The L'Anse sentinel., 1914-04-04
Important Events IN Sweden,
Norway and Denmark.
BRIEFS FROM OLD COUNTRY
lntsrsstIno Items From the Thrss
Great Kingdoms Of the North &C.
Iectsd for seandInavIans and
Their Descendants.
by MARTIN w. oDLAND.

NorWay.
The woman of Norway have become
the envy Of their sisters the world
over on account of the rapidity with
which they have won their political
rights in recent years, but they have
now met with a setback which the
leading Morse suffragiets do not rel
ish. A majority report of the consti-
tutional committee Of the storthing
recommends the rejection of the pro-
posed amendment to the constitution
Of Norway giving women the right to
sit In the kings cabinet. The commit
tee took the position that there is no
pressing or immediate demand for the
admission of women into this branch
step should not be taken in advance
Of the practical needs developed by
the woman's rights movement
It is reported from Christiania that
the British department of war has
placed an order with the Eyde COM
pany, for the delivery Of consider
able supply Of ammonium nitrate for
the manufacture of gunpowder. This
is the initial order Of this kind and
the opening of this market Is believed
to have vast Importance for the future
Of the industry. According to Harald
Bjerke, managing director of the COM
pany, the order Is not unusual In size
and is comparatively unimportant as
compared with the amount Of ammo
mum products sold In England for in
dustrial purposes. The company has
also previously been supplying private
powder manufacturing firms in Eng
land, which undoubtedly have con-
tracts with the government, but this
is the first time an order has been re-
ceived directly from the government
itself.
It has been proposed that all of the
maritime nations of the world COM
bine in maintaining an iceberg patrol
as safeguard for shipping. The cabi-
net of Norway has recommended an
appropriation of $4,000 as Norway's
share In the maintenance Of the pa
troll.
Two international conferences will
be held at Christiania the coming sum-
mer in relation to the islands of Spitz-
bergen. Early In June representatives
of Russia, Sweden and Norway will
vnaaf af tho Noroa coDitoI 20 dra u, IN
proposals as to what disposition to
make Of the islands and later in sum-
mer these proposals will be submitted
to a conference representing at least
six nations. Hitherto the islands Of
Spitzbergen have not been claimed by
any nation although Norway has had
most to do with these Arctic regions,
but owing to the discovery Of valu-
able coal mines in the islands It has
become necessary to make provision
for their future government Great
Britain, France, Holland. Germany,
Denmark, Norway and the United
States will be represented in the gen.
eral conference, the United States hav-
ing been invited because of the inter
ests which some of its citizens have
in the Spitzbergen coal mines. II the
memorandum submitted by the Norwe-
gian government Is confirmed by the
conferences, Spitzbergen will be de-
clared neutral territory open to all ma
tions, but under the control of three
northern powers. The administration
ha In hA hon nd ~ 10
sion of three Members Russian,
Swede and Norwegian-the expense of
government being met by land taxes
and other arrangements for revenue,
subject to the assent Of all the sig
natory powers. II Is proposed that
this international convention shall be
renewable every eighteen years. Spitz-
bergen Is 625 miles from the North
pole. It was from one of these islands
that two unsuccessful attempts have
been made to reach the pole by bal
loon. The Swedish engineer, 8. A.
Andree, eesayed the trip in 1897, but
was never heard from after he left
the island Walter w. Wellman. an
American, tried the same thing ten
years later, but never got far away
from the base.
The fund raised under the auspices
of the association Of commerce Of
Trondhjem, for the benefit of the fish
ermen OF Trondhjem district who suf-
fered damages in the storm and flood
of November 20 and 80. 1913, now con-
tains little over thirteen thousand
crowns and will soon be closed. In
cluded In the fund are the 5000
crowns contributed by King Haakon
and Queen Maude.
On account of the light snowfall and
the continued mild weather. the great
annual ski tournament at Holmenkol
had to be postponed.
The church committee of the stor-
thing IL seriously considering a propo-
sition 10 sell the parsonages OF the
country. A pastors meeting in Chris
tiania went on record very strongly
against sucn proposition. The OBJ
lection to the keeping of the parson-
ages Is that It costs large sums Of
xuouav IN koop the b,,tIdSuOa Oas IN "a