208 FORESTRY OF NORWAY. 
the crew, the proportion of these per thousand tons, and the 
number of steamers, tonnage, crews, and horse-powers of 
these; and of the annual additions made and losses sustained 
by the mercantile navy in each year from 1861 till 1875, 
giving the number and tonnage of vessels built in Norway, 
of vessels purchased abroad, of vessels sold abroad, of 
vessels lost at sea, and vessels condemned; the means of 
each of these particulars in the successive semi-decades, 
and like particulars in both respects relative to steamers. 
He gives like tabulated statements of the number and 
tonnage of vessels entering Norwegian ports from abroad, 
loaded and in ballast, of vessels leaving Norwegian ports, 
loaded and in ballast, for foreign ports, and the number 
of each of these categories entering or leaving laden; the 
number of Norwegian vessels sailing between foreign ports, 
arriving and departing, and the number of these in cargo. 
From the first of these tabulated statements it appears 
that the mercantile navy has doubled within the last pre- 
ceding ten years, and quadrupled in the last twenty-three 
years. The increase dates from the opening of English 
ports in 1850, and from demands arising out of the Crimean 
war. But the second shows that while the increase in 
numbers was made both by construction and purchase, the 
great increase in proportionate tonnage was by purchase, 
the average tonnage of the vessels built being 228 tons, 
the average tonnage of those bought, 392 tons. 
The average size of the vessels has been more than 
doubled within the last twenty years; in 1855 it was 83 
tons, in 1875 180 tons. 
The greater portion of the Norwegian merchant ships 
are sailing vessels, but the number of steamers is con- 
‘siderable. 
The value of the mercantile navy of Norway amounted in 
1850 to “i ‘ 93 million f; * 
1868 to : 260 ef aatcat 
1874to0 ; 278 3 
1875 to. : 267 
* In round numbers 26 francs may be reckoned equivalent to a guinea, 
