SWEET, HENRY (1845–1912), English philologist, was born in London Sept. 15 1845. Educated at King’s College, London, Balliol College, Oxford, and Heidelberg University, he was a recognized authority on the subject of phonetics (see 21.460–61; 9.597), and a readership in phonetics was specially created for him in 1901 by the university of Oxford. His published works include an Anglo-Saxon Reader; a Student’s Dictionary of Anglo-Saxon; an English Grammar; The History of Language, and many editions of Old and Middle English Texts. He died at Oxford April 30 1912.
SWETE, HENRY BARCLAY (1835–1917), English theologian,
was born at Bristol March 14 1835. He was educated at King’s
College, London, and Caius College, Cambridge, and in 1858
was ordained. After some years of work in various country
curacies and livings he became in 1869 theological lecturer and
tutor at Caius College. In 1881 he became examining chaplain
to the Bishop of St. Albans, and the following year was appointed
professor of pastoral theology at King’s College, London. In
1890 he succeeded Westcott as regius professor of divinity
at Cambridge, and retained this position until 1915, when he
retired with the title of emeritus professor. He was in 1911
appointed an hon. chaplain to the King. Swete’s works on
Biblical texts are of the highest importance. In 1887 he published
the first volume of his edition of the Greek text of the Old
Testament, completing the series in 1894 (3rd ed. 1901–7),
while in 1898 appeared the Greek text of the Gospel of St. Mark,
with notes and introduction (2nd ed. 1902) and in 1906 that of
the Apocalypse of St. John (2nd ed. 1907). He was the editor
of Cambridge Theological Essays (1905) and Cambridge Biblical
Essays (1909), and was a contributor to Smith and Wace's Dictionary
of Christian Biography (1882–87) and Hastings's Dictionary
of the Bible (1899–1900). He also produced many historical
and critical works, including The Apostles’ Creed in Relation to
Primitive Christianity (1894; 3rd ed. 1899); Church Services
and Service Books before the Reformation (1896); Patriotic
Study (1902); The Appearances of Our Lord after the Passion
(1907; 2nd ed. 1908), and The Last Discourse and Prayer of Our
Lord (1913). He died at Hitchin May 10 1917.
SWIMMING: see SPORTS AND GAMES.
SWINFEN, CHARLES SWINFEN EADY, 1st Baron (1851–1919), English lawyer and master of the rolls, was born at Chertsey, Surrey, July 31 1851. He was educated privately, and in 1874 was admitted a solicitor, but in 1879 he was called to the bar, having been during his period as a student a pupil of Cozens-Hardy. In 1893 he became a Q.C., and in 1901 was raised to the bench of the Chancery division and knighted. In 1913 he became a lord justice of appeal, and in 1918 master of the rolls in succession to Lord Cozens-Hardy. He retired in 1919 and was raised to the peerage only a few weeks before he died in London Nov. 15 1919.
SWITZERLAND (see 26.238). Before dealing with the affairs of Switzerland during 1909–21, a note may be made on a curious
theory recently put forth, especially in Romance Switzerland,
that the Swiss Confederation is “the oldest republic or democracy
in the world.” Now certainly a “king” has never ruled in
Switzerland (save in the case of Neuchatel before 1857), nor since
1648 has any emperor ever had any claim on the allegiance of the
Swiss. But then we must recollect that till 1798 Switzerland
never had a single head, whatever he might be entitled. If we
take the term " republic " to mean a " democratic Government,"
it is quite true that there were (and are) " republics " of that
kind in various regions of Switzerland (e.g. Schwyz), but what is
true of a part is not true of the whole. Again, before 1798 there
was no Central Government at all in Switzerland, while it was
only in 1848 that it first possessed a " President " (with very limited
powers). But there was a president already in 1787 in the
United States of America, while the " free communities " or
" republics " of Andorra (in the Pyrenees) and of San Marino
(Italy) are far older than any such in Switzerland. Naturally the use of the word " Republik " by certain cantons before 1798 (e.g.
the " Stadt und Republik Zurich ") referred to the rural districts
of each, and these by no means enjoyed "democratic government
at the hands of their respective towns. The fact that in 1848
the first " democratic Swiss Constitution " (still in force so far as
regards the practical details relating to the Central Government)
was avowedly based on that of the American republic is sufficient
to disprove the quaint theory that Switzerland is the (in
any sense) " oldest Republic in the world." The reverse is
really more nearly the case. In neither of the two ordinary senses
of " republic " is this theory even approximately accurate.
