Full resolution (JPEG) - On this page / på denna sida - Second part - VII. Forestry - 2. Forest Industries. By E. Arosenius, Ph. D., Royal Central Bureau of Statistics, Stockholm
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FOREST INDUSTRIES.
637
site to create in Sweden a real timber industry. The foreign market for Swedish
timber was also increased by the commercial treaty with France of 1865,
whereby various forest-products imported from Sweden, among which were boards and
deals, were relieved from the former custom-duties.
At the same time the commercial legislation of Sweden underwent important
changes. During the eighteenth century sundry restrictions had been in force
both in regard to the foreign timber trade and as to commerce generally within
the kingdom. Thus e. g. for boards sent to Stockholm certain dimensions were
stipulated by law. These regulations, obstructive to free exchange, were gradually
abolished during the first half of the nineteenth century (more particularly so by
the General Commercial Regulations of 1846). Export-duties were formerly
imposed on many different kinds of timber, such as rough, sawn, or hewn timber
of most kinds of hard wood, unhewn red wood and white wood, and small beams
and spars, while boards and deals of red wood or white wood were free of duty.
Most of these export-duties were removed in 1857 and ceased entirely on the
introduction of the customs’ tariff of 1863.
As the foreign demand was principally for sawn timber, the Saw-mill
Industry in Sweden was given a new importance. It is not known with certainty
when the first saw-mills were constructed in our country; this may possibly have
been done as far back as the Middle Ages. It is certain, however, both that
there have been water-power saw-mills in use in this country for several
centuries and, on the other hand, that it was not until during the nineteenth century
that the saw-mill industry attained the character of a genuine manufacturing
concern. The initiative step was taken by some prominent Gothenburg merchants,
some of whom were of British birth and through their connections familiar with
the steadily increasing demands of English industries for wood. In the decennium
1841/50 vast forests were bought first in Vermland and Dalsland, afterwards in
Norrland, and large water-mills with several saw-frames were built. These saw-mills
were mostly situated at some water-fall in the proximity of the coast, but the
fact that they could not be built close to the sea-shore, proved a disadvantage;
for before the sawn timber could be shipped, it had either to be carted
overland or towed in barges to the sea-port, which was rather expensive, or else it
had to be floated, which on the other hand caused a deterioration in the
appearance and quality of the timber. In this respect, the establishment of steam
saw-mills on the sea-coast produced a complete revolution, whereby essential
advantages were gained. By locating the saw-mills on the coast, the formerly
usual, long transport of the timber from the saw to the port was saved,
furthermore, the use of steam-power in the saw-mills brought about a greater productive
capacity, a finer product, and freedom from the obstacles to the even run of
the work arising from ice in winter and lack of water in summer. The first
steam saw-mill in Sweden was built in 1851 at Vifsta, near Sundsvall; the next
in order was Kramfors, in Ångermanland (1852). During the years 1851/60 and
especially in the following decennium of 1861/70, the number of steam
sawmills grew rapidly. The timber industry was also greatly promoted by the growth
and develöpment in Sweden of commercial companies, thanks to the Law of 1848
regarding joint-stock companies, by which measure the co-operation of several
persons in large industrial enterprises was facilitated.
We may add to this the enormous improvements the means of
communication have undergone. Formerly the shipping of Norrland timber was performed
principally by sailing vessels from that part of the country, which could make at
most two trips a year only to the ports of destination in England and France;
a voyage to the Mediterranean and back took a whole year. The freight to
England might then amount to £ 4 Vä per standard. Since steamships began to
be used in the timber trade and consequently the voyages altogether became more
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