No. 609.
Mr. Andrews to Mr. Fish.
Stockholm, August 11, 1875. (Received August 30.)
Sir: The Storthing of Norway adjourned on the 23d of June, after a session of four months. The budget introduced by the government for the fiscal year ending July 1, 1876, was 29,400,000 kronor; that voted by the Storthing amounted to 28,800,000 kronor. There was a surplus in the treasury of 3,880,000 kronor arising in 1871, and of 10,744,000 kronor arising in 1874. From the latter fund 3,290,400 kronor were appropriated for extraordinary expenses. An addition of twenty per cent. and upward (called “dear-times increase”) to all salaries not exceeding 4,000 kronor a year, and to pensions not exceeding 2,000 kronor a year, was allowed, the same as last year. Restrictions were adopted similar to those taken by the Swedish government in respect to the importation of potatoes, particularly from America, with a view to keep out the potato-bug.
Considerable time was spent in discussing proposed amendments to the constitution for extending the right of suffrage, but none of the propositions were successful. The debates on that subject fill 280 columns of the official report. A committee of the Storthing was finally appointed to sit during the vacation and prepare a plan for suffrage extension. The Storthing, which has a traditional reputation for aiding science and learning, created three new professorships. It modified the university regulations so that students in the “real” course can dispense with the ancient classics. It provided that copyright may be secured by authors and their heirs, for thirty years, of dramatic, literary, and musical compositions. It adopted the coinage system, such as is now in use in Sweden and Denmark. It provided that the metrical system of weights and measures shall go into operation in six years. Eighty thousand kronor were appropriated for a survey of the fishing-waters bounded by Norway, the Faroe Islands, Iceland, and Spitzbergen, with a view to ascertain the routes of the herring-fish. The sum of 160,000 kronor was appropriated for the Philadelphia Exhibition, which, with the 20,000 kronor appropriated last year, makes $48,240 (United States gold) that Norway has appropriated for that object. For railways there was appropriated the sum of 13,544,000 kronor. Provision was made for a survey of the important route from Christiania to Bergen. Some restriction was placed on the sale of fermented liquors. A new Storthing will be elected next year. There is nothing in the political situation of the country calling for special remark. The cabinet at Christiania, which has [Page 1268] long been presided over by Mr. Stang, appears to be working harmoniously; it, in reality, administers the government.
I have, &c.,