Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1915-09-23
SCANDINAVIAN NEWS.
SUMMARY OF IMPORTANT HAP.
PENlNGs IN FAR OFF
NORTHWEST.
ITEMS FROM THE OLD HOME
Resume Of the Most Important Events
In Sweden, Norway and Denmark
OF Interest to the seandInavIans
In America.
NORWAY.

Norwegian shipowners complain bit
terly against the practice Of English
warships in forcing Norwegian vessels
bound for Norway to put back to 9
British port. In many cases these
Norwegian ships have been outside
the war zone. and. on their being
forced to return to British ports they
have been the victims OF German sub
marines. Had the vessels been left
alone by the British ships they would
have reached their home port safely.
Protests from Norway to England
have been met by the answer that the
British government will hold itself re-
sponsible for Norwegian shipping that
is treated in this manner, but the Nor
wegian owners continue to see their
ships destroyed.
The question has become especially
acute since the Norwegian-American
line steamer Trondhjemsford was tor.
pedoed by a German submarine July
81. An English cruiser had stopped
the steamer, put prize crew on board
and directed the vessels course to
Kirkwall, when the torpedoing oc
CURED. The Norwegian press, COM
planning against the British admiralty
asserts that the steamer was loaded
in New York under the supervision of
three inspectors from the British con-
sulate who sealed the ships matches.
and among the ships papers was an
affidavit from the consulate to the eff
feet that the ship had no other cargo
than what the papers showed. Aside
from this, the Norwegian government
had guaranteed that possible contra.
band would not be reshipped from
Norway to any of the belligerent coun
tries. Notwithstanding this the ship
was seized. prize flag hoisted and the
unlawful prize was directed toward
Kirkwall. The chief of the German
submarine torpedoed the steamer be-
cause it was bought from England last
December and was, therefore, accord
ing to his instructions, considered to
be an English ship.
There was no contraband on board
according to German rules. The cargo
consisted of 10000 bushels of grain.
pork and tobacco.
The loss of Norwegian ships since
the war broke out year ago amounts
to about $10,000,O00, of which only
100000 was covered by insurance
the rest falls on the shipowners. The
majority of the ships have been tor
pedoed by German submarines. sew
eral without warning.
Norwegian owners of automobiles are
hard hit by the announcement of deal
ers that the supply of tires has been
exhausted and it is impossible to re-
plenish the stock to any extent be-
cause the belligerent countries are
taking up all the worlds supply. At
present 1t is said there is not a new
tire to be bought at any price any
where in Norway. The situation is
much more than annoying, for it will
have a serious economical effect on
Norwegian farming. 1t is doubtful II
any country has adopted the automo.
bile more extensively in a public way.
for in Norway the sparsely-settled
hills have never been able to support
railways. and the automobile has come
to be the principal means of communi-
cation and transportation both for the
farmer and commercial men. The in
Vulnerable cars which have been put
to service in recent years are all OF
foreign manufacture. for there is no
automobile factory In Norway, and
the same is true as to oil. gasoline and
tires.
The women of Fredrikstad and Fred
rikshald take the train by the score to
Stromstad. Sweden, where they can
buy shoes so much cheaper that it
pays to take the trouble and pay the
railway fare. Wher they have bought
the shoes they put them on and carry
their old ones back in package. for
only by wearing the new shoes can
they return across the Boundary line
without paying import duties on the
goods.
The Bergen Mekaniske Verksted,
a shipbuilding firm. has offered to
build floating dock which may be
used by the navy. provided the govern.
ment will give bonus of $67.5O0 and
loan the firm $S1.v00 on easy terms. In
case such a dock is built the govern
ment shall have right to use II when
ever 1t is found necessary. The mill.
tary committee has expressed itself IN
favor of the proposition.
A Norwegian who has spent part Of
his life in America and is now resid
ing in Christiania has written to a
friend in Minneapolis that he is dis
gusted with the foreign policy OF two
of the leading political parties. The
Social Democrats polled % per cent
of the vote at the last election. and
now the party comes out openly in
favor of disarmament. But this is not
all. Premier Knudsen, the head of the
party in power. has said that he would
rather support the Social Democrats
than the Rightists. who are In favor
of strong defenses.
The Independent Order of Good
Templars held its annual meeting at
Aalesund. The reports show that II
has a membership of g. 3l9. The budg.
ct of expenses for the coming year