John D. Champlin, Jr.

“ In 1815 the storthing passed a resolution to abolish titles of nobility, a measure which the king refused to approve. The next two storthings passed the same resolution, notwithstanding an appeal of the king in person, and a strong military demonstration on the Swedish frontier; and the royal veto was thus rendered constitutionally null. Some years later the storthing resolved that the people of Norway should be styled citizens of that kingdom. Rarely indeed has a political assembly shown more jealousy of executive privileges. ”

“ The nobles, wholly supplanted by Danish immigrants, were amalgamated with the peasants, impoverished, exiled, or massacred. The union of Calmar was severed by Gustavus Vasa of Sweden in 1523; and during nearly two subsequent centuries Norway was scarcely more than a province of Denmark. ”

“ The people choose deputies at the rate of one to 50 voters in towns and one to 100 in the rural districts, and these deputies elect either from among themselves or from other qualified voters of the district the storthing representatives. Every male citizen of 25 years of age, who possesses land property of the value of 150 specie dollars, or who has been tenant of such property for five years, who is or has been a public functionary, or is a burgess of any town, is entitled to vote. Representatives must be at least 30 years of age and 10 years resident in Norway. ”

“ Large pensions are attached to various political positions in Great Britain. Retired lord chancellors receive £5,000 per annum; and members of the cabinet and secretaries draw yearly pensions of from £2,000 to £1,000. Many authors, artists, men of science, and other classes, also receive annual pensions from the government.—In France pensions are awarded to civil, military, and naval officers, to ecclesiastics, and to those distinguished in literature, science, and the arts. Pensions called national recompenses are granted by legislative vote for distinguished services. ”

“ The right of presentation to sees and livings belongs to the king, the minister for ecclesiastical affairs, and the Norwegian council of state. The clergy are generally well educated, and their incomes average about $1,000 per annum, which, taking into account the value of money in Norway, may be considered high. There is no privilege of birth, hereditary nobility having been abolished by a law which passed the storthing Aug. 1, 1821; but, as in Sweden, the sons of the technically noble and the wealthy always have the preference for places of honor. ”

“ At the outbreak of the civil war all pensioners in the insurgent states were cut off from the benefit of the pension laws, and the names of those known to be disloyal were subsequently stricken from the rolls. In 1867 the names of widows who could prove their loyalty during the war were restored. This increased the number on the roll during that year, but they have since been gradually decreasing, and in the year ending June 30, 1874, only 326 applied for payment of pensions. ”

“ The Laplanders live in the northern provinces, almost isolated from the rest of the inhabitants; their chief occupation is tending their reindeer herds. In the southern provinces industry is devoted more to stock raising than to tillage. The Norwegians are among the best sailors in the world, large numbers being engaged from early life in the coast fisheries and local navigation, which is intricate and dangerous. The people generally are frugal, industrious, upright, and enterprising. ”

“ In-pensioners have their home in the hospitals, and receive board, lodging, and tobacco money in lieu of their proper pensions; out-pensioners draw their money, amounting to from 11⁄2d. to 3s. 10d. a day, from the staff officers of pensioners, one of whom is established in every large town, and live where they please. Navy in-pensioners are supported at Greenwich hospital, and the out-pensioners draw their pensions from the military staff officers, and also live where they please. ”

“ The army is not to be ordered out of the kingdom without the consent of the storthing, and no Swedish or other foreign troops shall enter Norway except to repel invasion; but a Swedish corps not exceeding 3,000 men may pass six weeks of each year in Norway for the purpose of exercising with the Norwegian army. ”

“ Pensions for wounds are limited to officers, and vary according to rank. They are sometimes granted temporarily when the injury is not permanent. Officers are retired on full pay or half pay, according to circumstances. In 1874 there were 370 of the former and 1,924 of the latter in the army list; and in the navy, 601 officers on the active list, 214 on the reserved list, 2,360 on the retired list, and 216 marine officers who were paid according to their respective positions. The militia, yeomanry, and volunteers also receive pensions under certain circumstances. ”

“ The system of agriculture is extremely rude, and the prejudice of the farmers against innovation precludes the hope of any speedy improvement. Under-drainage is never practised. A large quantity of grain, chiefly rye and barley, is annually imported from Denmark and Russia. The precariousness of the crops has led to the establishment of corn magazines where farmers may deposit their surplus produce, receiving interest for it at the rate of 121⁄2 per cent. ”

“ Education is compulsory, all children from 7 to 14 years of age being obliged to receive public instruction. Each parish has its schoolmaster, who is paid by a small tax levied on householders. Instruction in the primary schools, of which there are 6,500, is limited to reading, writing, arithmetic, geography, grammar, and religion. In 16 of the principal towns there are as many public classical schools, where are taught theology, Latin, Greek, Norwegian, German, French, English, mathematics, history, and geography. ”

“ Pensions for long service are given to non-commissioned officers and privates in the army, who have served 21 years in the infantry or 24 years in the cavalry, or sooner in cases of disability from wounds, loss of health, &c. ”

“ After this reign Norway was treated as a conquered province rather than as a joint kingdom; and it was not until the beginning of the present century that a brighter day began to dawn. Frederick VI. founded the university of Christiania (1811) , and became endeared to the Norwegians. Meanwhile the Swedish government had entered into the coalition against Napoleon (April 8, 1812) ; and by convention with Russia the possession of Norway was guaranteed to Sweden. ”

