Full resolution (JPEG) - On this page / på denna sida - Means of Communication, by Bernh. Andersen, Andr. M. Hansen and J. T. Sommerschild
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are over 1.000 tons, and up to 14 knots). The most general type
of fjord boat is one of from 70 to 120 tons, and a speed of from
8 to 10 knots. There is, on an average, one steamboat station to
every 1,000 people in the coast-country. The connection between
the large coast-towns up to Trondhjem is maintained by an average
of at least one steamer daily, north of Trondhjem at least every
two days, except in Finmarken, where it can be put at every
three days (rather oftener in the summer). The time occupied in
the various voyages is as follows: Kristiania to Bergen, about 38
hours; Bergen to Trondhjem, 32 hours; Trondhjem to Tromsø,
37 hours; Tromsø to Vadsø, 53 hours.
By far the greater part of the course that the steamers take is
in water shut in by the «skjærgaard». The longest piece of open
sea south of Finmarken is off Jæderen, taking about 5 hours to pass.
On the other hand, the narrow channels with the innumerable
islets and sunken rocks, demand the greatest skill on the part of
captains and pilots. Experience shows that these demands are
thoroughly fulfilled; for wrecks and loss of life have been extremely
rare all the time the steamboat traffic has been carried on.
The first Norwegian steamer was procured by the government
in 1827, to carry post and passengers from Kristiania to
Copenhagen, and from Kristiania to Kristiansand. Subsequently the
traffic was extended northwards along the coast as far as
Finmarken, where communication with the south had formerly been very
slow and difficult. As the private steamboat traffic gradually
developed, the government withdrew, and in 1870 gave up its last
route (to Copenhagen). Almost all the packet-boats proper (about
200, with 37,000 tons) are now owned by joint-stock companies.
The 5 largest of these companies — with head offices in Arendal,
Stavanger, Bergen, Trondhjem and Vesteraalen — have 64
steamers in all, with a total of 25,000 tons.
On many routes the passenger and goods traffic alone would not
pay. A considerable addition to the profits, however, is made by the
payment made by government for the regular conveyance of mails
along the coast districts. In the present budget this is put down at kr.
1,205,000. In order to improve the communication with certain
out-of-the-way fjords and islands where there is little traffic, the government
furthermore contributes directly to the support of private steamboat
companies — at the present time, about kr. 800,000. In this
connection it may be mentioned that the government also supports
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