Population.—As regards resident population, the results of the last two Swiss censuses, Dec. i 1910, and Dec. i 1920 (only the provisional results, published in Feb. 1921), were as follows:
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1910
1920
Total
3,753.293
3,861,508
Languages
German .
2,594,298
_ _ i
French
793,264
_' _' i
Italian
302,578
| ' i
Romansch
40,122
i
Other languages
23,031
Religions
Protestants
2,107,814
2,218,589
Roman Catholics
1,593,538
1,586,826
Jews .
18,463
20,955
1 Figures not published up to Jan. I 1922.
The decrease in the number of the Roman Catholics is mainly due to the fact that in 1910 the " Christian Catholics " (Old Catholics) were reckoned among them, whereas in 1920, for the first time, they were counted separately, the number given, however (56,250), being greatly exaggerated, since in Tessin (where there is none of this sect) many Roman Catholics described themselves as such under some error. It is noteworthy that the Jews were in 1850 only 3,145 in number, but in 1910 already 18,463, and in 1920 20,955.
In five cantons the population has diminished (Outer Rhodes of Appenzell, St. Gall, Tessin, Vaud and Neuchatel). In recent years there has been much fear expressed in Switzerland that the non-Swiss were increasing too rapidly for the welfare of the land. This no doubt was due to the vast immigration of German, French, and Italian workmen, who asked lower wages than the Swiss, and, when settled down, became exempt from military service in their native land. During the World War many returned home, and so the figures are not so alarming as was feared at one time. Here is a complete list:—
- 1860 114,983, of which 1,202 were British subjects;
- 1870 150,907 (British subjects 2,297)
- 1880 211,035 (British subjects 2,812)
- 1888 229,650 (British subjects 2,577)
- 1900 383,424 (British subjects 3,535)
- 1910 552,011 (British subjects 4,118)
- 1920 410,983 (British subjects, figures not available).
Thus the percentage rose from 57 per thousand in 1860 to 79 in 1888, and to 116 in 1910, the culminating point being reached in 1900 with 147, so that the 1920 figures of 106 show a distinct decrease, largely due, like the diminution of the Roman Catholics, to the greater number of French citizens who have gone from Geneva back to France. In 1920 the 12 most populous towns in Switzerland (number of residents) were: Zurich, 205,892 (190,733 in 1910); Geneva, 138,034 (123,153 in 1910) ; Basle, 135,134 (132,276 in 1910) ; Berne, 103,990 (90,937 in 1910); St. Gall, 69,651 (75,482 in 1910); Lausanne, 67,852 (64,446 in 1910) ; Lucerne, 43,696 (39,339 in 1910) ; La Chaux de Fpncls, 37,591 (37,751 in 1910) ; Winterthur, enlarged, . 49,491 (46,384 in 1910); Bienne, enlarged, 34,414 (32,401 in 1910); Neuchatel, 22,951 (23,741 in 1910) ; and Fribourg, 20,468 (20,293 m 1910). No other Swiss town has a population attaining 20,000, though Schaffhausen is not far off with 19,930 (18,101 in 1910). There are also 14 Swiss towns with populations below 20,000, but over 10,000. The increase in the case of Berne is due to its absorption of the suburb Biimpliz, etc., and in the case of Bienne to increased prosperity, while the decrease in the cases of St. Gall, of La Chaux de Fonds and of Winterthur are to be accounted for by industrial depression, and the departure of many workmen.
As the " Conseil National " is elected in the ratio of one member for 20,000 of the total population or fraction surpassing 10,000, the new census will increase its members by eight, so that henceforth it will have 197 members.
Politics.—The members of the Swiss Federal Executive (Bundesrat) were almost all changed in the period 1910–20, so that in 1921 the seniors were G. Motta (first elected in 1911), and E. Schulthess (first elected in 1912). The five other actual members had all entered the Council since 1917 R. Haab in 1918, Karl Scheurer, E. Chuard, and J. Musy, all in 1919, and H. Haberlin in 1920. E. Chuard was the oldest in years (b. 1857), while J. Musy was born in 1876. Thus the Council had been
