Mímir. Icelandic institutions with adresses - 15.12.1903, Síða 17

INSTITUTIONS
7
tially private character. Most of the instructors have passed
through courses at foreign agricultural schools. Addresses as
indicated.
The Nautical School (Styrimannaskolinn), founded by
the government in 1890, and intended both to foster the interests
of the sea-fisheries and to create a body of able seamen. The
sessions of the school are held through the winter, the spring
and summer being devoted to practical experience on the water.
The government appropriation is annually 5,200 crowns. —
Director, Pall Halldorsson. Assistant-teacher, Magnus
Magnusson. Address: Reykjavik.
The National Library (Landsbokasafn). Founded by the
Danish professor, Charles Christian Rafn, in 1818; acquired in
1845 the collection of manuscripts of bishop Steingrimur Jonsson;
in 1880 the very remarkable collection of printed books (5,047
vols.) and manuscripts (1,067 vols.), relating to Iceland, gathered
by the statesman and scholar, Jon Sigurdsson (d. 1879); and in
1901 (at a cost of 22,000 crowns) the manuscripts belonging to
the Icelandic Literary Society. It has received many gifts from
all parts of the world, including an extensive miscellaneous
collection from the late Dr. Adolf Fredrik Krieger, long a
member of the Danish cabinet, and more recently (anonym-
ously) a collection of 1,200 volumes on chess and its history.
A very imperfect catalogue of the library was printed in r825, and
it issues yearly a list of its accessions. At present it numbers
60,000 printed volumes and 8,000 MSS., and is housed in crowd-
ed and inadequate quarters in the Capitol building (Althing-
ishus). Its annual grant from the government is about 9,000
crowns besides occasional special appropriations. — Librarian,
H align' mur Melsteb; Assistant-Librarian, Jon Jakobsson.
Address: Reykjavik.
Provincial Public Libraries (Amtsbokasofn). These are
three, and are partially maintained by the Althing (500 crowns
each): 1. Stykkisholmur (Bokasafn Vesturamtsins), librarian,