Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1921.djvu/1188

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The public debt : —

NORWAY

Years ending June 30

Amortisation ' Growth i

Kroner Kroner 5,875,842 3S,405.000 8 829,657 289 925 000*

Interest

Amount at the end of the year i

1917 1918

Kroner

11,(535,130

Kroner 455,504,598

736,. ^99,940* 1,008,038,762-1 1,166,747,000

1919 1920-

5,956,929 277,395,750

22,946,5853

i Nominal value.

2 Including unfunded debt 240,520,000 kroner (temporary advances to the Govern- ment Food Commission).

3 Interest on unfunded debt not included.

4 Including unfunded debt 420,188,000 kroner (temporary advances to the Government Food Commission).

The taxation for communal purposes amounted for the rural communes to 85,615,000 kroner, and for the towns to 192,469,000 kroner in 1918-19.

Defence.

The most important fortresses of Norway are Oscarsborg, Tbnsberg, Kristiansand, Bergen, and Agdenes ; the old fortresses, Karljohansvaern, Akershus in Kristiania, Bergenhus in Bergen, Munkholmen near Trondhjem, and Vardoyhus, are of no importance.

Army.

The army of Norway is a national militia. Service is universal and com- pulsory, liability commencing at the age of 18, and continuing till the age of 55. The men are called out at 21, and for the first 12 years belong to the line ; then lor 12 years to the landvarn. Afterwards they pass to the landstorm, in which they remain until they have attained 55 years of age. The initial training is carried out in recruits' schools ; it lasts for 48 days in the infantry and garrison artillery, 62 in the mountain batteries, 72 in the engineers, 92 in the field artillery, and 102 in the cavalry. As soon as their courses are finished the men are passed to the units to which they will permanently belong, and with them go through a further training of 24 days. Subsequent training consists of 24 days in the second, third and seventh years of service.

The line is now organised in 6 divisions of all arms, besides which there is the garrison artillery. There are 55 battalions of infantry, 5 companies of cyclists (skiers), 3 regiments of cavalry (19 squadrons), 27 four-gun field batteries, 3 batteries of mountain artillery, 9 batteries of heavy artillery, and 1 regiment and 2 battalions of engineers. The Flying Corps is organised in 3 divisions. The divisions are of unequal strength, according to the importance of the district in which they are recruited. In event of war, each division would mobilize 2 or 3 regiments of infantry (of 3 battalions), 3 or 4 squadrons of cavalry, a battalion of field artillery (of 3 batteries), a battalion of heavy artillery, a sap]>er company, a telegraph company, a medical company and a company <>l train. Bach regimental district also forms ono battalion of landvarn (<>l 8 companies), and the other arms would form landvarn units in the same proportion. The total peace