Full resolution (JPEG) - On this page / på denna sida - Second part - XII. Shipping and Navigation - Home Navigation, by Captain G. Wallenberg, Stockholm, Member of the Riksdag - Canals, by Lieut. Col. P. Laurell, Stockholm, and Major G. Nerman, Uppsala
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954
XII. SHIPPING AND NAVIGATION OF SWEDEN.
The Roslag sloop, deriving its origin from the 17th century, is entirely
open and furnished with one large sail, fixed to a boom, in about the same
manner as the mizzen-sail of a schooner — as also with a fore-sail. The construction
is particularly elegant, although somewhat heavy in shape. This type derives its
name from the Roslagen, or the coast immediately north of Stockholm.
The Bleking punt belongs primarily, as indicated by its name, to the
province of Blekinge. This boat is capacious and light, a good cruiser, and easy to
manoeuvre, and possesses a great capacity of running before the wind. It is also
used in fishing in the open sea, in which case it has only one, very large
square-sail; otherwise it has, besides main-sail, at least also a fore-sail.
The entire home navigation in our country in 1901 — not including
vessels of less than ten tons nor yet traffic within the respective ports —
comprised vessels entered and cleared to a number of 212,409, with a
total tonnage of 21,856,290 tons. Of these, 148,608 were steamers with a
total tonnage of 18,405,999 tons; the steamers thus represent 67-s % of
the number and no less than 85m % of the tonnage. — Concerning the
traffic on our canals some accounts are given below.
As a rule, the home navigation is the privilege of the national flag.
In Sweden, however, the Norwegian vessels enjoy the same rights as
the Swedish, and some other nations have here, according to treaties,
the right of carrying on coast traffic.
Canals.
In Sweden, the natural water-ways have had a decided influence on
the cultivation and colonization of the country since more remote times
than history can tell about. The rivers and the lakes were the principal
transport-routes. The row-boat was pulled past the falls on the journey
up. Going down one often went in the rapid. In Norrland we still
can see the state of things formerly predominant all over the country.
In Sweden attention was attracted to the value of artificial
waterways earlier than in most other European countries.
Engelbrekt, the great patriot (see p. 76), already commenced to build a canal
between Lake Mälaren and the Baltic at Södertelge, though circumstances
prevented him from completing the work. King Gustavus Vasa (1523/60) in this
respect, as in so many others, manifested his open look into the future. Nearly
all the large canals, now completed or proposed, were projected by him, and
negotiations for their execution commenced, though these fairways, according to
plans then proposed, would have been of comparatively modest dimensions.
Between Lake Venern and the Kattegat along the River Götaelf, between the lakes
Venern and Vettern, and further between the Vettern and the Baltic along the River
Motala-ström, he proposed opening canals. But also between the lakes Venern
and Hjelmaren, between the Vettern and the Hjelmaren, and between the Hjelmaren
and the Mälaren, canal works were thought of. However, there were no means
for the execution of these plans.
Charles IX in 1596/1610 accomplished a construction of canals between
the Lakes Mälaren and Hjelmaren. But as the canal-locks were made of wood,
they soon fell into decay, so that already about 1620, Gustavus Adolphus
commenced to build a new canal between the Hjelmaren and the River Arbogaån, which
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