Mr. Thomas to Mr. Blaine.
Stockholm, September 15, 1890. (Received September 30.)
Sir: I have the honor to inform you that the remains of John Ericsson were delivered to Sweden at 2 o’clock Sunday afternoon, September 14.
The scene on the deck of the United States war ship Baltimore was an impressive one.
The coffin of polished oak containing Ericsson’s body had been taken from the catafalque and placed on deck midships and close to the starboard rail. The coffin was covered with the American and Swedish flags.
Around it were grouped the officers of the Baltimore, the diplomatic and consular representatives of the United States at Stockholm, and the officers appointed by the Swedish Government to receive the remains.
All heads were uncovered. Behind us were drawn up a file of United States marines.
Captain Schley then delivered the coffin to me, saying in substance:
On the 23d day of August there was placed in my charge in the harbor of New York this coffin, containing the body of our far-famed friend and citizen John Ericsson, with instructions to carry it to Sweden and deliver it to the American minister at Stockholm.
To-day I have the honor to report that my mission is fulfilled as I now, Mr. Minister, consign to your hands this honored coffin.
I received Ericsson’s remains from Captain Schley and delivered them to the Swedish Rear Admiral Peyron with the following words:
In behalf of the United States of America, and as her representative to Sweden and Norway, I now receive the remains of John Ericsson, that I may deliver them to Sweden, esteeming it one of the highest privileges that can fall upon the minister of any land to stand on such an occasion as a link in the chain of sympathy with which these events are binding more closely together two great and kindred peoples.
[Page 709]And I transfer these honored ashes with all reverence, for well I know how grandly the hand that now lies cold and still within this casket has wrought for America and for humanity.
At a critical moment in the history of the United States John Ericsson, by the creation of his genius, rendered illustrious service to his adopted country and saved her from great peril.
And the Republic is not ungrateful. Lovingly as Agrippina bore home to Rome the ashes of Germanicus, so tenderly and honorably America brings back the body of Ericsson, that the land which was his cradle may also be his grave.
The body of Ericsson we restore to you, but his memory we shall ever retain in sacred keeping; or, rather, we will share it with you and with the whole world.
And America is not unmindful that in honoring Ericsson she also honors the land that gave him birth; a gallant land, with which we have always lived in peace and friendship; a land that in the long struggle for our independence was among the first of the nations of the earth to recognize our new-born Republic; a land that has given us hundreds of thousands of our most respected citizens—chief among them all, John Ericsson, the great Swedish-American, whose sacred dust America now commits to the kindly keeping of his native Sweden.
Admiral Peyron replied in English as follows:
On behalf of the Royal Swedish Government, we have the honor to receive the remains of our illustrious compatriot, the late Captain John Ericsson, which remains have by order of the Government of the United States of America been transferred in this ship to his native country to be buried there.
At the same time, we beg that you kindly will transmit our Government’s sincere thanks to the Government of the United States for the feelings of sympathy for our country that have been shown through this act.
The coffin was then swung out over the side of the ship and lowered upon a small Swedish war vessel lying alongside. At the same moment the flag of the Baltimore was dropped to half-mast, the marines presented arms, and the first of twenty-one minute guns was fired from the Baltimore.
The Swedish vessel was handsomely draped in mourning and the coffin rested upon a catafalque on deck surrounded with flowers and palms.
Under guns from the Baltimore and the Swedish battery on Kastell-holmen the funeral procession moved slowly upstream.
First came a steam launch of the royal navy containing the Swedish officers; next the steam launch of the Baltimore with the captain, officers, American consul and vice-consul, and myself; then the Baltimore’s whaleboat, cutter, and gig, containing others of her officers and twenty-four of her crew, who were to march in the procession on land.
These five boats formed an escort to the funeral barge, which followed us to the quay.
The day was perfect. A bright sun shone from a clear sky, an exceptional summer warmth pervaded the northern air, and the light breeze was scarcely sufficient to blow out the flags.
Both banks of the stream were not only lined, but crowded and packed full with a great multitude of people, larger than Stockholm ever saw before.
The windows of every house were filled, roofs covered, and belfries, steeples, and masts of vessels bristled with humanity. A strong railing was built along all the quays to prevent the people in the rear from crowding the foremost ranks into the water.
At the quay, directly in front of the statue of Charles XII, there had been erected a stately pavilion, whose central tower rose to a height of 90 feet. It was draped in mourning, and from its five turrets floated the flags of America and Sweden.
Here the funeral flotilla laid to; and here we were received by Baron Tamm, the governor of Stockholm. Here, too, the coffin was borne to [Page 710] land by ten Swedish sailors and placed upon a catafalque beneath the central tower of the pavilion.
A band of music played a dirge as the body of Ericsson once more rested upon Swedish soil, and the bells rang from every church tower in Stockholm. A guard of honor presented arms.
As the tones of the dirge died away the deputies from many societies and associations came forward and placed wreaths and other floral emblems at the foot of the coffin.
Then a hymn was sung by a large choral society. A poem was read by the Swedish poet Tigerschiöld, and then another hymn was sling while the coffin was being removed from the catafalque to the hearse.
The funeral procession was headed by a detachment of the horse guards, mounted and with sabers drawn. The hearse was followed by two carriages loaded with floral offerings; next came a carriage containing the grand marshal of the Kingdom, Baron Bildt, representing the King, and another carriage with Baron Lagerfelt, representing the crown prince; then a carriage containing Captain Schley and myself, followed by three carriages holding the American consul and vice-consul and the officers of the Baltimore.
After us were carriages containing Ericsson’s relatives; then followed a long procession marching with music and banners.
Between masses of people whose foremost ranks were composed of societies drawn up in line with standards and bands of music, the procession moved across the square of Gustavus Adolphus and through the streets of Stockholm to the central railway station.
Here the coffin was placed upon a funeral car resting upon a catafalque, beneath a canopy.
All around the catafalque were placed the floral emblems—all save one, the monitor of immortelles with the American and Swedish colors, and the white dove perched on the turret. This offering of American ladies that had crossed the Atlantic with Ericsson was securely fastened on top of the coffin, and in this position of honor followed it to its final resting place.
Smoothly and quietly the funeral train started as if drawn by invisible cords, and the coffin of polished American oak, the monitor, and the white dove glided slowly out of sight of the great multitude, who stood reverently mute with uncovered heads.
I can not close this dispatch without bearing witness to the fact that this honorable sending home of Ericsson’s ashes has been productive of great good.
This act has awakened among the Swedish people a strong feeling of sympathy for America, manifestations of which I see on every hand.
By no other possible act, it seems to me, could the friendly feeling between the two nations have been so invigorated and strengthened.
One fact more. The presence of the magnificent war cruiser Baltimore, now lying in the harbor and towering like a colossus above every other ship of war or peace in these waters, has increased the respect of every one of the tens of thousands who have seen her for the nation which, out of her own workshops, can produce, from truck to keelson, such a perfect and powerful engine of destruction.
I have, etc.,