Thanks to the fact that nowadays more and more books are digitized we are able to read books that are some times for decades no longer available for the public for several reasons. That's quite a pity while these books contains useful information while the archives are destroyed, incomplete or nor accessible.
P. 302: “The date of Fredericsvaern is 1750. Frederic V. was its founder. In 1814 it was made the head quarters of the Norwegian Fleet.
p. 303: Here it is where the vessels lie in dock, and where those who command them are brought up. As Christiania is to the soldier, so is Fredericsvaern to the seaman.” “No one can be pressed for the Navy after he is thirty years old.” “The Coast-guard, although considered a land-force, is formed out of the division of men liable to Naval service (Soe-vaernepligtige). These latter are (to the
p. 304: men liable to Military Service) as 29,000 to 45,000.” “The town that I am now in is the Portsmouth of Norway. Here lies the Norwegian Fleet. Here also are the docks. All the vessels (that are not here) are at Horten, Bergen, Drontheim, or Christiansand. To be liable to impressment you must live in a sea-port town, gain your livelihood by the sea, or be a native of either Norland, Finmark, or one of the southern coasts of the country. The inlanders are made soldiers of. The Navy of Norway is as yet in its infancy. There are those that treat it slightingly. Such as wish it ill, consider it just large enough to provoke the attack of an enemy more powerful than themselves, but much too small to ward it off. Those that argue thus, hold up in terrorem the attack upon Copenhagen. Enlightened men, however, that believe a little loaf to be better than no bread, are too wise to be laughed out of their Navy, small as it is. The list is as follows: 1 Frigate, 1 Corvette, 2 Brigs, 8 Schooners, 82 Gun-boats. The command of these is distributed amongst seventy seven officers. It must not, however, be concealed that nothing in Norway is so expensive to the State
p. 305: as the education of its Naval Cadets. They are taught at Fredericsvaern. Their Academy was established in 1816. As the Gods of Egypt were to their worshippers, or as the Members of Old Sarum to their constituents, so are the tutors of the Norwegian Naval Academy to the pupils that are instructed by them. There are ten that teach. There are thirty that are taught.”
Source
R.G. Latham. Norway and the Norwegians. London, vol 1, 1840.
