6 i GUIDE TO ICELAND. come into force on the 1st August the following year, when he himself visited the island, and, to the best of the author’s belief, personally presented a deputation from the Aiding with the new constitution, on the classic spot where the National Assembly formerly met at ])'mgvettir. The most important features of this constitution, in the words of Herra Hjaltalin, are : ‘ Iceland is to have its own Legislature and administration for all local affairs. The legislative power is in the hands of the King and the National Assembly (Alju'ng), and the executive in the hands of the King alone. So long as Iceland has no representatives in the Danish lligsdag, it does not take part in legislating on general State affairs. On the other hand, it will not be required to contribute to the general State expenditure. There is to be a secretary for Iceland in Copenhagen, who is to be responsible for the maintenance of the constitution. This responsibility is to be further determined upon by legislation. The King appoints a governor for the island who is to carry on the government on the responsibility of the secretary in Copen- hagen. His duties will be defined by the King. If the Alju'ng complains of the governor, the King will determine how he is to be called to account. The Aiding will consist of thirty members elected by the people, and six appointed by the King. It is to be divided into two houses—the upper and lower—the upper con- taining the six members appointed by the King, and six others elected from the general body of the Aiding from among those of its members who have been sent to it by the constituencies. The AIJnng is to sit every other year.’ Herra Hjaltalin concludes : 1 Although there are several objec- tionable points in this new constitution, it is on the whole a great improvement on the former schemes of the Danish government; and if it is worked in a fair spirit on both sides, it may become a blessing to the Icelanders and a credit to the Danes ’ . . . ‘ We wish, however, that the old spirit and enterprising energy of it§ inhabitants may revive, so that they may successfully overcome the difficulties of their situation and long years of suffering.’ . . . ‘ They must not any longer be absorbed in the contemplation of the past. They must not only educate themselves theoretically, as they do at present—and in this they are by no means behind any other nation in Europe—but they must also educate themselves practically ; for in this respect they are sadly behind. Natural science, chemistry and political economy are almost unknown, and there is not a single architect or engineer in the whole island.

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