The annual charge of the national debt is gradually diminishing.
It amounted to—
| Years | Rigsdaler | £ |
|---|---|---|
| 1866–67 | 12,033,473 | 1,337,500 |
| 1868–69 | 11,876,806 | 1,311,800 |
| 1869–70 | 7,355,707 | 817,300 |
The debt is divided into an internal and a foreign. The former consists chiefly of 4 per cents, and on the 31st of March, 1869, the total amount of this internal funded debt was 77,077,600 rigsdaler.
The army of Denmark consists, according to a law of re-organisation, passed by the Rigsdag on July 6, 1867, of all the able-bodied young men of the kingdom who have reached the age of 21 years. They are liable to service for eight years in the regular army, and for eight years subsequent in the army of reserve. The drilling is divided into two periods: the first lasts six months for the infantry, five months for the field artillery, and the engineers; nine months and two weeks for the cavalry; and four months for the siege artillery and the technic corps. The second period of drill, which is for only a portion of the recruits of each branch of arms, notably those who have profited the least by the first course, lasts nine months for the infantry, eleven months tor the cavalry, and one year for the artillery and the engineers. Besides, every corps has to drill each year during from thirty to forty-five days. By the terms of the law of 1867, the kingdom is divided into five territorial brigades, and every brigade into four territorial battalions, in such a way that no district and no town, the capital excepted, will belong to more than one territorial battalion. Every territorial brigade furnishes the contingent of a brigade of infantry and one regiment of cavalry. The artillery contingent is furnished one-half by the two first territorial brigades, and the second half by the three other ones. The contingent of the engineers is furnished by the whole brigades.
The forces of the kingdom, under the new organisation, comprise 20 battalions of infantry of the line, with 10 depot battalions, and 10 of reserve; 5 regiments of cavalry, each with 2 squadrons active and 2 depot; and two regiments of artillery, in 12 batteries. The total strength of the army, exclusive of the reserve, is 36,782 rank and file, with 1,068 officers, on the peace-footing, and 47,925 rank and file, with 1,328 officers, on the war-footing.
The navy of Denmark comprised, at the commencement of
September, 1869, the following vessels, all steamers:—
