186 FINLAND 



market for their produce, the Government of 

 Finland made a contract in 1886 with the 

 Finnish Steam Navigation Company for the 

 establishment of regular and direct steamship 

 communication between Hango and Hull, this 

 arrangement being succeeded, in November, 

 1902, by a fresh arrangement under which the 

 Government granted a loan of £72,000 for ten 

 years, without interest, to a new company, the 

 Nord, for the running of weekly boats from 

 Hango to Newcastle-on-Tyne. In addition to 

 this, the Finnish Government, with a view to 

 improving the breed of cattle in the country, 

 make loans for ten years, without interest, to 

 farmers who desire to import Ayrshire cattle, 

 which are found much more suited to climatic 

 conditions in Finland than the less hardy Danish 

 stock. But the farmers accepting the loans have 

 to make their purchases through the Govern- 

 ment "cattle consultant," who comes to this 

 country every year to select the animals to be 

 bought, the number so purchased generally 

 being from 100 to 150. This system has been in 

 vogue for the last eight years or so. 



As the outcome of these various conditions 

 Finland sent to this country in 1897 no fewer 

 than 14,561 tons of butter. Since then there 

 has been a succession of unfavourable seasons 



