diff --git a/include/armadillo_bits/Base_bones.hpp b/include/armadillo_bits/Base_bones.hpp
index 8ef250fa..eb64cfa6 100644
--- a/include/armadillo_bits/Base_bones.hpp
+++ b/include/armadillo_bits/Base_bones.hpp
@@ -119,6 +119,8 @@ struct Base
   arma_cold inline void raw_print(                           const std::string extra_text = "") const;
   arma_cold inline void raw_print(std::ostream& user_stream, const std::string extra_text = "") const;
   
+  inline arma_warn_unused elem_type sum() const;
+  
   inline arma_warn_unused elem_type min() const;
   inline arma_warn_unused elem_type max() const;
   
diff --git a/include/armadillo_bits/Base_meat.hpp b/include/armadillo_bits/Base_meat.hpp
index 0e319159..885ede9b 100644
--- a/include/armadillo_bits/Base_meat.hpp
+++ b/include/armadillo_bits/Base_meat.hpp
@@ -81,6 +81,17 @@ Base<elem_type,derived>::raw_print(std::ostream& user_stream, const std::string
 
 
 
+template<typename elem_type, typename derived>
+inline
+arma_warn_unused
+elem_type
+Base<elem_type,derived>::sum() const
+  {
+  return accu( (*this).get_ref() );
+  }
+
+
+
 template<typename elem_type, typename derived>
 inline
 arma_warn_unused