THE TELEGRAPH AS APPLIED TO THE FISHERIES IN NORWAY. 429 
INE Ie )D) SCs IN CIs, 
THE TELEGRAPH AS APPLIED TO THE FISHERIES IN NORWAY. 
TRANSLATED FROM LA LUMIERE ELECTRIQUE, BY MISS IDA HOWGATE. 
The International Fish Exhibition which has just closed at Berlin has called 
attention to the results obtained from the application recently made in Norway of 
the electric telegraph, for the benefit of the coast fisheries. 
The Revue de? Union des telegraphes anstro allemands has already spoken, in 
1866, page 298, of the commencement of this work; but, to-day we are able 
to give more fully, some details of its development and of the activity in business 
resulting from its introduction. 
All the telegraphic stations which are connected with the fisheries, and with 
the sale of their products, are situated at the north of Drontheim. The first tel- 
egraph for fishery was established in 1861. At first there was a single local line 
in Loffoden, but, in 1868 it was attached to the general telegraphic system by a 
wire 690 kilometers in length, going from Brettesnaes to Namsoes, and uniting 
with a line (Namsoes-Drontheim) already constructed. 
The Loffoden line was extended, in 1869, to Tromsoé, and, in 1870 it 
reached, in passing through the most northerly cities of the country, Hammer- 
fest, Vadsoe, and Vardoe, as far as the banks of the Glacial sea. From 1870 to_ 
1877 the principal line was completed by the addition of numerous lateral lines, 
and by a prolongation, passing by Vardoe, along the coast of the Glacial sea as 
far as Berlevaag. The entire length of the wire-work in the northern fishing dis- 
tricts comprises 3,595 kilometers of line, and 5,190 kilometers of cable, thereby 
increasing the expenditure to 2,600,000 crowns. 
In view of the serious accidents to which telegraphic conductors are liable 
in Arctic regions, on account of the climacteric influences, especial precautions 
have been taken to protect them from exposure. The operators at first use, as 
conductors, a group of three iron wires, three millimeters in diameter, twisted so 
as to represent one solid wire 5.2 millimeters in diameter. On the most inacces- 
sible mountains, a steel wire 0.7 millimeters in diameter, has been added to this 
conductor, to be used in case of accidents. The soldered points are made se- 
cure by strong joining muffs. 
Among the telegraphic lines mentioned, those found along the coasts near 
| Stavanger and Bergen are devoted principally, in winter and spring, to herring 
fishing, which, in these places, is from the middle of January or the beginning of 
February to the middle of March, and occupies about 40,000 men each year. 
During these months the herring, as is well known, come near the coast to deposit 
their spawn in the shallow waters and under the protection of the rocks. 
