226 EUSSIA IN EUEOPE. 



Tlie national representation, or " Diet," which shares with the Czar a portion of 

 the legislative functions, consists of 200 members belonging to the four estates — 

 nobility, Lutheran clergy, burgesses, and peasantry — since 1863 meeting every 

 five years, each in a separate hall. In certain cases, however, they may deliberate, 

 but not vote together. The unanimity of the four orders is required for all laws 

 affecting the constitution, privileges, and taxation, nor can any troops be raised 

 without their unanimous consent. For the rest, the Diet discusses only such 

 matters as are submitted to it by the governor, being in all other respects limited 

 to the right of petition. To the address of the Russian governor the Finns and 

 Swedes reply in their respective tongues, and, to avoid jealousy, the answers are 

 often made in French. All the noble families are represented in the Diet by the 

 head of the house, while the other three orders elect their representatives, professors 

 voting with the clergy. Ship-owners, proprietors of real property, the leading 

 burgesses, manufacturers, and all exercising any privileged calling are included 

 in the order of the burgesses, who name a deputy for every 6,000 of the urban 

 population. The rural electors include all landed proprietors and farmers under 

 the Crown, and each of the fifty-nine judiciary districts returns a deputy. 



For administrative purposes the country is divided into eight governments, or 

 Idn, subdivided into bailiwicks (Jidrader) and communes, which manage their own 

 affairs under the control of the governor, registrars, and other Crown functionaries. 

 The towns, forming several administrative districts, have a Municipal Council, 

 elected for three years, and one or two burgomasters chosen by the Czar from the 

 three candidates returned by the greatest number of votes. 



The Swedish, code of 1734 is still in operation, though modified in several 

 particulars. The fifty-nine district courts of first instance are often moved from 

 village to village, and consist of a judge, with at least five peasants, chosen from 

 amongst those of " good repute ; " that is, at the pleasure of the governor. In the 

 towns the burgomaster presides over the municipal courts, and above all are the 

 three courts of Abo, Nikolaistad, and Wiborg, and the High Court, consisting of the 

 section of the Senate forming the department of justice. Capital punishment, 

 still legally existing, has not been enforced for half a century. 



The army, formed legally of volunteers alone, may be raised to 10,000 men, 

 but during the last few years it has been reduced to a battalion of about 800, 

 serving in the interior under native officers. 



Finland, like Sweden, has its State religion, the Lutheran, and except the 

 Orthodox Russian, no other confession has yet been authorised to form separate 

 congregations. Even the Jews, numbering about 500, are only allowed to reside 

 in the country in virtue of special permits, and cannot be naturalised. The 

 country is divided into 3 bishoprics, 40 priories, 286 parishes, and 91 congrega- 

 tions, with about 900 ecclesiastics of all orders. Since 1866 the inspection of the 

 schools has been transferred from the clergy to the communes. 



The Budget averages about £1,200,000, with a public debt of £2,400,000. 



Cities are only distinguished from towns and villages by commercial and muni- 

 cipal privileges. The population of the chief places will be found in the Appendix. 



