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16
II. THE INDUSTRIES OF SWEDEN.
Europe, until the use of coal for the manufacture of pig-iron revolutionized
that industry. The lack of fossil fuel has in fact since that time proved
the chief obstacle to the development of such an industry on a scale
corresponding to the natural resources. This lack is also the reason why
at present mining in Lappland merely concerns itself with the raw
product. The mining of ore, which is moreover carried on from the ore
fields of Central Sweden, has thus become one of the biggest export
industries of the country. The recent development of iron works, foundries,
machine shops, and so forth, shows, however, that the way is being
gradually prepared for a manufacturing industry of great magnitude.
The lack of coal (there is only a scanty supply in the north-west of
Skåne), in conjunction with difficulties arising from the enormous
distances that have to be traversed, explains why Mechanical Industry
in Sweden has so long remained in a state of insignificance. However,
in the course of the last twenty years or so a distinct change in this
regard has taken place. Numbers of new lines of manufacture have been
struck out, and established lines have increased many times over the
. scope of their activities; the result is that the value of the output has
risen enormousls*, being computed for the year 1912 at about 1 778 million
kronor (exclusive of forestry, mining, and dairy-farming), while the
population which derives its livelihood from mechanical industry has been
well-nigh trebled since 1870. Industry on a big scale has thus made
its ingress into Sweden, and is perhaps destined to give her a position
sooner or later among the principal centres of the world’s industry: for,
if Sweden lacks coal, she possesses an abundance of ivaterfalls. The
Swedish waterfalls, as a rule, are not so easy to equip as the Norwegian; but
the utilization of electric power is gradually gaining territory, and is
bound sooner or later to embrace in its sweep not merely mechanical
industry, but also mining and the railway. The time is surely not far off when the
"white coals" will in these domains to a great extent supersede the black.
— Here as in other spheres handicraft is being jostled aside in the onward
march of mechanical industry, in order, having accommodated itself to the
new conditions, once more to win for itself a secure position alongside of
the latter. Thus, the old domestic sloyd has sprung up into life once more
and, in many districts, now, as before, assumes an important place in the
economy of the country people.
Commerce and Transport come next on the list of important
occupations. Owing to the great extent of coast-line, the numerous harbours,
and the well-developed system of water-ways (big lakes and long canals)
navigation in the interior of the country is very brisk; and in consequence
of the great differences between the products of the various provinces, a
busy interchange of commodities takes place within the country itself.
By a railway system which in proportion to the population is the biggest
in Europe, the great distances have been bridged over, and the country
has been opened up to the markets of the world. Trade with foreign
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