The L'Anse sentinel., 1915-06-05

important Events IN Sweden,
Norway and Denmark.
BRIEFS FROM OLD COUNTRY
IntsrestIne Itsms From the Three
orsat kInedems Of the North -
lectsd for eoandInavlans and
Their Descendants.
sy MARTIN ". oDLAND.


| Norway. M
The Norsemen conquered the Ork
ney islands In the ninth century and
retained control Of thom for several
centuries. In the twelfth century
Ragnvald Jarl. their Norwegian lord
began the erection OF the cathedral
which still stands q monument to the
former masters OF the islands. The
Orkneys as well as the Shetland 10
lands were lost to Norway In 1869,
when King Christian l, who was then
ruler of the united kingdom OF Den
mark and Norway. gave the islands to
| King James OF Scotland as security
for the dowry which he promised the
Scottish king on his marriage with
the daughter OF King Christian.
II Is announced at Christiania that
what was probably the biggest under
water explosion ever undertaken In
Europe was carried out In the Glom.
men river recently, when that stream
was temporarily given new channel
In order to facilitate the construction
of q dam at Solbergfos The charge
consisted Of $500 pounds Of explo-
sives. The enormous power Of this
discharge may be gathered from q
comparison with the charge Of an or.
dinnry mine used Ia the present war,
which contains usually from one hun.
dred to two hundred pounds of explo.
sives.
| The high freight rates which have
Deen brought about by the war are
responsible for setback to the gran.
lte industry of Norway. In former
years large quantities Of granite have
been shipped from Norwegian quar-
ries to England, Cuba, Argentine and
other countries. Now large quantities
Of cut stone Is held in storage at Fred.
rikshald and other places till after the
close of the war, when the freight
rates will go down.
A Christiania report says that Prof.
G. A. Gustafson, professor of archie.
ology at the University of Christiania,
died April 16. He was regarded as
ono Of the foremost authorities Of the
present time in northern arcfeology
and his name has become widely iden.
titled with the restoration of the Ose-
berg Viking ship. He was Swedish by
birth, having been born in the city OF
Visby, Gothland, and he was gradu.
ate of the University of Upsala.
A total of 23,375 shares of stock in
the Norwegian-American line is held
by Norwegian-Americans. while about
twenty-eight thousand shares are held
by Norwegians In Norway. There are
altogether some 1000 shareholders in
the company. the number being fairly
equally divided between Norwegians
In Norway. The par value of the
stocIr held by Norwegian-Americans Is
$1,262.250.
The Norwegian Hydro company
which controls the patent, rights tc
J the Birkeland-Eyde process of manu-
I featuring fertilizer from air has sold
license for the use of the process tc
company in Canada. The Norwe
gian Hydro company operates the i'm
mense waterpower at Rjukan Falls.
The reports from the South sea in
dicate that the whaling season now
drawing to close will be the most
profitable one ever experienced by the
whalers Of Norway. It is estimated
that the gross receipts of the compa
MES operating in the South sea will
be not less than 20.000.000 crowna
Norway was third among the ma
tions as regards the number OF shipi
which visited the port of New Yorl
during the month of April this year
being exceeded by the United State,
and England only. The number o
English ships was 210; American
ships. $50. and Morse ships. 72.
i The steamers Storstad, which be
came famous for sinking the empress
Of Ireland in collision in the Gulf o
st. Lawrence. arrived at Narvik re
Gently and took on cargo OF meta
for Rotterdam. This IL the first visi
OF the steamer to Norway since tn
, tragic event referred to.
Kirkwall. the little seaport On tn
Orkney islands. horth OF Scotland
which has been frequently mentione
. In dispatches announcing the deter
. tion Of merchant vessels by Britis
yarships, was originally,a . Morse towl
; IT. old Morse name being KirksyanI
The inte}estins news comes fro,
Telemarken that ive Hundred men ar
employed In the construction Of th
= Rjukan II electric plaEt 1t the Rjuka
! tails In Upper Telemarken. Norway. 4
! h expected that the plant will Be cor
. pleted before the end Of the year. III
. viii complets the Harvesting Of Ii
n two plants. Rjukan and Rjukan I
together supplying $4,000 horsspows
J Of electric current. Ths current vi
: ~ used principally in the manufactul
b Of artificial fereilisers, the nav mat
! | rin1n fof which ere the atmoeptos