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ix. shipping and navigation.
Photo. Alfred Sjöberg, Karlsborg.
The Göta Canal, the Berg Locks.
under the hands of the engineer Edström, finally put into what is virtually its
precent condition.
One of the oldest canal works in Sweden, the Stockholm lock, was constructed
as far back as 1639—42, but was rebuilt by Kristoffer Polhem in 1744—53.
The present lock was completed in 1850 under the superintendence of Nils
Ericson.
The Strömsholm Canal was started in 1776, and its first section, between
Västanfors and Ramnäs, was opened in 1782. But it was not completed, by
being carried down to Lake Mälaren at Strömsholm, until 1795. During the
years from 1842 to 1860 it was rebuilt and assumed its present form. The
once busy traffic to and from the mining districts has in recent times declined
considerably owing to the severe competition of the railways. The small size
of the canal is a great handicap.
The Trollhätte Canal,1 which passes all the falls in the Göta älv,2 was
actually opened for traffic in 1800. The works took seven years and were
superintended by Nordevall, a most eminent engineer of the time and the designer
of the project. Many fruitless attempts had previously been made to construct
a navigable communication between Lake Vänern and the Kattegat. As
early as in 1607, Charles IX had a lockage constructed at the lowest waterfall,
the Lilla Edet Falls, and started on the trench, called "Karls Grav" which,
greatly enlarged, still connects Lake Vänern with the reach of the Göta älv
above Trollhättan. Kristoffer Polhem, the renowned engineer, concluded at
Lund in 1718 veritable contract with Charles XII "to make a shipping route
between Stockholm, Gothenburg, and Norrköping", and the works were even
1 Named after the falls of Trollhättan (The Goblins Cap). — 2 Älv = river (älven = the
river).
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