The universal geography : earth and its inhabitants

156 SCANDINAVIA.The Swedish system, thanks to the open nature of the country, cheapness ofland, and abundance of materials—wood, iron, stone, shingle, and sand—is relativelymore highly developed than that of any other European state, Belgium notexcepted. Sweden is the only country in the Old "World which possesses over700 miles of rails to 1,000,000 of the population, carried out, however, at a cost ofFig. 79. The Scandinavian- Railway Systems.Scale 1 : 7,935,000.less than £4,000 per mile, and with no tunnels longer than that which runs for1,350 feet under the southern quarter of Stockholm.*The postal 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 therailways lined with wires, but the fishing stations and seaports are connected withStockholm, while submarine cables cross the Gulf of Bothnia, the southern basin* Railways :—Sweden, 3,25G miles (besides G42 building) ;Korway, C5S miles.