contradistinction to the latter, is a constitutional monarchy, with
extraordinary powers vested in the King, who is assisted in the
administration of affairs by a council of ministers. The Diet, or
legislature, consists of two chambers, or estates, both elected by the
people.

Like Norway, the country is very rugged. Lapland and Finland are at the
northeast, and on the east is the Gulf of Bothnia and the Baltic, and on
the south the Baltic, the Sound and the Cattegat. It joins Norway on the
west. Its area is 172,875 square miles, and its coast line is more than
1400 miles long.

Sweden, while it does not have a first-class navy, possesses a score of
armored vessels of small displacement, besides torpedo boats,
destroyers, etc., and has an army of 40,000 at peace strength. The
country is particularly rich in minerals, and some of the finest iron
ore in the world comes from its mines. Nickel, lead, cobalt, alum and
sulphur are also produced in large quantities; while it gives to the
world, too, immense quantities of lumber and larger quantities of hemp,
flax and hops.

The reigning monarch is King Gustavus V, who succeeded his father, Oscar
II, who died in 1907. The population of the country is about 5,000,000.

Of these neutrals, both Holland and Switzerland did a great deal for the
suffering Belgians when Germany pounded through the country of King
Albert, sending money for the relief of the sufferers and offering
refugees shelter.

CHAPTER XXVII.

THE ACTIONS OF THE WAR.

FROM BOSNIA TO FLANDERS--MARNE THE TURNING POINT OF THE CONFLICT--THE
CONQUESTS OF SERVIA AND RUMANIA--THE FALL OF BAGDAD--RUSSIA'S WOMEN
SOLDIERS--AMERICA'S CONSCRIPTS.

The end of August, 1917, found twenty-one nations in a state of war and
five in what might be termed a condition of modified neutrality, with
nearly 40,000,000 summoned to arms and 5,000,000 killed in bitter
warfare.

This was the fiery reflection of the shots which caused the death of the
Archduke Francis Ferdinand, of Austria, in the quiet little town of
Serajevo, the capital of Bosnia, in June, 1914. And so, with their backs
to the wall, Austria-Hungary, Germany, Turkey and Bulgaria faced Servia,
Russia, France, Belgium, Great Britain, Montenegro, Japan, Italy,
Portugal, Rumania, the United States, Cuba, Brazil, Greece, Siam, China
and little Liberia, while Guatemala, Panama, Haiti, Uruguay and Bolivia
stood by in a position of neutrality, but for the most pa