Norwegian 6,293 1,451,426 7,229 1,719,083 6,671 1,716,006 6,860 1,979,489 5,715 938,271 5,502 942,318 6,513 1,581,838 Vessels entered and cleared in 1891 at the following ports (with cargoes and in ballast): The total length of State railways in 1893 was 929 miles; that of one railway worked by a company (Kristiania to Mjösen) 42 miles; total 971 miles. Total receipts 1891-92, State railways, 7,390,875 kroner; companies, 1,635,497 kroner. Total expenses 1891-92, State railways, 5,924,545 kroner; companies, 865,279 kroner. Goods carried 1891-92, State railways, 1,076,986 tons (of 1,000 kilogs.); companies, 500,446. Passengers carried 1891-92, State railways, 4,381,913; companies, 466,485. The State railways have been constructed partly by subscription in the districts interested and partly at the expense of Government. The following are the postal statistics : Length of telegraph lines and wires in January 1893- railways 985 1,742 The number of messages in the year 1892 was on the State lines 1,649,544, on the railway lines 76,683, total, 1,726,227, of which 1,139,527 (on the lines of the railways, 76,683) were internal, 271,620 sent abroad, 315,050 received from abroad, and 30 in transit. The number of telegraph offices in 1892 was:-178 belonging to the State, 200 to the railways, total 378. Receipts: State telegraphs 69,0617., railways 3,1697., total 72,2301. Expenses :-State telegraphs 66,3837., railways 10,5007., total 76,8837. Money and Credit. On December 31, 1892, the Norwegian coins in circulation (the coinage after the monetary reform deducting the coins melted down) were :— There exists no Government paper money. Income. The value of income and property assessed for taxes in 1892 was :— 1510 millions of kroner Property. 629 8 millions of kroner The towns The rural districts 195.4 There are two State banks, the Norges Bank' (Bank of Norway) and the Kongeriget Norges Hypothekbank.' The Norges Bank' is a joint-stock bank, of which, however, a considerable part is owned by the State. The bank is, besides, governed by laws enacted by the State, and its directors are elected by the Storthing, except the president of the head office, who is nominated by the King. There is a head office at Trondhjem, and 12 branch offices. It is the only bank in Norway that is authorised to issue bank notes for circulation. The balance-sheets of the bank for 1892 show the following figures :-Assets at the end of the yearbullion, 39,362,434 kroner; outstanding capital, mortgaged estates, foreign bills, &c., 34,259,869 kroner; total, 73,622,303 kroner. Liabilities-notes in circulation, 45,115,155; the issue of notes allowed was 58,335,430 kroner; deposits, cheques, unclaimed dividends, unsettled losses, &c., 9,328,223 kroner (of which the deposits amounted to 8,570,697 kroner); dividends payable for the year, 1,252,751 kroner; total, 55,696,129; balance, 17,926,174. The Kongeriget Norges Hypothekbank' was established in 1852 by the State to meet the demand for loans on mortgage. The capital of the bank is furnished by the State, and amounted to 10,500,000 kroner in 1892. The bank has besides a reserve fund amounting in 1892 to 500,000 kroner. At the end of 1892 the total amount of bonds issued was 83,691,200 kroner. The loans on mortgage amounted to 87,512,752 kroner. There were, at the end of 1892, 35 private joint-stock banks, with a collective subscribed capital of 41,144,810 kroner, and a paid-up capital of 17,106,065. The reserve fund amounted to 6,706,179. The deposits and withdrawals in the course of the year amounted to 395,104,629 kroner and 386,350,663 kroner respectively. Deposits at the end of the year 123,420,004 kroner, of which 8,777,283 kroner deposits on demand, and 114,642,721 kroner on other accounts. All savings-banks must be chartered by royal permission. Their operations are regulated, to a considerable extent, by the law, and controlled by the Ministry of Finance Their situation is as follows: MONEY. By a treaty signed May 27, 1873, with additional treaty of October 16, 1875, Sweden, Norway, and Denmark adopted the same monetary system. The Swedish Krona (= Norwegian Krone) of 100 ore is of the value of 18. 