The sun., 1899-04-30
disregard or ignorance Of existing conditions.

asd sSsSS s q sss sRs scs IopssSns dssn
burg" he adds. the city must inevitably fall;
The statement deserves analysis. because IL is
a good specimen Of the scare tslegrams printed
by the English press from time to time, and
reprinted bv the American press.
The Norwegian fleet consists at present OF
two modern @ cruisers @ butt Inv, In England; @ They
OF seventeen knots speed and carrying twenty
guns each, the largest guns being OF S-inell
is made M OF four monitors. two small cruis-
ers, thirty,one gnnboats. one torpedo de.patth
second.class torpedo boats. The torpedo no.
tilla Is modern and effective. but most OF the
other boats are cid and hopelesSy outclnssel
the latter may seem To an English or American
observer; The tonnage OF thirty-seven yes
The swedish fleet. which is so lightly re-
garded by, the correspondent. includes sin tur.
reted and urmored cruisers. built between
1SSSi and 1888, having an aggregate tonnage
OF l9,OoO an hgRregate motive power OF ~
ern guns. Several more cruisers of the same
class are now building. Other modern YES
pedo catcher, three tornedo cruisers built in
1S"j-!S. several modern gunhoats and nine
cen torpedo boats OF recent build -Four large
and nine small monitors are available for de-
fence. The to.al igures for the Swedish fleet
not counting seven .een small gunboats and the
2.SlE tons. 5G.4lO horse mower. 2S.I guns.
The Norweglan fleet lis is manned by ~ OFT;
GERS. O1 aSplra0tS ana b2p Warrant O1llcerS anu
men. There Is q reserve OF l4!' officers and
warrant officers. and 10000 volunteers may be
called to arms IN time of war. Corresponding
figures for the Swedish fleet are as follows:
2ljl officers. 2I3 warrant officers, 21ll men.
242 officers and warrant officers IN reserve.
l. loJ men in reserve. 10000 volunteers to be
called out in time of war.
The effective peace strength OF the Swedish
Army IL 8'.124 officers and men. This army
will in time Of war form the skeleton for a vol
unteer army Of 25O.OOO men. while 2OO.OOO
more are available for service within the boun-
daries of Sweden only. The Norwegian Army
has 1900 men In time of peace. and this force
mny he doubled should war come.
These figures ought to make II clear that II
would lie an act CT self-destruction for Nor
way to attack Sweden. On the other hand,
Norway has in its alps its steep hllei les. mar
row mountain passes and almost inaccessible
valleys a natural defence which would make
1t possible Tor its army to bar the way for an
invading army OF many times its own strength
II may bc nossible for Sweden to attack. har-
ass and ruin Norway. but hardly TO conquer il
as long as the Norwegian people stand united
The Norwegians are well aware OF this and
while they may take some defiant step which
Will provoke Sweden into hostility. they will
| he sure to leave all offensive movements to the
| enemy. The Swedes. on their side. have no
| illusions In regard to the cumbersome charac-
| ter OF the task involved in a forcible suhjuRa-
| ton OF Norway. And In this mutual apprecia-
| tion Of the other nations strength will prob.
| ably be found the hest guarantee against O
| forcibe disruption OF the union that has now
| existed for eighty-nve years.