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Swedish Army - 1890

The Swedish troops were physically the finest in Europe, - powerful, hardy, and brave, and retaining much of the old Scandinavian heroic spirit; and, though strictly a militia only, their peculiar aptitude for all warlike exercises would make them formidable antagonists, even to the best trained armies. Few nations had so brilliant a military history. Under Gustavus Adolphus in the Thirty Years' War, and later under the heroic but insatiate Charles XII, they achieved a reputation almost universal in Europe; and their armies and tactics served tor many years as models to the great military powers.

Although the crowns of Sweden and Norway were united, each country retained its own government, constitution, and laws ; and the military forces of the two countries were separate and differently organized. The Swedish army is composed of three distinct classes,-the "viijrade" or enlisted troops, to which belong the royal guards, one regiment of hussars, the artillery, and the engineers ; the "indelta" or national army, paid and kept by the landowners, each of whom furnishes a certain number of men, to whom, besides a small annual pay, a cottage and piece of land are allotted during the period of service ; and thirdly, the "beraring" or conscription troops, drawn by annual levy from the male population between the ages of 20 and 25 years. The "indelta" are called out for a months' training annually in time of peace.

Besides the above, there was a Gothland militia force of 30 companies of infantry and 3 batteries of artillery, numbering about 8,000 men; these, however, are not compelled to serve beyond the confines of the isle of Gothland, and have a separate command. The royal guards number 2240, the line (under which is included the "indelta") about 25,000 infantry, 5,000 cavalry, 5,000 artillery with 234 guns, and 1,000 engineers. The "berating" amount to about 95,000 of all arms.

The military forces of Norway were differently organized, and though divided into line and militia, were in fact purely a militia force. By the law of 1867 all young men past the age of 21 are liable to the conscription, with the exception of the inhabitants of the three northern provinces, who are free from all military service. Actually the troops are raised partly by voluntary enlistments and partly by conscription. The term of service is for ten years, divided into three in the line, four in the reserve, and three in the militia, or "landvaern." The cadres of the army are formed entirely of volunteers. The young men raised by conscription are required to go through a recruit's course of forty-two days, and subsequently an annual training of twenty-four days. On the 1st of January 1872 the troops of the line numbered 13,000 men, the reserves 19,000, and the landvaern 11,000. The landvaern are only liable to service within the frontiers of the kingdom.