1d., or about 18 kronor to the pound sterling. The gold 20-kronor piece weighs 8.960572 grammes, 900 fine containing 8 0645 grammes of fine gold, and the silver krona weighs 75 grammes, 800 fine, containing 6 grammes of fine silver. The standard of value is gold. In Sweden National Bank notes for 5, 10, 50, 100, and 1000 kronors are legal means of payment, and the Bank is bound to exchange them for gold on presentation. WEIGHTS AND MEASURES. Kilometer = 0.937 lb. avoirdupois. = 117 English inches. 46 imperial pints. 6.64 English miles. 2,204 lbs. avoirdupois. = 100 centimeter = 3.28 ft. or 39 37 Eng. in. = 100 liter 22 imperial gallons. = 2.75 = = 1,000 meter 1,094 yds. or 0.621 of 1 Eng. mile. The metric system of weights and measures was introduced in 1879, and became obligatory in Sweden in 1889, in Norway on July 1, 1882. SWEDEN AND NORWAY. Diplomatic Representatives. 1. OF SWEDEN AND NORWAY IN GREAT BRITAIN., Envoy and Minister.-H. Akerman, accredited October 6, 1890. Secretary.-Ove Gude. Consul-General in London.-Carl Juhlin Dannfelt. Also at There are Consular representatives at the following places :--Belfast, Birmingham, Bradford, Bristol, Cardiff, Cork, Dublin, Dundee, Glasgow, Hull, Leith, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle, Southampton. Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney, Bombay, Brisbane, Calcutta, Cape Town, Fiji, Hobart, Quebec, Rangoon, Singapore, Wellington (N.Z.). 2. OF GREAT BRITAIN IN SWEDEN AND NORWAY. Envoy and Minister. Sir Spenser St. John appointed Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to Sweden and Norway, July 1, 1893. Secretary.-Hon. Hugh Gough. Consul at Stockholm.-Marmaduke S. Constable. Consul-General at Christiania.-Thomas Michell, C.B. There are also Consular representatives at Gothenburg, Bergen, Trondhjem, Hammerfest, Vardö, &c. Statistical and other Books of Reference concerning Sweden and Norway. 1. OFFICIAL PUBLICATIONS. Bidrag till Sveriges officiela statistik: A. Befolknings-statistik. B. Rättsväsendet. C. Bergshandtering. D. Fabriker och manufakturer. E. Inrikes handel och sjofart. F. Utrikes handel och sjöfart. G. Fångvården. H. K. Majestats befallningshafvandes femårsberättelser I. Telegrafväsendet. K. Helso- och sjukvården. L. Statens jernvägstrafik. M. Postverket. N. Jordbruk och boskapsskötsel. O. Landtmäteriet. P. Undervisningsväsendet. Q. Statensdomäne. R. Valstatistik. S. Allmänna arbeten. T. Lots- och fyrinrättningen samt lifräddningsanstalterna å rikets kuster. U. Kommunernas fattigvård och finanser. V. Bränvins tillverkning och försäljning saint hvitbetssockertiliverkningen. X. Aflönings- och pensionsstatistik. 4. Stockholm, 1857-93. Norges officielle Statistik: Arbeidslönninger; Bergværksdrift; Den almindelige Brandforsikringsindretning; Civilretsstatistik; Distriktsfængsler; Fabrikenlæg; Faste Eiendomme; Fattigstatistik; Femaarsberetninger om Amternes ökonomiske Tilstand; Statskassens Finantser; Fiskerier; Folkemængdens Bevægelse, Folketælling; Handel; De offentlige Jernbaner; Jordbrug; Kommunale Finantser; Kriminalstatistik; Sundhedstilstanden og Medicinalforholdene; Postvæsen; Rekruteringsstatistik; Sindssygeasylerne; Skibsfart; Skolevæsen; Sparebanker; Spedalske; Strafarbeidsanstalter; Statstelegraf; Veterinær væsen. 4. Fra 1881-8. Kristiadnia, 1870-93. Sveriges statskalender för år 1893. Utgifven efter Kongl. Majestäts nådigste förordnande af dess Vetenskaps-Akademi. 8. Stockholm, 1892. Sveriges officiela statistik i sammandrag, 1893. Stockholm, 1893. Statistisk Aarbog for Kongeriget Norge. (Annuaire statistique de la Norvège.) 12te Aargang, 1892. Udgivet af det Statistiske Centralbureau. Kristiania, 1893. Norges Statskalender for Aaret 1894. Efter offentlig Foranstaltning redigeret af N. E. Bull. 8. Kristiania, 1893. Statistisk tidskrift, utgifven af Kongl. Statistiska Central-Byrån. Stockholm, 1862-93. Oversigt over Kongeriget Norges civile, geistlige og judicielle Inddeling. Udgiven af det Statistiske Centralbureau. 8. Kristiania, 1893. Meddelelser fra det Statistiske Centralbureau. I.