Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1871.djvu/459

 AKMY AND NAYT.

423

Army and Navy.

The Swedish army is composed of five distinct classes of troops. They are —

1. The Indelta, or national militia, paid and kept, not by the Government, but by the landowners, and, to some extent, from the income of State domains expressly reserved for this purpose. Every soldier of the Indelta has, besides a small annual pay, his torp, or cottage, with a piece of ground attached, which remains his own during the whole period of service, often extending over forty years, or even longer. In time of peace, the troops of the Indelta are not called up for more than a month's annual practice, and for the rest of the year are free from military duty. In time of war, an extraordinary Indelta has to be raised by landowners, who, on this account, enjoy certain privileges, including non-contribution to the cost of the peace establishment.

2. The Bevaring, or conscription troops, drawn by annual levy, from the male population between the age of 20 and 25 years. The law of conscription, which admits the right of purchasing sub- stitutes, was introduced into Sweden in 1812. About 19,000 men are drafted annually, one-tenth of which number, on the average, find substitutes for themselves, at a cost of from 101. to 25Z.

3. The Vcirfvade, or enlisted troops, to which belong the royal lifeguards, the hussars, the engineers, and the artillery. The men may engage for either three, or six, or twelve years; but the greater number are for six years, peculiar inducements being held out for this term.

4. The Volunteers, first organised in the year 1861, by the spon- taneous desire of the population of the kingdom. In time of peace the volunteers are individually free, and bound by no other but their own rules and regulations ; but in time of Avar they may be com- pelled to place themselves under the command of the military authorities.

5. The militia of Gothland, consisting of twenty-one companies of infantry, organised in a similar manner to the Indelta, yet quite independent of the latter. They are not compelled by law to serve beyond the confines of the Isle of Gothland, and have a separate command from the other troops.

The armed forces of Sweden, not counting the Volunteers, consist

altogether of —

Indelta. Be taring Vcirfvade Militia of Gothland

Total

33,405 rank and file 95,295 „

7,692 „

7,921 „

144,313 .,