confidently expect
! ed, will be one of the most interest
, ing sights of the city. The expense Of
erecting the fountain is chiefly borne
by the city, but lovers of art will con-
tribute, a prominent Swede having Of
/, fered $4,000 crowns.
1t looks as If Bernt Lies novel,
"Vandringsmand," will be the best
seller of the season in Christiania
book stores this winter. The authors
! of Norway have made 1T rule, to issue
| new works in the autumn, so as to
have them we'll advertised for the
holiday trade, Ibsen's plays being gen.
orally issued at that time. In spite
of the fact that Ibsen is dead and
Bjornson and Jonas Lie too old to
write as actively as younger men.
there was goodly output Of new
books for the holiday trade, and the
| sale has been brisk.
Owe Guide, the new minister from
| Norway to the United States, is a man
of long experience in the diplomatic
service. Born in 1853, he was gradu-
ated from the law department of the
University of Christiania in 1876 and
was appointed to the Norwegian lega-
| ton in Paris, where he served a
couple of years. Then he took a posi-
tion in the department Of foreign af-
fairs at Stockholm; in 1884 he became
secretary of the legation at Berlin,
and in 1891 was transferred to Lon
don. His next promotion came when
he was made minister TT Spain, DO
sition he held till 1902. when he was
appointed minister to Copenhagen.
When the storthing declared the union
l
ed, Mr.. GUIDE placed his services at
the disposal of his mother country,
but was not appointed to any position
in the public service till now, when he
is selected to fill the place Of the Ia
mented Christian Hauge. That he
will prove worthy successor of that
able diplomat is confidently believed
by all who know him.
According to government statistics,
recently published. there were 1857
vessels in the merchant marine of Nor
way at the close of the year 1905. The
total ton capacity of these was 1882
| O94. There were 1,734 steamships
and 1888 sailships.
| At the end of 1906 the number of
vessels in the merchant marine had
fallen to 1870, but the aggregate ton
mage was greater, namely, 1,547, $50.
The number of steamers was 1894,
with tonnage of 1900.
From this it appears that while the
total number of vessels in the marine
has decreased little, the aggregate
tonnage has increased, due to the in
crease in the number of steamships,
which have a larger ton capacity than
the sailships, of course. They also
make much faster time and hence in
crease the carrying power Of the ma
rine.
For a small country, Norway has a
remarkably large merchant marine
and Norwegian sailors are known the
world over as most efficient and trust
worthy.
Sour Grapes