162 SCANDINAVIA. 



and bailiffs {foged), as well as to police officers (knsmand) named by the 

 prefect. 



The 61 urban communes comprise 39 towns (kjobstddcr) and 22 minor seaports 

 (ladestedeii), the rural 58 bailiwicks (fogderier). They form collectively 18 pre- 

 fectures or departments (amter), besides the two prefectships of Christiania and 

 Bergen, each administered by a council {amtsformandskab) composed of the 

 presidents of the communal councils, under the presidency of the prefect. 



Government and Administration of Sweden. 



The modified constitution of June 8th, 1809, establishes the State a representa- 

 tive monarchy. Nevertheless the King is supposed to govern alone, and if he is 

 assisted by a Council of State, it is only to consult it and receive the information 

 of which he may stand in need. This body consists of ten members (including 

 a prime minister named by the King), seven in charge of foreign and home affairs, 

 the finances, justice, war, the navy, and public worship and instruction, three 

 without portfolio, and of these at least two must be old civil functionaries. All 

 administrative matters are submitted to the King in Council, and should he be 

 considered to have decided illegalh-, the "reporter" refuses his signature and tenders 

 his resignation, when the matter is referred to the Diet. Members of the Swedish 

 and Norwegian Councils of State must be present whenever any question is l)eing 

 discussed affecting the interests of both kingdoms. In the absence of the sovereign 

 from Scandinavia the Government is intrusted to the Crown Prince, and, failing 

 him, to the State Council. The King's civil list amounts to £47,720 payable by 

 Sweden, and £19,900 by Norway. In 1873 the Diet refused to tax the nation for 

 the coronation expenses. 



The old national representation of Sweden comprised the four estates of the 

 nobility, clergy^ burgesses, and peasantry ; but under the pressure of public 

 opinion the estates themselves decided, in 1866, to reorganize the legislative body. 

 According to the new law the nation is represented by a Diet {Riksdag) composed 

 of two Chambers, corresponding with the Lords and Commons of England. The 

 members of the Upper House are elected for nine years by the Councils General of 

 the provinces and the Municipal Councils of the large towns, in the proportion of 

 1 to every 30,000 of the population. To be eligible they must be at least thirty- 

 five years old, owners of real property to the value of £4,536 (80,000 crowns), and 

 in the receipt of a yearly income of £227 (4,000 crowns). And as this Chamber 

 mainly represents wealth, all members must resign whose estate during their tenure 

 of office falls under the amount required by the law. They receive no remuneration 

 for their services, and number at present 133. 



The Lower House is now composed of 198 deputies, all elected for three years 

 by voters paying taxes. Each judicial circuit names a deputy for every 40,000 of 

 the population, while in the boroughs the proportion is 1 to every 10,000, and 

 the members here also must have either a property qualification of 1,000 crowns, 

 or a leasehold of 6,000, or a taxable income of at least 800. They must further 

 have resided at least one year in the commune, or be upwards of twenty-five years 



