File No. 841.731/997
The Consul General at Stockholm (Harris) to the Secretary of State
[Received September 30.]
874. Owing to the representations made by the Swedish inspector of telegraphs to the German authorities it has been finally agreed that wireless messages can now be sent to America from this city by the way of Nauen near Berlin to Sayville in the State of New York. It has also been agreed that urgent commercial messages may be sent by this route. The object in view is to become emancipated as far as possible from the English telegraph systems whose censors worry and harass Swedish business men to such an extent that it is almost impossible to do business at all. There is also another route which is occasionally, used by the way of Siberia and the Pacific Ocean, but it is so expensive that few can afford to use it.
The radiotelegrams must be in accordance with the American service system, and must be written in plain English. This also applies not only to the message itself but also to the address and [Page 726] signature. Days and months must not be written in figures and the address must contain at least four words and the signature two The whole telegram must contain not more than twenty-five words and must be sent at the sender’s risk.