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186 III. CONSTITUTION AND ADMINISTRATION Of SWEDEN.
King, in case the Royal House dies out on the male line, or on the
decease of the Crown Prince, if there be no prince left who is entitled
to inherit. — With regard to the King’s residence, this is assumed to
be generally Stockholm, nevertheless the King is every year to spend
some time at least, in Norway, unless prevented by essential obstacles.
It is expressly decreed that the Interim Administration, when called into
existence, shall have its seat in Stockholm. Three members of the
Norwegian Cabinet are always in attendance on the King, one of whom
has the position of »statsminister» (premier); another Norwegian State
Minister presides over the State Council in Christiania.
Community with regard to foreign powers implies that peace and
war, the diplomatic and consular bodies are in common, also treaties,
for the most part, and other international conventions; certain treaties,
however, which do not regard political matters, can be entered into
by the King separately for each kingdom. As will be stated more
fully below, all negotiations with foreign countries are conducted by the
Swedish Minister for Foreign Affairs (inasmuch as Norway has no
Foreign Office of her own). Ambassadors and consuls are the same for
both countries, and these appointments are held by both Norwegians
and Swedes, whereby it is customary for Norwegians to be employed
in the Swedish Foreign Office. — On the 1st of January 1902, the
officially appointed staff in the two services was constituted as follows: in
legations, 23 Swedes and 8 Norwegians; in consulates, 15 Swedes and
18 Norwegians.
The treatment of affairs connected with both kingdoms is of two
kinds, and depends on whether the matter be diplomatic or not. The
procedure is different in each case.
Matters which do not fall under the heading of »diplomatic», when
affecting both kingdoms, are settled in a so-called Sammansatt statsråd
(United Council), in that, at discussion of such matters in the
presence of the King in the Swedish Cabinet, the three Norwegian
Cabinet Ministers who are in attendance on the King, have a deliberative
vote there, and likewise three Swedish Cabinet Ministers in the
Norwegian Cabinet when such matters are there discussed before the King.
Decrees as to war or peace are to be made in the United Council, but
this Council is then of a peculiar composition.
The transaction of diplomatic business (apart from decrees
concerning war and peace) is not a function, as other government affairs,
of the Council in full conclave, but is conducted before the King by
the Minister of Foreign Affairs in the presence of two other Swedish
Cabinet Ministers, as well as the Norwegian State Minister at
Stockholm.
Apart from such business as we have now described as common to
both, the kingdoms of Sweden and Norway are independent one of
another. By consequence, the union is not a very comprehensive one,
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