Long Valley advocate. (Lardo, Idaho) 1904-1907, 1907-03-21
CITY LONG IN PAWN
SWEDEN, NOT REDEEMINc WIS.
MAR, 1T BECOMES GERMAN
piedged by King Gustavus Nv. for | o.n
OF Million DoIIars-Consid-
cred Finest Harbor Site
on Baltic Coast.

LONDON WiSmar mort of 9 m
people on the Baltic, situated in III
German duchy of Mecklenbure
ochwerin. but belonging legally +,
sweden, mas recently become a Ger
man city. 1t was pledged by Kipf
Gustavus Nv. for a loan of 81 OO0. 600
anu the King of Sweden having failed
~ reueem 1t within the century it has
passed to the duke of Mecklenburg
ochwerln, from whose ancestors the
money was borrowed.
In the early part of the eighteenth
century the most powerful enemy of
sweden, after the destruction of the
Hahseatlc league, a kind of trade
union established by certain German
cities for safety and commercial MR.
poses, captured Wismar and RACED the
iortincations Afterward peace was
declared and the city reverted to
sweden, but with the provision that
sue should not rebuild the fortified
uons. The place thus lost it's
strength and Importance and became
instead an element of weakness to the
oweues. It's great sea trade was
ruined and its inland trade lost
Under these circumstances II was
not surprising that the Swedes tired
at last or their white elephant. So.in
we reign OF the incompetent and ex-
ravagant Gustavis w., with TERRITORY
losI 10 the French in one war. with
'lniand lost to Russia, with defeat in |
war against Norway, the Swedes
seized an opportunity to relieve them
serves OF the burden of possession.
Inc direct opportunity was given
oy the cancellation by Gustavus of his
engagement to the daughter of Duke
frederick Franz /. That person NOT
unnaturally resented the Insult and
threatened dire things. Finally his
threats crystallized into a demand for
Oh enormous indemnity The money
'iau 10 De raised at once. The duchv
oi Mecklenburg advanced 1858. 600
reichsthaler and took Wismar. Neuk
FOSTER and the Island of Peel as SO.
curity.
onuer the conditions of the loan the |
City OF Wismar and the two govern. t
ments were to remain in pledge for
lVo years. At the end of that time n
'"euen might claim and obtain the b
1iedged city and land by paying back "
ne original loan, with three per cent n
compound interest. L
A further provision, however. Of tbe fl
Dan was that should Sweden fail to a
axe any notice whatever of the ex- fl
iratlon Of the time the contract would te
9 thereby renewed for another 1OO to
ears The sum which Sweden would ba
ave ma to pay if she wanted to claim a
'lsmar and the two government dis be
let's is figured as amounting to s27 to
o'oOo and this alone quite apart
om considerations of policy oner. WI
ed, doubtless, as bar against the hi,
Sert1on of her rights. ev
It will be seen that while the imme lit
tie business transaction dates haol, me
about 100 years, any diplomatic VIII
labbles over the city now would tai
re to revert to the sllrrenders and ser
1istices of the Thirty Years war VIII
S-4S. And the fact that heretofore I
'mar has been Swedish territory frie
lalns why Germany has not forti- can
the port, which is considered the con
st harbor site of the entire Baltic eau
IT, Under the Swedish Danish Lutte
ty Notifications were not to be A
and when the duchy of Mecklen- Ger
TOOK over the place the stipula- writ
wassrenewed clea