The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1884-03-17


(From Advance Sheets of Consular Reports)
In my despatch No. 20 | had the honor to ad-
dress you on the subject of direct steam communi-
cation between sweden and the United States 1
took occasion in that despatch to speak length OF
the amount and Importance of the CONNIE ce be-
tween the two countries, and the large emigration
from Sweden to the United States and to announce
that direct steam commune ,tion between Sweden
and the United States would be inauguratcd in
1884 by steamers of the North German Lloyds,
which would ply once month between Gothenburg
and New York, the pioneer steamer leaving Gothen
burg on April "a.
have now the honor to report that a second line
Of steamships, to ply between the United States
and Sweden, will be put in operation in 1884. The
name of the new company is the Direct Swedish
Steamship Line. 1t will at first bs composed Of
three steamers of about 8, 500 tons capacity each,
named, respectively, Lincoln City Stockholm City,
and Gothenburg City. These are iron screw steam
ships. entirely new, and now being fitted up in Eng
land. They are frstclass vessels, and rated 100
L at Lloya's. They will contain cOmmodious quart
ers for emgrants and also &C ommodations for q
limited number of first and second class passen0ers
The hull of each ship will be divided into eight com
partments, suitable for carrying grain ia bulk
These ships wi sail from Stockholm and coastino
around the southern end of the Swedish peninsula
touch at the Swedish ports of Malmo and Gothen5
burg, whence they viii steam direct to the U1ited
States Their return trips Will be to Stockholm,
touching at Gothenburg aud Malmo. il there be
freight or passengers for those ports. The vessels
OF this line will sail about in three weeks be-
tween the two countries. The nrst ship will depart
for the port of New York. The second ship will
sail for Boston, the third for New York and so on
the steamers making alternate trips to New York
and Boston. This line is owned in England but il
will be managed on this side the Atlantic By the
energetic and honorable firm of Olson g. Wright
Stockholm. The agents Ia New York will be Messrs
Spence q
b. Brigham Co.
AMERICAN EXPORTS FOR SWEDEN.
desie to cali the attention of American export
to the facilities afforded by the Stockh Jim line
as we'll as by the Gothenburg line mentioned in my
despatch before referred to, for increasing the vol
ume and variety OF American exports to Sweden,
agricultural machinery, and bulky articles and
fruit other perishable goods
Whedt-1he unavoidable necessity Of tranship.
ping all grain in foreign port hitherto prevent
ed the shipment of gram from the United States to
sweden by any of the regular lines. An occasional
cargo, however, has been exported by sailing YES
sci. But the cargo OF grain carried by vessels suit
ed to the North Atlantic trade amounts 70 from
1000 to OOU quarters his amount is too LARGE
To be economically handled by any one Swedish
merchant at one time Again. the hour mills Of
sweden are Of limited capacity, and none of them
can advantageously receive a whole cargo of wheat
at once. The result is that although the wheat inn
port of Sweden for 1882 reached q value of more
than ~, 100000, it was neariy all imported from
Denmark or stettn, only an nconsiderable fraction
thereof coming from the United States. These di-
reet steamers now oner Tor the first time, two
fold adv ntage to the American expo ter OF grain:
1st. Wheat may be exported directly from New
York or Boston to Gothenburg, Malmo, or Stock
holm, Sweden, by steam, wi.hOu. trausshipment
I'd. These direct steamers being divided int eight
compartments can carry small amounts of grain in
oulk-tlom 600 to 5000 quar- ers pc rip which
amounts can be most economically handled in Swe
den.
AIaize.--what is said of wheat is equally true OF
maize. Maize is now used to a considerable extent
IN Sweden for feed and ia the distlleries. large
amount OF maize may be proutaoly exported from
the United sta es 10 Sweden, With the opportunity
for direct and limited shipments in bulk now Of
fered
FiOur.-It is my belief that -four in barrels may
be successfully shipped to Sweden by the direct
| AgricultiraI Machinery, etc-I am convinced
that the improved american agricultural machin~
cry could be sold at profit especially the south
ern provinces of Sweden such machinery, aud in
deed all bulky articles, can, of course, be
Veniently tran ported by direct zine, the difficult
ties OF transshpment being increased by the bulk of
the goods.
apples were imported iuto Sweden in considerable
quantities, and met with n ready sale. Toe Bald
tu Is the variety prefer, ed here. OF trans
shipment, even the most careful is to bruiso
and injure fruit and cause its speedier ~ecay 1t
seems TO me, therefore, that direct steamers may
bring Swden not only apples but OF our moro
delicate fruits and perish Bile articles generally. the
hipmen of which has hitherto been dlnicuit or i'm
/ practicable
goods III consumed in Seden, while large Quanti-
ties OF the French goods are used here. feel sure
Il L q
for tue OF American canned trurs, veget tADles,
| Holsters and oysters.
| YoHkee NOtiOhS-'rhe thousand and one little ar
| ticles of daily use and convenience, embraced un-
/ der the expressive appellatOn of Yankee tions
be sold in Sweden in respectable quantities and
| a, good profit.
To recapitulate would call the special attention
of American merchants to the advantages direct
| steam communication offers for the Shipment
ist. v heat aud maize IN bulk, in limited quant-
/ ties, to the Sw, dish market.
I'd. Agricultural machinery and bulky articles
| generally.
3D. Fruits, Fl ur and perishable goods.
In conclusion desire 10 Say that do not believe
| the well established Atlantic steamship lines have
| cause TO 10 K with Jealousy upon these direct
| steamers. The business done by the ships will
be largely such as they themselves create, aud such
as is not at present. and never be, advantageous
| ly done by he older lines which must inevitably
| traLsship all goods carried by them to and from
| Sweden. The present Swedish busisess doAe Dy lne
old lines will te generally remain 10 them. IL Is
the Increase of business which the direct steamers
viii chiefly carry, ana of this increase they VIII
themselves be largely the occasion. IL eeMs 10 me-
| that the uirect steam communication between owe-
| den and the United states, which is to be inaug-
| urated in April next will Be permanent, ana must
| oi necessity mate ialy increase tra0e, commerce
| and emis ration, and at the same time invgOrate
ana strengthen the friendship and good will which
| h we always subsisted between the United States
and Scandinavia
w. w. THOMAS, JR.
| LEGATION OF TIE UNITED STATES.
STOCKHOLM December 20, 1883.