Re: OT: Swiss Navy? (was Re: Results of Poll by Email No. 22)

Mangiat wrote at 2003-02-12 13:39:32 (+0100)
 > > >
 > > > It does.
 > >
 > > *confused look*  How can a landlocked nation have a Navy?
 >
 > A Swiss classmate of mine (I live on the border) told me they have
 > some boats berthed I don't remember where- I may be wrong,
 > though... The Swiss army, albeit belonging to a neutral country, is
 > probably one of the best in Europe: every (male) citizen has to
 > take part in the military training every two or three years. I
 > wouldn't besurprised at all if they really had some boats anchored
 > somewhere...
 >

A quick search on "Swiss Navy" returns the following:

 | Switzerland does have a small navy of sorts. Lakes Konstanz and Leman
 | (Geneva) form international frontiers, and their navies consist of a
 | few patrol craft. Switzerland also has a major Rhine commercial fleet
 | (you can see the Swiss flag flying all the way to the Netherlands),
 | which military patrol craft in time of war. Both the navy and air
 | force are branches of the army (like the infantry and artillery). The
 | air force is 1st in Europe -- so good that Israel used it as their
 | model.
from  http://www.fotw.ca/flags/ch-sea.html


(Interestingly enough, Bolivia is in a similar situation, with a navy
mostly stationed on Lake Titicaca.)

 | The Bolivian Navy is 4,500 strong which includes 2,000 marines. There
 | are 6 Naval Districts covering Lake Titicaca and the rivers, each with
 | 1 Flotilla.
 |
 | There are district headquarters located on each of the Bases at
 | Riberalta, Tiquina, Puerto Guayaramerin, Trinidad, Puerto Suarez, and
 | Cobija. Other bases include Puerto Busch, and Puerto Villaroel.
 |
 | The Navy has 10 river patrol craft plus some 15 U.S. Boston whalers.
 |
 | Naval Aviation consist only of 1 cessna 206 and 1 cessna 402.
 |
 | The Marines are organized into 6 battalions, 1 in each district.
from  http://www.milnet.com/milnet/pentagon/southcom/bolivia/bolff.htm

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