one obliged to appear, until he, on showing his American citizen papers, prove that he, as an American citizen, had a right to be free. Also the war department has stated that, with respect to the information here given, it finds that Hoiland's transportation to the Malde drilling grounds and arrest may be ascribed to his refusal to prove himself not obliged to do military service, the war department, like the general war commissary, presenting as its opinion that returning emigrants, who, in consequence of the treaty with the United States of May 26, 1869, are exempt from conscription in this Kingdom, are obliged to prove themselves to be American citizens whenever this is demanded by the proper Norwegian authorities. This department also finds that it must support this opinion. The American minister in Stockholm should be informed of the foregoing. Mr. Hay to Mr. Thomas. STEEN. No. 129.] DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, January 16, 1902. SIR: I have to acknowledge the receipt of your No. 236, of the 31st ultimo, inclosing the reply of the Norwegian Government to the complaint made by Mr. Johannes P. Hoiland, a naturalized American citizen of Norwegian origin, that he had been unlawfully arrested and imprisoned in Norway. Under the circumstances of Mr. Hoiland's resistance to, and delay in complying with, the reasonable requirement to prove his American citizenship before the competent authority, the Department does not see that it is called upon to intervene any further in the matter. His attorney has been so advised. I am, etc., JOHN HAY. CONDOLENCES ON ASSASSINATION OF PRESIDENT M’KINLEY. Mr. Grip to Mr. Hay. [Telegram.] LEGATION OF SWEDEN AND NORWAY, Bar Harbor, Me., September 14, 1901. I am directed by my Government to convey to the Government of the United States the expressions of deep sympathy of the King and the United Kingdoms of Sweden and Norway. