The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1914-12-26
N EAR NoRIHLAND|
important Events n Sweden,
Norway and Denmark.
BRIEFS FROM OLD COUNTRY
~ MARTIN W. oDLAND.
NorWaY.

Peer Stromme, the Norwegian-Amer-
lean Journalist and writer, from whose
interesting letters from Norway T
have already quoted, states in his
latest epistle that the fear of war
hung heavily upon the people Of Nor
way as he was writing. There was a
general feeling that In spite Of itself.
the country might be drawn into the
conflict. Aftenposten, the largest and
strongest paper in Christiania. says:
1T were folly now to shut our eyes to
the fact that there Is great danger.
The situation il such that we may at
any moment find ourselves involved In
the war. and without even a chance
to decide for ourselves which side we
want to take" Everybody admits that
Norway is far from prepared to meet
such danger. The army Is small
and poorly equipped. And in the mat
ter of food supply on hand the coun-
try Is not In as good shape as are
the other Scandinavian countries.
Norway, continues Mr.. Stromme. Is
about half as large again as the state
Of Minnesota. But OF the 100000
acres in Norway only one.nlneteenth
part Is tillable soil. and of this less
than one-half is actually titled. Sweden
Is one-third larger than Norway, has
twice as large population. and four
times az much land under cultivation.
Denmark is only one-eighth the size OF
Norway, but has about the same num-
Der of people and three times as much
land under cultivation. In Norway
one-thirty-ninth, in Sweden one-twenty-
fifth and In Denmark three-fifths Of the
total land area is cultivated. In other
words, the number of acres under cul-
tivation Is In Norway about equal to
the number of people, while in Sweden
II is twice, and In Denmark three times
as large. While the population OF
Norway has been steadily increasing
the number of persons engaged IN
farming Is less than 1t was 30 years
ago. AS illustrative OF the situation
we may take the figures from the ju-
diciai district in the southwestern cor
ner OF the country. This is one OF
the comparatively rich districts. Some
data just published shows that In
this district the deposits In the saw
ings banks amount to $91 for each
man, woman and child in the district.
while the average Of savings deposits
per capita for the whole country Is
about seventy dollars. In Lister and
Mandel, which comprise the district
spoken OF. the debt of the several COM
munities Is less than one-third Of the
average for the whole country. Now,
the population OF this district has in
the last SO years increased from a.
900 to 10000, although there has dur
ing that period been loss OF 34,-
900 by emigration to America. But
the number of people on the farms has
gone down from $4,000 to $4,000. And
similar state OF affairs obtains In
the other districts of Norway. How
ever. while farming is not, then. as
popular and fourishing as 1t might
be, the country is now, owing to spe-
cial efforts OF the government and mu-
nicipal authorities, fairly well sup
piled with corn and flour and other
necessary food. The city of Chris
tiania has laid in supply and has
on hand at the present writing 10000
bushels OF rye, 10000 bushels OF bar
ley. and $4,000 bushels OF wheat. Be-
sides which the city has In its ware
houses 100000 pounds of wheat four
and 10000 pounds Of rye and bar
ley flour. These stores the city will
sell as occasion demands. The prices
now fixed seem pretty high: Wheat.
kroner $3.50 and Gold Medal wheat
-four, kroner 81 per 100 Kilograms.
DR.. Fritjof hansen believes in the
possibilities OF commerce between Nor
way and Siberia by means Of the ocean
route north OF Norway. and In . TO
cent lecture before the Geographical
Society OF Norway set forth his views.
based upon observations made during
his Siberian expedition last summer.
Commerce between the two countries.
Doctor Nansen believes. could be
maintained from the first OF August
until October. A feet Of vessels
should be able to make the voyage dur
ing this period, but 1t 10 not probable
that any one vessel could make more
than one tour. Ice conditions through
the Kara sea might be observed by
means OF weekly aeroplane flights. A
general idea OF the Ice condition for
the season might be obtained by study.
ing the meteorological data from the
preceding season. as has been OBJ