Full resolution (JPEG) - On this page / på denna sida - Second part - X. Manufacturing Industries. By Å. G. Ekstrand, Ph. D., Chief Engineer, Control Office of the Department of Finance
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introduction.
765
Alströmer began to carry out his project by sending over from England to
Sweden workmen and machinery for the weaving of woolen and cotton goods,
but he soon determined to move to Sweden himself. In Alingsås, he put up all
kinds of factories for textile goods, and under his guiding hand Alingsås became
the chief seat of that species of industry; moreover, engineers, artisans, and
foremen came in large numbers to study the methods in use there. One of the
leading principles that Alströmer held to, was, as far as possible, to make use of
Swedish raw materials. This caused him to turn his attention to almost all the
sources of livelihood of Swedes of that day; he was specially active in furthering
a more rational breed of domestic animals. He was, moreover, a highly enlightened
man, and took a keen interest in scientific research. He was instrumental in the
foundation of the Academy of Sciences, and established a library, a natural history
museum, and a collection of models at Alingsås.
The new movement was received
with great enthusiasm by the
Government and the Riksdag, and every
encouragement was offered to it. Special
rights and privileges were accorded
to Alströmer and other industrialists;
numbers of branches of industry up
to that period unpractised in Sweden
were set on foot, and everything was
done, also, to stimulate the export of
Swedish-made goods.
That much of the youthful
enthusiasm which had had so promising
a success in the beginning, died away
unproductively, by reason of the
natural obstacles that further experience
brought to light, is well known. The
keen mercantile ideas followed out in
Sweden with the utmost consistency,
gave rise to many industrial
enterprises not adapted to the conditions
of the country; it was subsequently
found that these were doomed to
failure from their very inception, but
the inevitable stagnation thereby
entailed had very far reaching effects
on the industrial life of the period. It may be said, however, about the
descriptions usually given of the state of things existing in Sweden at the close of
the period known as the »Era of Liberty», that they are palpably overdrawn
in many particulars, being based largely upon contemporary notices that are not
free from party bias and certainly lack adequate authoritativeness. We possess
another critique upon the times in the population statistics, then established. As far
as can be judged from that source, the decade 1751/60 was perhaps the most
prosperous period that Sweden ever enjoyed, in economic regard; and though
towards the close of the next decade conditions became considerably worse, yet
the reign of Gustavus HI (1771/92) will not bear comparison at all with
the »Era of Liberty» (1719/72). With reference, in particular, to the
activities of Alströmer himself, it is true, certainly, that many of the factories he
established had subsequently to be closed, and that the machinery often found
its way back to foreign countries, where it was sold at prices not comparable
with the original cost, but one element of his work was not lost, viz., the
Jonas Alströmer.
Born 1685. Died 1761.
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