ADMINISTEATION— COLONIES. 71- 



Assembl}^ consists of one hundred and two members for the whole monarchy, 

 elected for three years, while the fifty-four members of the Landsthing, or Upper 

 House, are chosen for eight years by electors composed partly of popular delegates, 

 partly of the more highly taxed town and country voters. With the fifty-four 

 elected senators are associated twelve life members appointed by the Crown from 

 the actual or any former members of the Assembly. Both bodies, forming 

 collectively the Bigsdag, or Diet, receive a uniform grant of about 7s. 6d, per day 

 for their services. Every four years the Landsthing chooses from its own body 

 the four assistant judges of the Hoiestcr, or Supreme Court, which is alone com- 

 petent to deal with charges brought against the members of both Houses. 



The executive is intrusted to a responsible ministry of six members — the 

 Minister of Finance and President of the Council, and the Ministers of Foreia-n 

 Afiiiirs, the Interior, Public Instruction and Worship, Justice and Iceland, War 

 and the Navy. The King must be a member of the Lutheran or State Church ; 

 he has a civil list of £56,000, besides £6,520 for the Crown Prince. The judges 

 of the eighteen higher courts are named by the sovereign, as are also those of the 

 two Courts of Appeal, one of which sits in Copenhagen for the islands, the other 

 at Viborg for Jylland. Till recently the judicial and administrative functions 

 were united in the same hands, but according to a law of 1868 the two are 

 to be henceforth separated, though the change has not yet been completely 

 carried out. 



Civil processes, formerly conducted in writing, are now prosecuted in open 

 court. The lawyers, combining the functions of barrister and solicitor, are 

 divided into three categories, those of the Supreme Court alone being entitled 

 to plead before all tribunals. Of these higher advocates there were eleven only 

 in 1872. 



Although Lutheranism is the State religion, freedom of worship is absolute, 

 and except indirectly through the budget no one is called upon to contribute 

 towards the maintenance of any creed besides his own. The faithful have even 

 acquired the right of forming themselves into distinct congregations, and founding 

 the so-called " elective parishes," whose ministers they name and maintain. 



The seven bishops (Sjalland, Laaland-Falster, Fyen, Ribe, Aarhus, Viborg, 

 and Aalborg, besides Iceland), although enjoying great privileges, have no seat 

 in the Upper House. Not more than 1 per cent, of the population are non- 

 Lutheran, the most numerous being the Jews, and next to them the Baptists and 

 Mennonites, the Roman Catholics taking the fourth place. 



According to the Army Reorganization Act of 1867 all valid citizens from 

 the age of twenty-two are bound to military service, eight years in the regular 

 army, and eight in the reserve. But practically they serve only for periods 

 varying from four to nine months, though a certain number of recruits are called 

 out for a longer term, and all regulars take part in the annual manœuvres, which 

 last from thirty to forty-five days. 



The regular forces are estimated at 35,000, the reserves at 13,000 of all arms. 



The navy is supplied by conscription, chiefly amongst the seafaring and 



