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Norwegian Life by Ethlyn T. Clough
page 78 of 195 (40%)
by warm currents that flow in from the gulf stream. The national
apprehension of both Norway and Sweden that Russia covets one of their
seaports has existed a good many years. The bugbear has appeared at
intervals for half a century, and a great deal of money has been
expended in preparations to meet it. The people are, therefore,
cordially patriotic in their support of the army, although many of
them emigrate to the United States to avoid military service.

Norway has a small but efficient navy, composed of third and fourth
class cruisers, monitors, small gunboats and torpedo boats, forty-six
in all, aggregating 29,000 tons, 53,000 horse-power, carry 174 guns,
and manned by 140 officers and 1,000 men. The officers are educated in
naval schools, with a five-year course for regulars and three
years for the reserves, which include all the merchant sailors and
fishermen.

Norway has taken an active part in the promotion of international
arbitration, and has sent delegates to every conference on that
subject. The storthing, in a decided manner, has repeatedly expressed
its belief in that method of settling disputes, and in correspondence
with the Russian government has laid a foundation that may be useful
in case the czar, under any pretext, should use aggressive measures in
this direction. So much interest has been shown in the question
that Alfred Nobel, the Swedish philanthropist, and the inventor
of dynamite, who made his money manufacturing that most powerful
explosive, by his will authorized the members of the Norwegian
storthing to award a prize of $40,000 annually to the person who, in
their judgment, during the preceding year, shall have done the most
to promote peace among nations and the adoption of the plan of
arbitration in the settlement of international differences.
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