Durango semi-weekly herald., 1901-10-14
FIGHTERS OF SWEDEN.
William e. Curtis Writes Of the Army
and Navy Of the Kingdom.

STOCKHOLM. Sweden. Sept. l.
tWiiliam E. Cuts In Chicago Record
Herald). For many years the chief
political issue in Sweden has been the
increase of the army and the military
service required of each citizen. The
king has finally won. and last spring
a law was passed increasing the term
OF service from ninety days to eight
and twelve months. The nation lays
claim to that period In the life of ev-
cry able-bodied man, and II is given
more or less reluctantly.
Every male citizen is enrolled in
the army, and the moment he be-
comes 21 years of age he Is required
to report himself at the military head
quarters nearest to his home, where
he submits to physical examination,
and If accepted is assigned to the
proper company and regiment of mi
litia and directed to report for duty
to his immediate commander. The
small number of persons rejected for
disability is good testimony to the
health and vigor of the race. Severe
penalties are imposed upon those who
attempt to escape military service by
feigning Illness or manning them
selves, but there are still men who
would cut of one or two of their fin
gers and run the risk of spending
four-years' term in the penitentiary
in preference to serving couple of
months every year under military in
structions. The military spirit in
Sweden is not strong, although his
tory shows that there are no better
fighters in the human family, and it
is remarkable to watch the high de-
gree of efficiency to which green boys
from the farms can be brought after
few weeks of drill and discipline
The regular army of Sweden on
peace footing is composed of "a, S29
enlisted men, 3.729 officers, 1855 mu-
sicians, $40 engineers and 623 mem
bers of the staff, making total effect
i've fighting force of 39,114. OF these
6.S91 are cavalry and 3.432 artillery.
The forces compose the garrisons at
Stockholm and the other principal
cities of the country and are at all
times under arms.
The militia divided into regiments
numbers 1Sl, 900 men. and is subject
to call by the king at all hours and
under any circumstances. Each mem
Der of the militia. as have said. must
serve certain time in the army. eight
months for infantry and twelve
months for cavalry and artillery, the
service being extended over the peri
cd of five years. During the five
years a man spends from two to four
months each year in garrison or camp,
according to the judgment of his com
manding officers, when he receives
the pay of a private in the regular
army. He has no option as to the
time of the annual period of service.
He may be asked to remain in the
army for eight or twelve months con-
tinuously; he may be called out for
thirty days one year and five months
the next year. 1t all depends on the
plans of the war office.
When a man has served his time in
the militia, he is given certificate to
at effect, which exempts him from
further active military duty and he
becomes member of the reserves,
" hich number 203,000 men, all oi
wncm have sc,ved in the militia, and
are subject to the summons of The
king when ever the country inva II
ID by foreign foe. With local trou-
h'es they have nothing to do. The
IL tia is c;.Ns lGered sufficient for any
such emergency, but under The Swod-
~ system tb effective force at the
command of tue king in case Of ior
cign invasion is something like 420,
Lpt men.
There are lot of picturesque old
astles and iortresses on the coast oi
Sweden in which garrisons are still
tut they would not last
All hour is attacked by modern gurs
and projectiles. They are reinforc-
ed. however, by earthworks with the
very best OF rltillery. Swedish guns
rank among the highest, an II several
Swedish pa cnts in ordinance hav9
been adopt ID by the fortificltion Ia
,Jartment OF tie United States. All
the harbors are projected by to'pc-
d IS, and SiG,fholm is absolutely inI-
pregnable from the sea, being stu
ated upon ford or bay that cannot
he entered except through passages
that are narrow and easily defended.
The navy of Sweden is comparative
ly small. but for its numerical
strength it is probably the most eff
fective in the world At least that
is the opinion of competent critics.
The total force numbers $500 officers
and men on a peace footing. which
may be increased to $500 from the
reserve upon few hours notice. TIL
fleet consists of ten first-class cruis-
ers and battleships. four second and
seven third.class. Ave torpedo catch
ers, fifteen torpedo boats and twenty
gunboats of small tonnage, the arma-
ment of the feet being $50 guns and
81 rapid-fire guns. All the vessels
were built in Sweden.
Every Swede is sailor. being
brought up on the water and
taught in childhood to swim and to
sail boat, and, although the shipping
induotr,, jc NOT On oytpngiyp aS in Nor