Values of imports and exports, divided into classes, for 1901-1903 :—

11,238,800 1,729,700 12,147,400 2,006,800 11,770,800 2,175,200 22,566,200 1,804,600 26,542,200| 1,843,100 20,924,100 2,120,800

machinery, &c.

23,819,500 4,181,300 27,261,800 5,233,100 25,517,000 4,971,500

The values of imports and exports to and from the principal Norwegian ports in the last three years were :—

The commercial intercourse between Norway and the United Kingdom, according to the Board of Trade Returns, is shown in the subjoined table, for each of the last five years :

The chief imports into and exports of British produce from and to Norway in two years, according to the Board of Trade returns, were :

The total Norwegian mercantile marine on January 1, 1904, was as follows:

The vessels entered and cleared at Norwegian ports in 1902 were as follows:

Vessels entered and cleared in 1902 at the following ports :

The total length of State Railways in 1903 was 1,276 miles, and a length of 204 miles worked by six companies; total 1,480 miles. Of the railways, 709 miles have a gauge of 4ft. 8 in.; 712 miles, 3ft. 6in.; 59 miles, 2ft. 5in. Total receipts in the term April 1, 1902, to March 31, 1903: State railways, 12,606,401 kroner; companies, 2,755,806 kroner. Total expenses April 1, 1902, to March 31, 1903 State railways, 10,540,846 kroner; com. panies, 1,931,179 kroner. Goods carried April 1, 1902, to March 31, 1903: State railways, 1,985,914 tons (of 1,000 kilogs.); companies, 934,374. Passengers carried April 1, 1902, to March 31, 1903 (including season-ticket holders): State railways, 9,122,591; companies, 1,124,730. 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 and telephone lines and wires in 1903 :

1,161,800

Belonging to the State 8,555 miles of line, 54,598 miles of wires. Belonging to the State railways and the Norweigan trunk railways 1,800 miles of line, and 3,444 miles of wires.

The number of paid messages in the year 1903 was on the State lines 2,276,021, on the railway lines 56,352, total, 2,332,373, of which 1,370,253 (on the lines of the railways, 56,352) were internal, 423,723 sent abroad, and 482,045 received from abroad. Number of telephone conversations on trunk lines, 2,081,000. The number of telegraph offices in 1903 was :-762 belonging to the State, 260 to the railways, total 1,022 Receipts: State telegraphs 3,615,070 kroner, railways 77,240 kroner, total 3,692,310 kroner. Expenses :-State telegraphs 2,670,211 kroner, railways 318,093 kroner, total 2,988,304 kroner.

Money and Credit.

On March 31, 1903, the Norwegian coins in circulation (the coinage after the monetary reform deducting the coins melted down) were :—

There exists no Government paper money.

28,967,266 ""

The value of income and property assessed for taxes in 1903 was :—

There are two State banks, the 'Norges Bank' (Bank of Norway) and the Kongeriget Norges Hypothek bank.'

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 presi dent of the head office, who is nominated by the King. There is a head office at Kristiania, and 16 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 1903 show the following figures :-Assets at the end of the year— bullion, 31,792,648 kroner; outstanding capital, mortgaged estates, foreign bills, &c., 63,364,515 kroner; total, 95, 157, 163 kroner. Liabilities-notes in

circulation, 61,393,986; the issue of notes allowed was 66,792,648 kroner ; deposits, cheques, unclaimed dividends, unsettled losses, &c., 8,952,504 kroner (of which the deposits amounted to 7,363,786 kroner); dividends payable for the year, 1,712,758 kroner; total, 72,059,248; balance, 23,097,915. 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 mostly furnished by the State, and amounted to 17,500,000 kroner in 1903. The bank has besides a reserve fund amounting in 1903 to 1,000,000 kroner. At the end of 1903 the total amount of bonds issued was 145,168,960 kroner. The loans on mortgage amounted to 147,627,418 kroner.

There were, at the end of 1902, 77 private joint-stock banks, with a collective subscribed capital of 98,536,405 kroner, and a paid-up capital of 39,391,277. The reserve fund amounted to 19,842,567. The deposits and withdrawals in the course of the year amounted to 743,584,832 kroner and 738,457,109 kroner respectively. Deposits at the end of the year 280,798,225 kroner, of which 13,673,039 kroner deposits on demand, and 267,125,186 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. In 1903 their number was 434; depositors 742,912, with 349,078,243 kroner to their credit at the end of the year. In 1902 their number was 427; depositors 718,823, with 334,453,288 kroner to their credit at the end of the year.

SWEDEN AND NORWAY.

Money, Weights, and Measures.

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 and the Norwegian Krone, each of 100 öre, is of the value of 1s. 1d., or about 18 kroner to the pound sterling.

The gold 20-kroner 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 kroner are legal means of payment, and the Bank is bound to exchange them for gold on presentation. The case is the same in Norway, where there are also notes for 500 kroner.

The metric system of weights and measures are obligatory in Sweden and Norway.

Diplomatic Representatives.

1. OF SWEDEN AND NORWAY IN GREAT BRITAIN.

Envoy and Minister. -Baron C. Bildt.

Councillor.-Baron Charles Emil Ramel.

Second Secretary.-Harold de Bildt.

Attaché.-F. de Treschow.

Military Attaché.-Captain Baron A. Adelswärd.
Consul-General in London.-Daniel Danielsson.

There are Consular representatives at the following places :-Belfast, Birmingham, Bradford, Bristol, Cardiff, Cork, Dublin, Dundee, Glasgow, Hartlepool, Hull, Leith, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle, Southampton, and many other places.