32 TEN YEAKS IN SWEDEN. 



The Swedish steel is, perhaps, the best in the world, and 

 some say that this is owing to the ore being smelted by 

 charcoal instead of coal. 



The greatest export of Swedish iron to England ever 

 known was in I860, and next to that in 1857, when 314,352 

 skeppund, or nearly 40,000 tons were exported; but a 

 great deal of it conies back again into the country as 

 manufactured goods, for in 1860, 2,191 cwt. of steel, 

 besides a considerable quantity of iron goods of every de- 

 scription, were imported. There are, however, several 

 manufactories of steel and iron; and agricultural imple- 

 ments are now made so good and cheap in Sweden after 

 English models, that it will hardly pay to import them from 

 England. 



The export of wrought iron from Sweden in 1863, was 

 3,153,674 cwt., and of steel, 63,268 cwt. 



Besides the above named, there are other metals and 

 minerals in the country, at present only obtained in small 

 quantities, but which will doubtless increase as the re- 

 sources of the country open out, and better communication 

 is attained; such as lead, sulphur, litharge, vitriol, alum, 

 and a yearly produce of coal in the south of Sweden, 

 amounting to about 140,000 barrels. 



The exports of all other metals in 1863, besides iron and 

 steel, was 3,163,674 cwt. 



The manufactories of glass, porcelain, paper, etc., are 

 yearly on the increase. 



THE FOEESTS. 



We now come, however, to the loadstone of Swedish 

 wealth; and certain it is that from great mismanage- 

 ment this sound and standard source of inland riches 

 to the country is gradually decreasing. It is as far beyond 

 my capacity as it is out of my province to endeavour to 

 point out a remedy for the defects of a system about the 

 working of which I know little or nothing ; but it requires 

 no great amount of observation in a man whose out- door 



