SHIPBUILDING AND SHIPPING. 207 
larly known as the Norman style of architecture, has 
been often likened to the over-arching boughs of a forest 
forming a long and lofty vista, with lesser, but like vistas, 
on either hand. In Norway I met with a different account 
of this: I found it likened to the upturned boat which was 
used in olden times to roof an earthen house, a sepulchre, 
or a temple—a representation in stone of an ancient boat so 
employed, commemorating with the luxury of advanced 
civilisation, wealth and power, memories of the childhood 
of the nation, 
While an improved and increased shipping of late years 
witnessed in Norway is intimately connected with the 
later development of commerce in that country, as else- 
where, it is as manifestly an effect as it is a cause of that 
development; and in Norway, while it has facilitated the 
transport and exportation of timber, it has also increased 
the home consumption of this by the demand it has made 
for a supply of home-grown timber to be used in the.con. 
struction of the vessels. 
‘The Norwegians may be characterised as a maritime 
people ; and in proportion to the population, the first place 
must be allotted to them in this respect. 
At the end of 1875 the mercantile navy of Norway was 
composed of 7,814 vessels, of an aggregate tonnage of 
1,419,300 tons English, with an aggregate crew of 60,281 
men. This gives for every thousand of the population 781 
tons, while at the same period there were for every thou- 
sand of the population of Britain 210 tons of British 
vessels. In the United States of America the proportion 
was 90,in Russia 10. Even in regard to tonnage alone 
Norway took the third place, being only surpassed by Great, 
Britain and the United States of America. 
_ By Dr Broch there are supplied tabulated statements. of 
the number, tonnage, and crews of the Norwegian mer- 
chant navy in 1767, 1792, 1800, and every five years 
thereafter till 1850, and every year thereafter till 1876, 
giving the number of ships, the tonnage, the mean tonnage, 
