Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1899 American Edition.djvu/1390

1034 cavalry (Indelta) are paid and kept by the Landowners. Every soldier of the Indelta has, as a rule, 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, sometimes extending to thirty years, but he may instead take money payment. There is about 200 days' training in two years for recruits in the infantry and 400 days' in two years in the cavalry, after which they are annually called out for 22 or 23 days' practice.

3. The Värnpligtige, or conscription troops, drawn by annual levy from the male population between the ages of 21 and 40 years, of which the first 12 classes are called Beväring, the 8 others Landstorm. The right of purchasing substitutes, which formerly existed, was abolished by the Diet in 1872. The Värnpligtige are divided among the Värfvade and the Indelta troops, and are mobilised with these. The Beväring undergoes 90 days' training, which in the navy and also in the cavalry is completed in the first year; in the other forces 68 days in the first year and 22 in the second. The Landstorm is in time of war formed in separate troops. Beväring of first year, about 29,000 men; of the 12 years, about 250,000. Landstorm of the 8 years, about 200,000.

The total peace strength of the armed forces of Sweden (exclusive of the Värnpligtige), according to the re-organization carried out in 1892, consists of:—

The Swedish navy is maintained wholly for coast defence. In September 1892, a committee appointed to consider the subject recommended a considerable increase in the floating strength. The navy consists of the following vessels: Armoured coast defence turret ships—First class, 5; second class, 4; armoured gunboats, 9; steam corvettes, 3; gunboats and despatch