4. The volunteers, first organized in the year 1861, by the spontaneous desire of the population of the kingdom. In time of peace the volunteers are individually free, and bound by no other but their own rules and regulations: but in time of war they may be compelled to place themselves under the command of the military authorities.
5. The militia of Gothland, consisting of twenty-one companies of infantry, organized in a similar manner to the Indelta, yet quite independent of the latter. They are not compelled by law to serve beyond the confines of the Isle of Gothland, and have a separate command from the other troops.
The armed forces of Sweden, not counting the Volunteers, consist altogether of—
| Indelta, | 33,405 | rank and file. |
| Beväring, | 95,295 | “ “ |
| Värfvade, | 7,692 | “ “ |
| Militia of Gothland, | 7,921 | “ “ |
| Total, | 144,313 |
In the organization of the army, as here enumerated, 85,000 men belong to the infantry of the line; 6,000 to the cavalry; 5,000 to the artillery, and the rest to the irregular militia. The number of volunteers was returned at 40,848 in 1869, but about one-third of these formed part also of the Indelta. In the parliamentary session of 1862, and again in the sessions of 1865 and 1869, the Government brought bills before the Diet for a reorganization of the whole of the army, on the basis of extending the conscription, reforming the Indelta, and doing away, to a great extent, with the Värfvade. But neither of these propositions was adopted by the representatives of the people, whose habits are not easily set aside.
Navy.
The Navy of Sweden was reorganized in 1866-67, being divided into two distinct parts; the first to serve as an ordinary fleet of war for aggressive as well as defensive purposes, and the second stationary, and solely devoted to coast defense. It consisted in 1869 of—
| 6 | Iron-clads, of 638 horse-power, and | 10 | guns. |
| 21 | Unarmored steamers, of 2,810 horse-power and | 127 | “ |
| 16 | Sailing vessels, with | 376 | “ |
| 158 | Gunboats and floating batteries, | 551 | “ |
| Total, 201 vessels, of 3,458horse-power | 1,064 | guns. | |
The iron-clads are built after the American model; one a turret ship, called the “John Ericsson,” is partly covered with steel armor. There were 6,453 sailors and marines in active service, and 28,000 men were on furlough or attached to the fleet of reserve and coast defense.
The expenditure for the army in 1869 was 9,528,600 riks dalers, and for the navy 3,963,800. The indebtedness of the state is about $41,000,000, mostly contracted in aid of a system of railways.