A great hydro-electric scheme for supplying Oslo and its sub urbs with electricity by utilizing Solbergfos on the river Glom men has recently been completed, and seven units totalling 77,000 kw. had been installed by the end of 1925. Since about 1912 there have been, at great expense, extensive improvements made on the existing harbour works and port facilities. The port can be used by the largest vessels. There are also two dry-docks and four floating docks and a grain elevator. Imports are of about three times the value of exports. The harbour is, when necessary, artificially kept free of ice.
The original city was founded by Harald Sigurdsson in 1048. By the close of the 14th century it was established as the chief city of Norway. Trade was long dominated by the powerful Hanseatic League, at least until the beginning of the 16th cen tury. The town, built mainly of wood, was no less subject to fires than all Norwegian towns have always been, and after one of these King Christian IV. refounded the capital on the site it now occu pies, and gave his name to it in 1624. By the close of the century it was fortified, but this did not prevent Charles XII. from gain ing possession of it in 1716. The name of the city was changed again to Oslo in 1925.
See L. Daae, Det gamle Christiania, 1624-1824 (Christiania, 1890) ; Y. Nielsen, Christiania and Umgegend (Christiana, ; G. Amneus, La Ville de Christiania . . . Resumé historique, etc. (Christiania, 1900).
the military academy at Constantinople, he entered the cavalry in 1853, and served under Omar Pasha in the Russian War of 1853-56, in Wallachia and the Crimea. Appointed a captain, in the Imperial Guard, he distinguished himself in the campaigns of the Lebanon in 186o and of Crete in 1867 to 1869, and was promoted lieut.-colonel. He served under Redif Pasha in sup pressing an insurrection in Yemen in 1871, was promoted major general in 1874, and general of division in 1875. Appointed to command the army corps at Widin in 1876 on the declaration of war by Serbia, he defeated Tchnernaieff at Saitschar and again at Yavor in July, invaded Serbia and captured Alexinatz and Deligrad in October, when the war ended. Osman was pro moted to be mushir, and continued his command at Widin.
When the Russians crossed the Danube in July 1877, Osman moved his force to Plevna, and, with the assistance of his en gineer, Tewfik Pasha, entrenched himself on the right flank of the Russian line of communication, and gradually made the posi tion a most formidable one. He repulsed the three assaults of the Russians and after being closely invested, held the position until Dec. 9, when, compelled to cut his way out, he was severely wounded and forced to capitulate. This famous improvised de fence delayed the Russians for five months, and entailed their crossing the Balkan range in the depth of winter after the third battle of Plevna. The sultan conferred on Osman the Grand Cross of the Osmanie and the title of "Ghazi" (victorious), and, when he returned from imprisonment in Russia, made him commandant of the Imperial Guard, grand-master of the artillery and marshal of the palace. In December 1878 he became war minister, and held the post, with a small break, until 1885. He died at Con stantinople on April 14, 190o.