“ There are also a few paper mills, distilleries, tobacco factories, and large salt works. The peasants supply nearly all their wants by their own labor.—Norway is united with Sweden under one sovereign, but according to the terms of its constitution is “free, independent, indivisible, and inalienable.” The government is a hereditary constitutional monarchy. The constitution, which was adopted Nov. 4, 1814, vests the legislative power in the Storthing, or assembly of deputies, chosen by indirect election. ”

“ The internal trade of the kingdom suffers from the want of good roads and the comparative thinness of the population. The highways however are gradually improving, and railways are in progress to connect the principal towns. The railways and telegraphs are the property of the government. In 1873 there were 312 m. of railway in operation, and 741 in construction and projected. Those open for traffic were: Christiania to Eidsvold, 45 m.; Christiania to Stockholm, 350 m., of which 76 are in Norway; Christiania to Drammen and Kongsberg, 50 m. ”

“ Nearly all the exported timber is sent to France.—The principal wild animals are the wolf and the bear. Deer are now scarce. The lynx and wolverene are occasionally met with, and there are hares, wild fowl, and other game in abundance. One of the most valuable domestic animals is the reindeer, which constitutes the main dependence of the inhabitants of the northern provinces. Cattle are reared in great numbers, but the breed is inferior; and the horses, though strong and sure-footed, are of small size. Ponies of a good breed are raised and exported. ”

“ The winter fishery, beginning in January, is called the great fishery, and employs about 50,000 men for two months, with a usual product of 800,000 barrels. The autumn fishery is less productive. The cod fisheries may be divided into the sea and the fiord fisheries. The principal sea fisheries are off the Loffoden isles and the coast of Finmark. ”

“ Of two pensioned under a special act of congress ($500 per annum) , one, John Gray of Brookfield, Ohio, died March 28, 1869, aged 105 years, and the other, Daniel F. Bakeman of Freedom, N. Y., on April 5, 1869, aged 109 years. ”

“ The Lutheran is the established church, and although all creeds are permitted to be publicly professed, no one can be legally married until confirmed in the Lutheran church, and only members of that communion are admitted to public offices. Of the population in 1866, 1,696,651 were Lutherans, 3,662 belonged to other Protestant sects, 1,038 were Mormons, 316 Roman Catholics, 15 Greek Catholics, and 25 Jews. The established church is governed by six bishops, the eldest of whom is primate. ”

“ The use of strong drink prevails extensively, and few laboring men save any money. Companies have been formed to build better dwellings for the working poor, who have shown an inclination of late years to emigrate in large numbers to the United States. ”

“ Much of the agricultural work is done by women. There are large tracts covered with valuable timber. Fir, mountain ash, birch, poplar, and willow grow in all the provinces; oak only in the southern. The pine and fir forests, which are chiefly on the banks of the rivers flowing into Christiania fiord, give employment to great numbers of timber merchants; and their product, besides being converted into planks and beams, is invaluable for fuel in working the mines, no coal being found in the kingdom. ”

“ Scholastic or university education is also essential to obtaining position in church or state. The press is practically free, and almost every important town has at least one newspaper; in 1870 there were 80 published in the kingdom. ”

“ The usual product of the seal fishery is about 400,000 species a year. The other principal industries are lumbering, mining, and the common trades. The manufactures are of little importance, and consist chiefly in the production of cottons, woollens, linens, and silks for home use. ”

“ The temperature is milder than that of any other region equally distant from the equator. Vegetation flourishes as far N. as lat. 70°. The weather is remarkably steady for the latitude. About 1⁄35 of the surface is covered with perpetual snow; in other districts snow lies only about four months in the year, beginning toward the end of November. In January and February the mercury ranges from 14° F. above to 15° below zero, and sometimes sinks to 31° below. In summer it rises occasionally to 108°, and the crops ripen three months after sowing. ”

“ The land is of a light sandy texture, which under the best cultivation could not yield heavy crops; but there are vast pasture lands of good quality. The climate is healthy, and less severe than might be expected from the high latitude and elevation of surface, being considerably tempered by the sea and warm S. W. winds. Many of the western and northern gulfs and fiords are rarely or never frozen, while those on the south are filled with ice. The mean temperature at Christiania is 43° F.; at Ullensvang, on the gulf of Hardanger, 44°; at Drontheim, 39.50° ”

“ They are somewhat reserved in manner, but kind and hospitable, simple in habits, firm in purpose, and exceedingly patriotic. The condition of the working classes is poor, and in some parts of the country they are said to live in the same manner that they did three centuries ago. ”

“ In time of peace the line consists of 12,000 men, and cannot be increased without the consent of the storthing to more than 18,000. The Landvœrn is only for the defence of the country, and the civic guard for the defence of the different localities. The Landstorm is organized only in time of war. ”

“ Most of the land is the property of the cultivators. The number of landed estates in 1869 was 147,453, of which 131,780 were cultivated by owners. The owners till the soil themselves, with the aid of their tenants. ”

“ The line is filled by the conscription of young men 22 years old. The time of service is seven years in the cavalry, and in the infantry, artillery, and engineers ten years, of which five are passed in the line, two in the reserve, and three in the Landvœrn. ”