The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1915-01-02
IN FAR NORTHLAND
important Events IN Sweden,
Norway land Denmark.
BRIEFS FROM OLD COUNTRY
Interesting Items From the Three
Great Kingdoms Of the North &C.
Iected for seandInavIans and
Their Descendants.
BY MARTIN W, oDLAND.
Norway.

Norway.
According to a Christiania CORE
spondent. many of the well-informed
people of Norway fear that Russia
may demand an ice-free harbor In
northern Norway at the close OF the
war, II the allies triumph over Ger
many. They doubt the power OF Eng
land to thwart the wishes Of Russia
In this direction. and point to state
ments in the English press where hope
is expressed that the cars govern
ment may seek ON outlet In some 9TH
er quarter than Scandinavia. as indi-
cations of feeling in that country
that the Northern Bear may make de-
mands which the British government
will not be in position to refuse. Peo-
plc who distrust Russia find confirma-
ton of their fears in the fact that
the Russians have conducted a sys-
tematic colonization Of Finmarken,
the northern district of Norway. They
note with alarm the Russian stamp
that is gradually impressing itself
upon the district. There are Russian
business houses displaying Russian
signs, and Russian Is becoming more
and more a common form of speech.
Russian money is used just as much
as Norwegian money, and instances
are known where Russian merchants
have refused to accept Norwegian
coin and have demanded Russian
money.
In recent letter before the stu
dent society of the University OF Chris
tiania, former Minister of War Bratlie
expressed the belief that England
would not be able to refuse Russia's
demand for an ice-free harbor in north.
ern Scandinavia, II this should be
made upon the close of the war.
Herman Ridder, editor of the New
York Volkszeitung. has published a
statement which corroborates the
above. He charges that there is an
understanding between England and
Russia that Russia snail have free
hand in Norway and Sweden. In re-
turn for Russia's willingness to re-
linquish Harburg and other North sea
ports to England. He says that the
foreign Offices of England and Russia
have been negotiating for some time
along the lines indicated. What proofs
he has and what value attaches to
them. Is not stated.
Upon the outbreak of the great war
expressed the opinion in this column
that Norway, Sweden and Denmark
might be involved in the struggle
through the desire of the belligerents
to use some of the Scandinavian har-
bors as naval bases. A recent issue
OF the volkszeitung. German daily
published at st. Paul, prints a dis
patch, under a Christiania date line,
In which is given the alarming news
that England has notified the govern
ment of Norway that II wants to take
possession Of Christiansand harbor
and city, with the understanding that
1t shall vacate the same when the war
is over and compensate the govern.
ment for their use. OF course, for Nor
way to give consent to this proposi.
| ton would be equivalent to joining
| the allies against Germany and Aus.
tria, and the dispatch says that the
| government promptly refused its as
sent and ordered troops to Christian
sand and began strengthening the
| city's defenses. Christiansand com
mands the entrance to the Skagerracb
and is therefore of considerable strate-
| gic Importance. The English news
papers of America have printed nc
such news as the above (Which Ger
man sympathizers say is due to theif
friendliness to England). and there
may be no truth in the dispatch in
| question; but II there is, the menace
Of war has become decidedly real in
Norway.
The municipal court Of Bergen has
handed down a decision in the famous
case involving the ownership of some
poems which Henrik Ibsen wrote wher
he was a young man. Mrs. Rikke
Tresselt. nee Hoist, some sixty years
ago received three poems from Ibsen
one of them being looked upon as Q
| proposal. When she was married she
turned the letters over to a good FRIEND
of hers, and Jakob Rome Petersen
the author, has obtained possession o.
them. He considered them to be his
legal property and refused to/returr
them. The municipal court came t
the conclusion that the poems are the
property of Mrs. Tresselt, and Peter
SEN was ordered to turn them over t.
her or pay fine Of $2.70 day as loni
as he keeps them. He must also pa,
costs amounting to $45.
The Norwegian steamer Conrat
Mohr. oil laden, from Philadelphia No
vember 10, was captured BY . Britisl
cruiser. The cruiser sent an ONCE
| aboard and the Conrad Mohr was con
veyed to Queenstown. An investiGn
ton - to the ownership Of the targ'
was made. The Conrad Mohr sailes
for Bergen the nsxt day.
| 80 ~
The Norwegian steamer sisfpn
which sailed nom New York Novem
Der Q, Il being detained 1t Newport