The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1903-07-02
A MORTGAGE
ON SOVEREIGNTY
OLD HANSEATIC PORT OF WIS
MAR FORECLOSED BY GERMANY
ON PLEDGE FROM SWEDEN.

BERLIN, June 2O.-On Friday next,
June %, there will occur a most unique
transaction in real estate, involving a
transfer of sovereignty over sUne 10000
people, the inhabitants of an important
city and seaport, which will then pass
from the possession OF one crown to
that - another.
On that date Wtsmar, one of the old
Hanseatic ports. win be solemnly
transferred by the crown of Sweden to
that of Mecklenburg-Sc and
thus become de jure as well as de facto
part and appurtenanCe Of the Greman
empire.
The transfer comes by the foreclosure
of a mortgage executed 100 years ago
twelve years before the whims and
guns If Napoleon had ceased to set up
sOverelgnties, pull down kingships and
wipe out boundary lines in Europe
In 1898 GustavIs ", King of Sweden.
being much pressed for money. borrow
ed from Frederick Francis | of Meek
lenburS- Schwerin sum amounting to
little over $l,OOO,OOO, giving as secur-
ity mortgage on the city and seaport
of Wismar situated on the coast of
Mecklenburg- Schwerin, just north of
Schwerin, the capital
By the terms Of the contract. which
is known in history IS the treaty OF
MalmO, it was stipulated that the
crown of Sweden should have the right
for whole century from the date of
its signing to resume possession of
NismAr on the repayment Of the loan.
with interest a the rate Of per cent
per annum, and that on the failure to
do so on the part Of Sweden on the ex-
plration of the 100 years the ruler Of
10. Ill .s,l, ..
privilege Of fCreclOsing the mortgage
and assuming full possession of and
sovereignty over Wismar.
The 100 years time expires on Friday
next. King Oscar and Emperor Will
nam nave already discussed the situa-
ton and agreed on the proceedings TO
be had Sweden, for good reasons of
her own, will not redeem Wismar. 1t
would require, principal and interest.
over 100000 600. This sum Sweden does
not care to pay for even such holding
on German soil, from which she would
be driven in quick time at the first
rumble of war.
So King Oscars Cabinet prepared
and the Swedish Legislature passed
law prividing for the cession of the
Swedish city and port of Wismar and
the island of Peel which lies in front
of it, to the Grand Duke of Mecklen-
burg Schwerin.
Wismar came into the possession of
Sweuen by the treaty of Westphalia
October, 1913, by virtue of which her
King, as Lord of Wismar, was accord
ed several votes in the Diet of the Ger
man empire, with the view of protect
ing the interests Of the German Pro-
testanrs, for which he had been for
over thirty years battling hard.
SO, though only in nominal possession
of WiSmar since 1903, the formal sur
render of the right and title thereto
evoked much sentimental feeling in the
Swedish Chambers and the closing ad-
dress by the Minister of FOREIGN Affairs
was heard by the entire house standing
The Kaiser will, of course, at once
proceed to make WiSmar one of his
naval stronghOlds on the Baltic. In
fact it may soon rival Kiel in that
role, as it is a far better seaport and
far better adapted by nature for pro-
tectiVe and defensive purposes
To the inhabitants of Wsmar the
change will be most welcome. For a
century they have had no rights of
representation in either the Swedish
Legislature, the Mecklenburg Diet or
the German Reichstag-in fact, have
had no voice in anything except their
a municipal government.