Mr. Thomas to Mr. Blaine.
Stockholm , September 26, 1890. (Received October 11.)
Sir: I have the honor to inform you that many courtesies and attentions have been bestowed upon the officers of the U. S. S. Baltimore while lying in this port.
On Monday, September 15, the citizens of Stockholm and vicinity gave a dinner to the American officers at Haxselbacken. Two hundred and fifty people sat at table. Count Lewenhaupt, minister of foreign affairs, presided, with Captain Schley upon his left and myself upon his right. The hall was handsomely decorated with American colors and emblems, the band played our national airs, and the banquet was in every particular elegant and sumptuous.
The toast to the President was proposed by Count Lewenhaupt, and to the King by myself. Each toast was received with four cheers. Admiral Virgin, of the Swedish navy, offered the toast to the captain and officers of the Baltimore, which Captain Schley replied to in an effective speech, received with applause.
On Tuesday at noon I presented our officers to the King at the palace in Stockholm. His Majesty shook hands with everyone and said he desired to thank the captain and officers of the Baltimore for the satisfactory manner in which they had performed their mission in bringing back to Sweden the ashes of one of her most distinguished sons. Taking me by the hand, the King continued that he desired to thank the United States for the sympathy and kindly feeling it had manifested towards Sweden in sending home the body of Ericsson in so magnificent a ship, accompanied with every mark of respect and honor. “These [Page 712] honors,” added the King, “have touched my heart and the heart of the Swedish people, and for myself and my people I wish to express our warmest thanks for the sympathy thus extended, and it is my request that you, Mr. Minister, communicate my words and express my feelings to the President of the United States.”
At the conclusion of the audience the King detailed a gentleman of his household to show our officers through the palace.
Tuesday evening there was a gala performance at the Royal Opera House in honor of the American officers. They, the consuls, and myself attended as invited guests.
On our entering the opera house the orchestra struck up “The Star-Spangled Banner,” and every person in the house arose and remained standing until the last notes of our national anthem had ceased.
After the opera Mrs. Thomas and I had the pleasure of entertaining our officers at a party which we gave in their honor at our residence. Besides the officers, there were present about one hundred ladies and gentlemen, representing the Swedish court, cabinet, and the best society of Stockholm. At supper I proposed the toast to the American Navy and its representatives now at Stockholm, to which Captain Schley appropriately replied.
On Wednesday His Majesty gave a dinner to the American officers at the summer palace at Drottningholm. We were conveyed in the King’s private steam yacht Sköldmön from Stockholm, 7 miles up the Mälar Lake, to the palace.
On arrival, royal chamberlains showed us about the grounds and over the palace.
Some eighty gentlemen in all were at dinner.
The King sat at the center of the long table. On His Majesty’s right was Count Lewenhaupt, minister of foreign affairs; on his left, myself. Opposite the King sat the first marshal of the court; on the marshal’s right, Captain Schley; on his left, the chief engineer of the Baltimore, De Valin. Swedish and American officers alternated with each other down each side of the table.
During the banquet the King specially called my attention to the fact that on Sunday, when the remains of John Ericsson were lowered from the Baltimore, and when the first minute gun was fired and the flag dropped to half-mast on board the American ship, simultaneously His Majesty’s flag was hoisted to half-mast over the palace in honor of the great Swedish-American; an honor, the King added, never before bestowed on any one not of royal blood.
While we were dining a dense fog arose, which rendered it disagreeable, if not dangerous, to return to Stockholm by water; so the King sent all the American officers back to the capital by land in his own carriages.
On Thursday, at 2 o’clock, the King, accompanied by his personal suite, visited the Baltimore. I was on board the ship to assist Captain Schley in receiving. His majesty was honored with a salute of twenty-one guns, the royal Swedish flag was run up on the mainmast, and the line of marines presented arms.
The King, who was educated a naval officer, was greatly interested in the Baltimore. He spent two hours and a half in a critical and searching examination, inspecting every detail and frequently expressing satisfaction and praise.
On leaving the ship his majesty was again saluted with twenty-one guns.
On the 21st instant the Swedish naval officers took the officers of the [Page 713] Baltimore on an excursion among the beautiful islands of the Baltic on board the swift steamer Victoria. An elaborate lunch was served on deck, and the repast was enlivened by music, toasts, and good cheer.
On the 23d, at half past 9 o’clock in the forenoon, the Baltimore sailed away from Stockholm, leaving behind a very favorable impression and carrying away, I have no doubt, many agreeable memories.
The many courtesies shown the officers of the Baltimore were granted partly because they represented the Navy of a friendly nation; but these courtesies are chiefly due to the fact that the Swedes deeply and warmly appreciate the honor done by America to the memory of John Ericsson, and thereby to Sweden, and they sought to manifest this appreciation by special attentions to the officers of the ship that brought Ericsson home.
John Ericsson now rests in his native land, and the Baltimore has steamed away from Swedish waters, and I am sure both Americans and Swedes may congratulate themselves and each other that an honorable act of international courtesy has been so successfully carried out in every particular and has left behind only the happiest results.
I have, etc.,