88 TEN YEAKS IN SWEDEN. 



That the Swedish soldiers are strong, brave, and hardy 

 men there can be little doubt, and probably in an intellectual 

 and moral point of view stand higher than the common 

 British soldier. In the case of an invasion, they would 

 doubtless be very formidable opponents, for the country is 

 well adapted to a guerilla war. But we must not shut our 

 eyes to what is the real strength of an army constituted like 

 theirs, comprising as it does men with families, men taken 

 from their business or work, and who do not possess, like 

 the soldiers of permanent and regular armies, the instruction 

 or habits acquired in military life. Moreover, their cannons 

 and muskets are quite of the old school, and would stand 

 little chance against well-appointed batteries, manned with 

 modern artillery, or regiments armed with the Whitworth 

 rifle. We had a pretty good proof of the efficacy of well 

 rifled cannons over old artillery in the late war between the 

 Prussians and the Danes. Perhaps the only nation the 

 Swedes have to fear are their neighbours the Eussians ; and 

 I trust the day is very far distant when the old blue and 

 yellow flag of Sweden will have to strike to Eussia. 

 Of all European countries, Sweden has apparently at the 

 present day less need of a large standing army, and more 

 need of an effective rifle force, than any other. She 

 has no foreign possessions to protect, and she wishes to 

 make no aggressions upon her neighbours ; and as long as 

 they will let her alone, I do not think she will ever meddle 

 with them. Late events have, however, shown us that 

 aggrandizement is now the aim of the larger continental 

 states, and if, as it seems probable, Prussia and Eussia are 

 in league, Sweden may be said to stand between two fires, 

 especially if the Prussians make further encroachments 

 upon Denmark. National bravery will avail little against 

 brute force and overwhelming numbers, but an effective 

 rifle corps would do much in a land like Sweden. To be 

 fore-warned is to be fore-armed, and I should strongly 

 recommend the Swedish government to re-model their artil- 

 lery and the small arms of their infantry, and to do all that 

 lies in their power to encourage the movement of the volun- 



