701.0090/19
The Department of State to the Swedish Legation
Memorandum
Reference is made to a conversation between the Swedish Minister31 and Mr. Long32 March 31, 1942 in respect of the possibility of chartering the Swedish M. S. Gripsholm for the purpose of exchange of Axis and United States diplomatic and consular personnel and to the Swedish Minister’s memorandum of March 28, 1942 upon that subject.33
The United States Government is now desirous of chartering the M. S. Gripsholm under conditions similar to those covering the Drottningholm.34 The conditions in question refer to safe conduct, redelivery of the vessel in a Swedish port, clearance of export of sufficient fuel oil to fuel the vessel, and other conditions similar to those covering the Drottningholm subject to charter negotiations between the War Shipping Administration and the Swedish American Line.
It is contemplated that the Gripsholm charter party will cover at least one voyage to Lourenço Marques, Portuguese East Africa with an optional call at a port on the East Coast of South America for the purpose of embarking Axis personnel for exchange at Lourenço Marques, with an optional second voyage from a United States port to Lourenço Marques and return, in addition to optional voyage or voyages between a United States port and Lisbon, Portugal and return for further exchange of Axis and United States diplomatic and consular personnel or unofficial personnel.
It is assumed that the Swedish Government will take appropriate steps to obtain the assent of the German Government to the charter of the Gripsholm for this purpose. The United States Government will be pleased to take through Swiss channels such action in support of the Swedish démarche as the Swedish Government may request.