JET. 22.] AND SCANDINAVIA, 179 



eluding militia : they support in time of peace only 

 enough to garrison the forts, and for the guards. The 

 greater part of these standing troops, including two 

 yeomen regiments, are divided between Stockholm, 

 and Pomerania, and Finland. The most important 

 garrisons are those of Sveaborg and Marstrand the 

 former in Finland, the latter on the frontiers of Nor- 

 way. These are esteemed the keeps of the empire, 

 being both built on inaccessible rocks, at the distance 

 of three or four miles from the coast, and Sveaborg 

 commands a fine harbour. 



The rest of the army is rather a militia, but upon 

 a singular footing, and, I believe, unparalleled in 

 Europe. Each province furnishes a regiment, which 

 is called after its name. The men, who are all peasants 

 of the place, have no pay, except at stated times when 

 called out. Besides this, they are obliged to parade 

 every Sunday at the church-door of the parish. They 

 are found in a house, and a small portion of ground, 

 which the proprietor is obliged to take care of when 

 the holder is in the field or at exercise. 



In this way each estate is burdened with a certain 

 number of men. Their houses are marked by a square 

 board, with a number inscribed on. it. The children 

 of soldiers in general become soldiers too, and, being 

 trained to the musket from their youth, do not differ 

 from the soldiers of other armies. The officers have 

 farms in the same provinces with their regiments 

 the captain in the midst of his company, and the 

 colonel in the middle of the province. The same 



