SOLDIERS AND SAILORS
Every Danish boy knows he must undergo a period of training as a soldier
or sailor when he reaches his twentieth year. This is because Denmark is
small and poor, and could not maintain a standing army, so her citizens
must be able to defend her when called upon. This service is required
from all, noble and peasant alike, physical weakness alone bringing
exemption. This six or twelve months' training means a hard rough time
for young men accustomed to a refined home, but it has a pleasant side
in the sympathy and friendship of comrades. The generality of conscripts
do not love their soldiering days, and look upon them as something to be
got over, like the measles! "Jens" is the Danish equivalent for "Tommy
Atkins," and "Hans" is the "Jack Tar" of Denmark.
To see the daily parade of Life Guards before the royal palace is to see
a splendid military display. This parade the King and young Princes
often watch from the palace windows. The crowd gathers to enjoy the
spectacle of "Vagt-Paraden" (changing the guard) in the palace square,
when the standard is taken from the Guard House and borne, to the
stirring strains of the "Fane-Marsch," in front of the palace. As the
standard-bearer marches he throws forward his legs from the hips in the
most curious stiff way. This old elaborate German step is a striking
feature of the daily parade. When the guard is changed and the band has
played a selection of music, the same ceremony is repeated, and the
standard deposited again in its resting-place. Then the released guard,
headed by the band playing merry tunes, march back to their barracks
followed by an enthusiastic crowd. The fresh guard take their place
beside the sentry-boxes, which stand around the palace square. These are
tall red pillar-boxes curiously like giant letter-boxes!
In the Schleswig-Holstein War of 1864, the last war Denmark was engaged
in, many Danish soldiers proved their valour and heroism in the unequal
encounter. These gallant men were buried in Schleswig, and as the Danish
colours were forbidden by the tyrannical Prussian conquerors, the loyal
Schleswigers hit upon a pretty way of keeping the memory of their heroes
green. The "Danebrog" was designed by a cross of white flowers on a
ground of red geraniums over each grave. In this way the kinsmen of
these patriots covered their last resting-place with the colours of
their glorious national flag, under which they fell in Denmark's
defence. In Holmens Kirke, Copenhagen, many heroes lie buried. This
building, originally an iron foundry, was converted into a church by
the royal builder, Christian IV., for the dockyard men to worship in,
and it is still used by them. This King's motto, "Piety strengthens the
realm," stands boldly over the entrance of this mortuary chapel for
famous Danes.
As Denmark is a kingdom composed mainly of islands and peninsula, she
has a long line of sea-board to defend, and a good navy is essential for
her safety. The Danes being descendants of Vikings and sea-rovers, you
may be sure that their navy is well maintained.
A boy who chooses the navy as his profession must leave school at the
age of fourteen years, and go for nine months' training on a warship as
a voluntary apprentice. At the end of this time he knows whether he
likes the profession well enough to join it--if so, two years' coaching
is given to enable him to pass the necessary examinations for entering
the Naval Academy. Here he is trained for four years, spending the four
summer months of each year in cruising. This Naval Academy, where
officers are trained, is a fine old institution, and prides itself on
the record of the famous men it has turned out. The present King of
Greece, and many other members of the Danish Royal Family, have also
been trained at this Academy. The Academy course is expensive, and as
promotion is slow, and pay small in the navy, the Lieutenants are
sometimes permitted to captain a ship in the merchant service for three
years. This they are glad to do, as it increases their pay and
knowledge of navigation. Denmark being too small to maintain a large
cruising fleet, these officers would have little opportunity of proving
their sailing powers without this arrangement.
When cruising, the high spirits of the young cadets sometimes lead them
into mischief, thereby bringing trouble upon their heads. I knew a naval
captain who hit upon a very original and effective form of punishment
for wrong-doers. The cadet cap is a blue "tam-o'-shanter" with the usual
woolly bob of the same colour on the top. "The naughty boys shall have a
red bob," said the "Kaptejn," "and thus be branded for misdemeanour!"
The culprits disliked this badge intensely, I imagine mostly because
their comrades derisively admired the colour which made them
conspicuous. One day royalties were being shown over the ship, and a
young Princess asked "why some of the boys had those pretty red tufts on
their caps?" You may imagine the chagrin and confusion of the culprits;
scarlet faces and crimson tufts told their own tale! The boys, you may
be sure, thought twice in future before risking another penitential week
of branding and ridicule for breach of discipline.
In Copenhagen one of the discarded warships is used as public restaurant
and training-school for ships' cooks. Here the sailor-men are taught
every branch of cooking and kitchen-work. When trained, these cooks are
employed on the merchant-ships, as well as on the men-of-war.
Some interesting stories are told of the naval heroes of Denmark which
you will like to hear. Peder Tordenskjold is the Nelson of Denmark. This
man, besides being a great Admiral, was a most genial character, and had
a striking and original personality. Many true tales are told about this
hero which the young Danish lads never tire of hearing. There is a
favourite one which tells of the ingenious way by which he discovered
the weak points in his enemy's stronghold. Dressing himself as a
fisherman, he accompanied two other fishers in a little rowing-boat
laden with fish to the enemy's shores. Taking a basket of fish, he
mounted the hill to the fort, saying he had brought the fish for the
commandant. He was allowed to pass in to the fort with his fish, and,
pretending stupidity, kept losing his way--gaining knowledge
thereby--till he reached the commandant's residence. Gaining permission
from the latter to supply the garrison with fish, he inquired for how
many men he should provide. "Let me see," said the commandant, half to
himself, "a hundred guns--two hundred men; you may bring fish for a
hundred men." Tordenskjold then left the fort, having obtained all the
information he required, and returned to his boat. At this moment the
captain of one of the ships lying in the bay arrived on shore, and the
pretended fisherman at once accosted him, asking permission to serve his
men with fish. This being granted, he at once rowed to the ship, where
he soon disposed of his fish, and conversing with the sailors, he
gained the information that in two days' time there would be a great
festivity held on shore, at which most of them would be present. With
this valuable knowledge he returned to his own shore from the Swedish
coast, and laid plans which gave Denmark a victory and proved fatal to
the Swedes. In Holmens Kirke, where this hero lies buried, a splendid
black marble tomb has been erected to his memory by King Frederik IV.
Near by lies another naval hero, Niels Juel, whose gilt and copper
coffin is surmounted by a tablet which tells of his brave deeds.
Captain Hvitfeldt, the hero of Kjöge Bay, blew up his ship with three
hundred men to save the Danish fleet from destruction. In the war of
1710, between Denmark and Sweden, this captain's ship, the _Danebrog_,
took fire. To save the ships which were being driven by the wind towards
his burning vessel, he and his gallant crew sacrificed their lives.
Herluf Trolle was a Danish noble and a famous Admiral, who left all his
wealth to found a school for orphans. His noble wife, Fru Bergitta, was
greatly distressed that the Admiral's will could not be found, as she
was most anxious that his wishes, which were also her own, with regard
to the school, should be carried into effect. The Admiral's relatives
would inherit the property, and were already clamouring for it, when one
night Fru Bergitta had a dream. She dreamed she saw someone walking
round her husband's writing-table, attentively inspecting the legs.
These she examined on awakening, and found one to be hollow.
Discovering a secret spring, she pressed it, and beheld the will lying
in the hollow space. So Herluf Trolle's school was founded, and although
this brave old Admiral died from wounds received in battle centuries
ago, yet his school is considered to be one of the best at the present
day.
[Illustration: SUNDAY IN THE ISLAND OF LÆSÖ.]