The Portland daily press., 1884-01-29

CURED for each emigrant than is exacted by
the laws OF England or the United States. A
steamer, therefore, that sailing from England
could take on board 900 emigrants, that in sail
ing from Sweden could take only 800; and
mus the receipts of the Swedish ship from
emlgrants would be diminished one third,
very important consideration. This great OBJ
stacle, however, is now happily removed.
The King, by royal order of the second of
March of this year, 1888, has so modified the
swedish emigrant laws that they conform 10
the laws OF the United States in respect to the
space to be accorded to each emigrant, so that
now ship may sail from Sweden with as many
emlgrants ON board as she would be allowed if
she sailed from England or Germany. During
the past three months the project has adj
vauced with rapid strides.
Failing to get the requisite CAPITAL for q
steamship line subscribed in Sweden, Mr..
Meyer turned to the North German Lloyds, OF
Bremen After extensive and minute negoti-
ations, Mr.. Meyer has been successful and 1
have the honor and pleasure to announce tlat
contract hiss been made, under the provisions
OF which on Thursday April "a, 1884. the
pioneer steamer of the first direct steamship
line between Sweden and the United States
Will sail from Gothenburg direct for New York.
The line will at first consist of but two
steamships, the Baltimore and Berlin, which
will make monthly trips between New York
and Gotbenburg, performing the VOYAGE in
fourteen or fifteen days. These steamers are
owned by the North German Lloyds of Brenl-
en-; they are sister ships; each is 1880 tons bur-
den gross, is propelled by engines of 410 nom
inal horsepower, and is fitted 10 carry 900 EN-
lgrants and "a cabin passengers.
1t is believed that the line thus inaugurated
will be permanent, that new ships will bs adj
ded, and that at no distant date fortnightly
and then weekly steamers will ply across the
North Sea and Atlantic Ocean, facilitating
and incre easing trade. commerce end irnmiera-
ton. This line is, of course, owned in Ger
many; but the project OF line to be owned
IN Sweden hss not been abandoned. Subscrip-
ton papers are being circulated by respected
aud efficient merchants in Stockholm and
Gothenbure, who are bopsful OF obtaining the
sum of $685. GOO, which will be sufficient 10
purchase two steamers of 5000 tons burden
each, whose trips will alternate with those of
the ships of the North German LoYds, and to
gether with them form fortnightly line.
It is intended that the SwedisY-owned ships
shall sail from Stockholm, thence coasting
around the southern end of the Swedish penin-
suls, they ill touch at Malmo and GotheE-
burg, whence they will sail direct for New
YORK. passiI G TO the north of Scotland Re-
turning they will steam directly to Gothen-
burg, and then keep on TO Mamo and Stock
holm. BOt whether this latter line be put in
operation or not, the most important factre-
mains that direct steam communication be-
tween the United Ststes and Sweden will be
opened for the first time ON the 9th of April
next and be continued thereafter by monthly
trips between New York aud Gothenburg by
the steamers of the North German Lloyds.
Next spring, for tine first time, the American
exporter may ship his goods on board a steamer
at New York, and have them carried by that
steamer directly TO Sweden without trans
shipment. Next spring the thousands of
Swedish emgrants may go on board steamer
steamer sail directly to America. This di-
rect communication must naturally and inev-
itably increase the export of American pro-
ducts to Sweden.