The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1916-10-28
important Events In Sweden,
Norway and Denmark.
BRIEFS FROM OLD COUNTRY
Interesting Items From the Three
Great Kingdoms Of the North, Sc.
Iected for scandinavians and
Their Descendants.
BY MARTIN w. oDLAND
Norway.

Ing the fact that Christiania has Il
much larger population. The biggest
part Of the prosperity, says CORE
spondent. is due to the commercial
fleet of Norway. Bergen is NOrways
principal port, headquarters for the
distribution of ships stores, an i'm
portant railroad center and the ter
minus of half dozen lines to England,
Denmark, and Holland. 1t Is the head
quarters Of Norway's biggest steam
ship line, the Bergenske Dampskibs
Selskab, which operates between Ber-
gen and Newcastle England, and car
ries much Of the English trade with
Russia. So fortunate has been the
Bergen Newcastle line that Its luck
has given rise to comment Local
humorists like to tell the story of an
American who once asked solicitously
what was the best route to England.
II want TO go there where there will
said. flake the Newcastle line" re-
marked German who overheard him.
"It's perfectly safe. All our agents
travel by that line" Norwegian in
vestors are slowly receiving back stock
In home enterprises which had been
placed in foreign countries. 1t is an
open secret that some of tile biggest
water-power projects in Norway were
developed with the aid of French and
English capital and before the war
German money also was active. Nor
way was never Il land of capitalists
and Its men of ideas had to seek cap
ital on other shores. The war, which
Is bringing prosperity to the native In
weston, also is pinching the foreigner
who Is glad to let go of his holdings
ut the current market price, which is
far above what he had hoped to re-
ceive for his stock when he made his
investment. A large number of shares
are drifting back from Germany. Since
the beginning of the war Germany has
sent no less than 20,OO0,O00 crowns
($6,20O,0O0) OF state and municipal
bonds back to Norway. The shipping
prosperity has not been without its
serious side. Norway has developed a
group Of "nouveaux riches" who aim al
luxurious living. Their extravaganza
does not yet measure up to that seen
In the gay capitals Of the world before
the war, but II Is sufficient to make
some of the conservative element pom.
der. Norwegians frequently declare
that Norway has lost more ships
tnl, hn han oil ~,
neutral nations combined, and the
chief blame Is put on Germany. J Mines
from both sides, however, have been
disastrous for Norwegian ships. Re-
sentiment caused by such losses is O
great deal less than it might be, for
the reason that the loss of fully in.
sured seamer, which has paid for itself
ten times over, Is not so keenly felt
In these prosperous times as 1t would
In more evenly balanced years. Lay.
ing Of mines In the North sea by Ger.
many and Britain has not been with
out profit to Norway. Mines frequent.
ly break away during storms and drift
up the, fjords. The mine that Is Sc
curely anchored to resist storms APP
pears still to be an invention Of the
future. Fishing smacks keep watch
for mines, which can be seen floating
like large barrels on the surface of
the ocean, and corral them and tow
them in. The government or the
municipality invariably pays bounty
Mines are worth about $500 apiece
and since Norway has found about
1000 of them suitable for use the ma.
ton has added not little to its coast
defenses."
A dispatch from Chrlstlania says
that blowing with traction engines is
new step forward In Norwegian agri
culture. The first traction outfit was
imported from America, and has been
used In demonstration for farmers In
East Aker, in Norway's best agricul
tural section. Sweden and Denmark
preceded Norway In the importation
of traction plows. Those countries had
sold so many Of their horses during
the war that substitute farm power
had to be found to replace them. Mer
who have seen the new machines tried
out believe that In couple OF years
they will be commonly
The fire department of CHRISTIANS
has just installed the first automobile
In Its service, and the newspapers re.
fer to this to show how progressive the
people Of the Norwegian metropolis
are.
The private banks Of Norway are
enjoying greater prosperity than ever
before and during the fiscal year just
closed have increased their deposit
by over half million crowns. The
year before the increase was 137, O0l
crowns.
Five new "stone-slab inscriptions
hive been discovered ut MEDIUM. They
IRE said to date from the Stone Age
All Of them are supposed to repre-.
sent q moose. II Is said TINT so many
have never been found 80 close to.
gsther before