Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1921.djvu/885

 DEFENCE — PRODUCTION AND INDUSTRY 833

On December 31, 1920, the consolidated debt of Finland amounted to 1,971,259,487 marks, composed as follows:— Foreign Loans of 1889 to 1819, 304,068,609 marks ; railway loan of 1918, 119,420,000 marks ; two Liberty loans of 1918, 298,500,000 marks : loan of 1919 for buying Tornator Co., Ltd., 52,895,000 marks ; total domestic loans, 977,316,000 marks.

Defence.

Military service in Finland is compulsory and universal, with the usual exemptions. The Military Service Law at present in forte was enacted in February, 1919, and somewhat altered in July, 1920.

The army consists of three divisions, one independent brigade of ' Jagers,' one brigade of cavalry, and troops directly subordinate to the army command. Kach division, as well as the brigade of 'Jagers,' is composed of unita repre- senting all weapons. The troops directly subordinate to the army command consist of one technical division, composed of pioneers, radio field tele- graphists, and other special troops, also heavy artillery, flying, tank, and automobile troops.

In the case of mobilisation, the forces can be multiplied several times through filling the ranks of the forces on their peace footing to their war complement, and by creating additional formations. In such case the reserve, consisting of five classes, will primarily be called on. The Landwehr, comprising all able-bodied men of 17-45 years of age, who do not belong to the standing army or the reserve, can also in case of need be called upon for the defence of the country. The regular army consists of about 36,600 men.

Besides the regular army, there exists in Finland an organisation of Civic Protective Guards, in which at present are enrolled about 100,000 men.

Some naval development is in progress. The ex-Russian gunboat Gilyak 875 tons, two 4.7 in. guns, has been transferred to the small existing force.

Production and Industry.

Agriculture is the chief occupation of the people in Finland, although the cultivated area covers only 8.5 per cent, of the land. The land was divided in 1910 into 284, 188 farms, and the landed property was distributed as follows: — Less than 3 hectares cultivated, number of farms, 143,933; 3-10 hectares, farms 88,398 ; 10-25 hectares, farms 37,749; 25-100 hectares, farms 13,209 : over 100 hectares, farms 899.

The crop of 1918 was, in bushels :— rye, 8,465,580 ; barley, 4,491,597 ; oats, 18,821,867; potatoes, 19,134,933 ;" flax and hemp, 965 tons ; hay, 2,031,520 tons. Butter production, 1917, was in 482 dairies, producing 10,323,S03 kilos of butter.

Domestic animals in 1918 : — Horses, 3 years of ajre, 262,380 ; horned cattle, 2 years of age, 1,076,271 ; sheep and goats, S27.791 ; pigs, 110,933.

More than half the country is covered with forests of pine and spruce. The forests form the chief natural wealth of the country, and the main industry it the lumber industry.

The Crown forests covered (January, 1918) 12,546,296 hectares (about 33 per cent, of the area of the country). Their maintenance cost (1919) 33,250,000 marks, and the income derived from them was 65,690,000 marks. The timber stock of the Crown forests numbered 195,336,353 tree trunks. In 1915 there were 139 saw mills with water motors and 510 steam and 317 motor mills. They give occupation to 17,661 workers.

The produce of pig-iron in 1917 was 9,093 metric tons; of iron-ore, 1,880 metric tons ; and of bar iron, 40,541 metric tons. Copper and sulphur ores, 9,621 metric tons.

Finland had iu 1917, 4,389 large factories, employing an aggregate