156 



SCANDINAVIA. 



The Swedish system, thanks to the open nature of the country, cheapness of 

 hind, and abundance of materials — wood, iron, stone, shingle, and sand — is relatively 

 more highly developed than that of any other European state, Belgium not 

 excepted. Sweden is the only country in the Old World which possesses over 

 700 miles of rails to 1,000,000 of the population, carried out, however, at a cost of 



Fig. 79. — The Scanuixaviax Railway Systems. 

 Scale 1 : T.R'îrKOOn. 



100 Miles. 



less than £4,000 per mile, and with no tunnels longer than that which runs for 

 1,350 feet under the southern quarter of Stockholm.* 



The postil and telegraph services have also of late years been rapidly developed, 



although relatively to a less extent than the railway system. Not only are all the 



railways lined with wires, but the fishing stations and seaports are connected with 



Stockholm, while submarine cables cross the Gulf of Bothnia, the southern basin 



* Railways : — Sweden, 3,256 miles (besides 642 building) ; Norway, C5S miles. 



