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THE ARMT.
221
Th© fortresses are: Stockholm (Vaxholm—Oscar-Fredriksborg),
Boden, Karlsborg, and Karlskrona, to which mnst be added some forts
at Gothenburg and on the island of Gotland.
Voluntary service and rifle-associations. In the beginning of the
sixties in the last century the idea of raising volunteer-forces in Sweden was
born. Local volunteer-corpses were formed and the interest for the new movement
was so great, that in the year of 1864 no less than 40,000 volunteers had
come forward. However, the new organization was badly managed from the
beginning. The pretentions were too great, as one expected to be able to
use them as a kind of reserve of volunteer-troops. The enthusiasm soon
vanished and the movement gradually died away. In 1878 the system was altered
and the Government decided to aid financially only such voluntary service as had
in view a better and more widespread rifle practice. Nevertheless the movement
lacked a sound organization and direction, and the interest for it was altogether
failing.
But about 1892 a change for the better took place and more energy was
displayed. The whole system was reorganized in 1893 and after this the nation
has shown its interest and goodwill in joining in the movement. The principal
outlines of the new organization are as follows: In towns, villages, and parishes,
where interest for voluntary local defense prevails, rifle-clubs are formed and an
administrative committee is chosen by the members themselves. According to local
circumstances subdivisions of the clubs may be formed. Several clubs, belonging
to the same Län, form a rifle-association which has a special direction, whose
members are the presidents of the foresaid committees. The Government appoints
special officers who have to supervise that the work is carried on in a satisfactory
manner.
The organization in general is under the superintendence of a Central
Board consisting of a general director and 24 members, elected by delegates
from the rifle-associations, besides 3 or several officers, appointed by the
Government The Central Board elects an executive sub-committee, in which the above
mentioned officers are to be members. The delegates of the rifle-associations
hold at least one annual meeting. At this meeting, in which the members
of the Central Board partake, all questions concerning the work of the
associations and rifle-clubs are discussed, likewise all questions that are to be
decided by the Government. Every year a programme for the voluntary
rifle-practice in accord with the regulations for the army is issued by the
Government.
Since the commencement of the movement, the Governement has tried to
encourage it by granting money and by lending rifles for nothing to the clubs;
of låte, distinctions in bronze, silver, and gold have been distributed for good
practice. At present the annual grant from the State is 400,000 kronor, which
is chiefly used by the rifle-clubs for procuring ammunition and prizes and for
paying instructors, and by the rifle-associations to pay the expenses of
administration, for prizes at certain competitions and for laying out rifle-ranges. —
Since the reorganization of the rifle-associations, the enthusiasm for the movement
has increased among all classes. The 31st of December 1901 there existed in the
country 1,334 rifle-clubs with 91,377 members, of whom 85 % were liable to
conscription service; for practising there were at the same time 1,700 rifle-ranges.
In 1894 there were 1,500,000 rounds of ammunition fired at the rifle-clnb-ranges,
and in the year 1901 about 6,220,000 rounds.
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