The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-06-11
Sweden and Russia.

The Stockholm Attonbad, the organ Of the intel
ligent Swedish middle class and of the bankers,
contains the following remarkable article:-
In consequence of the complications between the
Western Powers and Russia, called forth by the Sub
lime Porte having declared war against the Gar,
Sweden and Norway issued their declaration of
trality in case of a maritime war in the Baltic.
Since then matters have changed. The secret cor
respondence between the Russian and the British
Cabinets has been published. The ambition and ra-
pacity of Russia towards her neighbOrs have been
unveiled. The war has become one of civilization
against barbarism, of freedom against despotism. A
noble heart beats in the breast and deep thought
fills the soul Of the Western Powers.
The following questions present themselves to us:
We, Swedes, in our remote corner Of Europe, ought
We to draw the swordI The answer to this question
belongs to those who stand at the head Of affairs,
and whose glance freely penetrates even the widest
political horizon. But the other question-could
we, If drawing the sword and although left to our
own resources, could we defend our country2 this
question ought not to be doubtful to any Swede, In
spite of the Srensks Iidnimgsns (the organ of the
aristocracy) talk of q frozen Gulf of Aland.
We will endeavor to throw o light upon the mill
tary strength not of the united kingdoms of Swed-
en- and Norway, but oKly upon that of Sweden, up
on the possibility Of our appearing on the opposite
ality Of Russian army's marching across frozen
Gulf of Aland.
According to the budget, the Swedish army upon
the war footing consists Of 600 infantry, 1854 ca
this is added the militia of Cortland, s00O and the
reserve, Is 900, We have an army Of about lie 900
men. or this force, 60 600 might be employed out
of the res I'M The first line might be composed of
old troops the second Of recruits. In the depots,
new soldiers might be drilled for active service. We
acknowledge that liberal grants and vigorous mi
htary activity In the magazines and workshops
would be required for fitting out 80 considerable Q
force with the necessary n,atSTe; that great zeal
and order would be necessary the embarkation of
troops at Hernosand, GeHe, Stockholm, Westerwik,
Carlscrona, &c, In order to procure the vessels
required for such operation. But we affirm that in
three months viz, at the end Of July, the expedi
tiQn might be ready Now, 10000 men certainly
would not be sufficient force in Finland but II an
auxiliary force Of French and English join us,
and If we are furnished with supplies for carry
ing on the war, one hundred and twenty thousand
men marching against st. Petersburg would be
very respectable, nay, terrible force, now that the
Russian troops are dispersed over Asia Minor, on
the Danube, on the Austrian frontier, and in Po-
land. Moreover, 1t would be much easier task to
land CO. 600 English and French on q point or an
island in the Finnish Gulf, to combine there the
Swedish, British and French troops, and finally from
there to secure solid basis Of operation on the
continent, as near to st. Petersburg as possible,
than to send larger force o longer way from
France and England to Constantinople. number
Of vessels to the burden Of 5000 TONS are required
for transporting three months provisions for
transport Of 10000 horses-total, $4,000 tons-a
tri6e for three maritime powers The victualing of
the army would be easily performed by so or go or
binary merchant vessels without taking into &C.
itself. The marching Of smaller Russian detach-
ments in our rear in country 80 full OF difficult
passes as Finland, does not signify much. Napo-
leon never feared q weaker enemy in his rear; he
proved ut Marengo how q whole country may be
taken by one march and In one battle; at Hanau,
how q feeber enemy, being in ones rear may be
outmarched. An expedition against st. Peters
burg is directed against the very lungs by which
Russia breathes the air of Europe.
Even In case Of a defeat we are far from being
winter constructs bridge to our coasts, that Rus
sian Amy marches across this bridge, and finally
that only TO- 900 men return Of the 1000 which
went to Finland we still possess army Of $50
men, besides the militia of Gothand for the defence
Of this island the reserve and the Norwegian troops
Russia cannot undertake an attack upon Sweden
with less than $4,000 men, and 6,400 wagons, each
drawn by two horses required for the transport
Of one months provisions for this army, beside t.
train Of artillery, hospitals, &c. Russian cxpedi-
tion against Sweden could not be effected from the
Finnish coast except in the beginning Of January
and February, when the sea between Aland and
Finland, called Skiftet and Alandshav, Is frozen
over. But such an expedition, with such q train,
has never taken place, and never will. When in
1909 the Russians marched over the Alandshav and
Quarken, they went in small columns, and the de-
tachment which arrived in Umea was nearly de-
stroyed by cold. The sea is only covered with ice
during one, seldom two months; this time past the
Russians would not be able to get piece of bread
or a single gun from their own country. But, after
ALL it is not in the difficulties connected with at
tack upon Sweden that We ought to rely: it is on
our own courage, on the discipline and valor OF our
troops, on the copous supplies Of our arsenas and
especially on that development Of free and indie
pendent national spirit, without which the
most plentiful material resources always prove def
cient.