-X. 8. Kristiania, 1883-93. Norges Land og Folk. Udgivet efter offentlig Foranstaltning. I. Smaalenenes Amt. Kristiania, 1885. XI. Stavanger Amt. Kristiania, 1888. Report on the Working of the State Bank in Sweden, No. 278 of Foreign Office 'Reports on Subjects of General and Commercial Interest.' London, 1893. Reports on the 'Gothenburg Licensing System in Sweden, No. 274, and in Norway, No. 279 of Foreign Office Reports on Subjects of General and Commercial Interest. London, 1893. Trade of the United Kingdom with Sweden and Norway; in Annual Statement of the Trade of the United Kingdom with Foreign Countries and British Possessions in the Year 1892. Imp. 4. London, 1893. 2. NON-OFFICIAL PUBLICATIONS. Carlson (F. F.), Geschichte Schweden's. 8 vols. Du Chaill (P. B.), The Land of the Midnight Sun. 2 vols. London, 1881. Dyring (Joh.), Kongeriget Norge, dets Geografi, Samfundsindretninger og Næringsveie, Anden Udgave. 8. Porsgrund, 1891. Hammar (A.), Historiskt, geografiskt och statistiskt lexicon öfver Sverige. 8 vols. & Stockholm, 1859-70. Höjer (M.), Konungariket Sverige, en topografisk-statistisk beskrifning med historiska anmärkningar. 8. Stockholm, 1875-83. Kier (A. N.), Statistisk Haandbog for Kongeriget Norge. 8. Kristiania, 1871. Rudbeck (J. G.), Försók till beskrifning öfver Sveriges städer i historiskt, topographiskt och statistiskt hänseende. 3 vols. 8. Stockholm, 1855-61. Sidenbladh (E.), Royaume de Suède, exposé statistique. (Exposition universelle de 1878 à Paris). 8. Stockholm, 1878. Lofstrom (T. A.), Sweden, Statistics. (World's Columbian Exposition 1893, Chicago Bal-halm 1002 SWITZERLAND. Constitution and Government. ON August 1, 1291, the men of Uri, Schwyz, and Lower Unterwalden, entered into a defensive League. In 1353 the League included eight cantons, and in 1513, thirteen. Various associated and protected territories were acquired, but no addition was made to the number of cantons forming the League till 1798. In that year, under the influence of France, the Helvetic Republic was formed, with a regular constitution. This failed to satisfy the cantons, and in 1803 Napoleon, in the Act of Mediation, gave a new constitution and increased the number of cantons to nineteen. to nineteen. In 1815, the perpetual neutrality of Switzerland and the inviolability of her territory were guaranteed by Austria, Great Britain, Portugal, Prussia, and Russia, and the Federal Pact which had been drawn up at Zurich, and which included three new cantons, was accepted by the Congress of Vienna. The Pact remained in force till 1848, when a new constitution, prepared without foreign interference, was accepted by general consent. This, in turn, was, on May 29, 1874, superseded by the constitution which is now in force. The constitution of the Swiss Confederation may be revised either in the ordinary forms of Federal legislation, with compulsory referendum, or by direct popular vote, a majority both of the citizens voting and of the cantons being required, and the latter method may be adopted on the demand (called the popular initiative) of 50,000 citizens with the right to vote. The Federal Government is supreme in matters of peace, war, and treaties; it regulates the army, the postal and telegraph system, the coining of money, the issue and repayment of bank notes, and the weights and measures of the Republic. It provides for the revenue in general, and especially decides on the import and export duties in accordance with principles embodied in the constitution. It legislates in matters of civil capacity, copyright, bankruptcy, patents, sanitary police in dangerous epidemics, and it may create and subsidise, besides the Polytechnic School at Zurich, a Federal University and other higher educational institutions. There has also been entrusted to it the authority to decide concerning public works for the whole or great part of Switzerland, such as those relating to rivers, forests, and the construction of railways. The supreme legislative and executive authority are vested in a parliament of two chambers, a 'Ständerath,' or State |