Omaha daily bee., 1905-07-31
EAR'SALARMS IN NORTHLAND
Available Forces in Sweden and Norway in
Event Of War;
PREPARATIONS FOR WINTER CAMPAIGNING
Separate Fleet. ana Separate Armies
In FiEhtIna Trim-'rbrestenea
RuPture After Ninety
Years Of reaec.

Years OF Eeacc.
In these days when 30 much is spoken
Of the disruption OF the union between
Sweden and Norway It NAV he interesting
/to look into the military establishments Of /
the two possible combp tants. These two .
little countries OF the north may break the j
peace with which they have been blessed !
FOR more than ninety years-a longer /
period than either OF them ever before ex-
pcrienced IN their history. so full OF war
between themselves.
The situation Is certainly most compli- I
Gated Here we have two countries per- |
fectly independent of each other except |
as far as the management OF their rela- !
tons with foreign powers is concerned. |
which latter Is under the direction OF tho !
Swedish minister OF foreign affairs, though |
the ministers and consuls abroad are both |
Swedes and Norwegians.
They have their own separate armies and /
navies, with nothing in common except
that the king OF Sweden and Norway is
commander-in-chief Of both armies and
that the princes Of the royal family are
officers In different regiments and in the
navies Of both countries. Thus, up to the
time OF the recent revolution, nothing could
be done In the way of armlng Norway for
a possible conflict without the knowledge
Of the king of Sweden, against which coun-
try such action would have been directed,
and similarly no preparations could have
been made In Sweden against any war
without the taeit understanding OF the
King OF Norway. The armies and navies
OF the two countries had taken the oath
OF allegiance TO the same commander-in-
chief and therefore they would be expected
10 obey orders emanating from him. How
ever, as far as Norway is concerned the
troops have taken a new oath OF allegiance
20 the new temporary government since the
revolution.
winter Campaign.
II the two Scandinavian countries should
go to war we may expect winter cam
paign the like OF which modern times have
not seen. The war would no doubt be
- fought on the borderland between Sweden
and Norway and on the coasts OF Norway.
The border consists of an almost uninter-
rupted chain OF mountains, through which
three railroad lines have been cut. The in
terior OF Norway Is very sparsely supplied
with railroads, on account of the noun
famous nature of the country while In
Sweden. especially In the southern end and
central part, railroads are very numerous.
The very long coast line OF Norway is
clear OF fee the year around, even away
above the polar circle. where the influence
OF the gulf stream prevents Ice forming
This is the reason for Russia's desire to
obtain port on the northern coast OF
Norway. The Swedish ports on the Baltic
on the contrary, are frozen from Decem-
Der TO April. and in the extreme northern
end from October TO May.
II may, therefore, be expected that, in
case OF war Sweden would blockade the
coast Of Norway, which though 1t is ex-
tended has got only a few good ports. In
fact u r. essential for Sweden to establish
q perfect blockade, as Norway would be
greatly dependent on other countries for
its supplies and munitions OF war.
The two countries are both prepared for a
winter campaign. During many years the
soldiers OF the two armies have been
trained 20 march on skis, and war games
have been held in the most severe winter
weather TO test the endurance of the men.
They are warmly dressed, and when run
ming on skis they can cover a large terri
tory. In the Swedish army there is an es-
tabiished patrol service OF combined cavalry
and infantry. Each oavalryman pulls two
infsntrymen standing skis. Thus one
horse serves to carry three men forward
without an EFFORT on the part OF the horse
as far as the other two men are concerned
and without tirins the men. as they only
stand on the skis. There is also established
a service of ''sparkstottings." being iohg
sleigh. or rather two runners Joined to.
gether by two uprights. On this sleigh the
soldiers can carry large quantities Of sup.
plies without much fatigue.
Now, as to the respective sizes of the
two armies Sweden, with population oi
over $4,000. can. of course, keep and sus
tain considerably larger army than Nor
way, with a population OF a little NOR,
than 100000 On the other hand. on,
would think that Norway with its i'm
TO the size of the country the fourth iarges
In the world would have a considerable,
navy for its protection. Such is. however
not the case. While Sweden during tn,
last fifteen years has been building up
navy which for the size OF the country q
OF respectable dimensions. Norway hai
been rather laggard In this respect.
The two principal naval stations OF swe
y den are Karlskrona, on the south coast
and Stockholm. on the east coast. Th
navy consists at the present time OF twelv
seoond-class battleships. named svsa. Gotta
Thule. oden. Niord. Thor, Dristigheten
Aran. wssa, Tapperheten, Manligheten an,
Oscar H. All these are OF about the sam
type, between S1oO and Ans tons, and max
ing between 1s,2 and IS knots. They carr
an armament OF 10 and s.2-inch guns place
in armored turrets. Besides they carry
large number of guns OF smaller ealiber a
well as submerged torpedo tubes.
The Two Navies.
Sweden has one armored cruiser tn
Fylgia. OF 400 tons and OF Il, 900 hors
power, making as knots, II also has fiv
torpedo gunboats OF an effective type. tw
torpedo destrOyers, making 81 knots thirt
torpedo boats OF the first-elass and nun
Der Of smaller classes. The eleven monitor
In the Swedish navy cannot be counted a
having a good hghtins value. as they weT
built many years ago; some OF them hay
been reconstructed during the last year
and may be useful for harbor defense. On
submarine boat was built In Sweden Las
year and has proven itself to be Of SOC
value. In addition the Swedish navy cor
sists OF a number OF cruisers, gunboats an
training ships. II is ofieered by PIP onicei
and In the reserve there is 100 additions