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COXE’s TRAVELS IN DENMARK. 31t
The public debt in 1785 amounted to 3,600,000l., of which in time of peace about
209,000l. is annually liquidated. Lately, however, the liquidation of the debt owing
to the fubjects has been made in bank-notes. Although this meafure faves to the na-
tion the payment of the intereft of four per cent in money, yet it too much promotes
the increafe of paper currency. ‘The bank-notes are not exchanged at Hamburgh,
except under a difcount from 16 to 20 percent. ‘There is but little fpecie in the coun-
try; that collected from the Sound duties being chiefly appropriated to the intereft of
the foreign debt, and the appointments of perfons employed in Holftein ; and the pro-
duce of the filver mines at Kongfberg fearcely exceeds 50,000l. per annum.
The army of Denmark is compofed, 1. of the troops of Denmark and Holftein ;
and, 2. of Norway. ‘
1. The forces of Denmark and Holftein are divided into, 1. Regulars; 2. National
or militia. Thefe forces (the foot and horfe guards excepted, who are all regulars)
are not feparated, as in our army, into diftiné regiments.
Before the late augmentation, every regiment of infantry, when complete, confifted
of twenty-fix officers, and one thoufand fix hundred and thirty-two privates, divided into
ten companies of fufileers, and two of grenadiers. Of thefe one thoufand fix hundred
and thirty-two privates, four hundred and eighty, who are chiefly foreigners enlifted in
Germany, are regulars. The remaining one thoufand one hundred and fifty-two are
the national militia, or peafants, who refide on the eftates of the landholders, each
eftate furnifhing a certain number in proportion to its value. Thefe national troops
are occafionally exercifed in {mall corps on Sundays and holidays; and are embodied
once every year, for about feventeen days, in their refpedctive diftri€ts. By an addi-
tion of ten men to each company,’a regiment of infantry was increafed to one thoufand
feven hundred and feventy-eight, including officers.
The cavalry is on the fame footing ; each regiment confifting of feventeen officers,
including ferjeants and corporals, five hundred and fixty-five privates, divided into five
{quadrons. Of thefe about two hundred and fixty are regular, and the remainder na-
tional troops. The regiments of foot and horfe guards are regulars; the former is
compofed of twenty-one officers, and four hundred and fixty-five men, in five compa-
nies, and the latter of feven officers, and one hundred and fifty four men, in two fquas
drons.
2. The forces of Norway are all national troops or militia, excepting the two regi-
ments of Sudenfield and Nodenfield ; and as the peafants are free, the forces are le-
vied ina different manner from thofe of Denmark. Norway is divided into a certain
number of diftricts, each of which furnifhes a foldier. All the peafants are, at their
birth, regiftered for the militia; and the firft on the lift fupplies the vacancy for the
diftrié& to which he belongs. After ferving from ten to fourteen years, they are ad-
mitted among the invalids; and, when they have attained the feniority of that corps,
receive their difmiffion. Thefe troops are not continually under arms, but. are occa-
fionally exercifed, like the national forces of Denmark. A fixed ftipend is affigned to
the officers, nearly equal to that of the officers in the regulars ; but the common fol-
diers do not receive pay, except when in actual fervice, or performing their annual ma-
neeuvres.
The army is fupplied with officers by the Academy of Land Cadets, inftituted by
Frederic IV. where feventy-four cadets are inftruéted in the military fciences at the
royal expence. According to a lift of the Danifh army printed in the appendix, the |
total number of troops confifted, in 1785, of fixty-fix thoufand nine hundred and
~nine.
a Navy
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