ing her independence was very
doubtful, as her population was only half that of Sweden and her army
and navy much weaker. Yet there was sufficient doubt of the outcome to
make all men hesitate.

Many of the leading men of Sweden disapproved of the idea of war,
thinking that hostilities were not called for and that Sweden's stake in
the question was not sufficient to justify the attempt to hold Norway by
force. A significant event at this juncture was the declaration of the
powerful Socialist party in Sweden that they would not bear arms against
their brethren in Norway. In this the Socialists made the first
international declaration of their opposition to war.

As the weeks passed on the war feeling cooled. Oscar withdrew his refusal
to abdicate, and said: "Of little use would the Union be if Norway had to
be forced into it." As regards the feeling of the people of Norway
regarding separation, it was decisively shown on August 13, when a vote
was taken upon the question. It resulted in 368,200 votes in favor of to
184 against dissolution of the union.

The chief question to be settled was that of the abolition of the
frontier fortresses, of which Norway had a number on the border while
Sweden had none. Norway held on to hers mainly from patriotic reasons, as
several of them were of very ancient date and had great historic
interest. The difficulty was finally settled by an agreement to dismantle
the new portions and let the ancient ones remain.

The final treaty of separation, as approved on September 23, 1905,
covered the following points: 1st. There was to be arbitration of all
questions arising between the two countries. 2d. A neutral zone was to be
established and all forts within this zone to be destroyed or made
useless for war purposes. 3d. The grazing rights of Swedish Laplanders in
Norway were to be maintained. 4th. The laws of each country were to apply
to the portion of waterways crossing each. 5th. No obstacle was to be
placed on the commerce between the two countries.

The question of the form of government of the new nation had before this
arisen. The request to King Oscar for a descendant of his house had been
at first refused. He subsequently reconsidered it and was willing to let
his son Charles fill the vacant throne, but meanwhile it had been offered
to Prince Charles of Denmark and accepted by him. The offer of the throne
by the Storthing needed in democratic Norway to be confirmed by a vote of
t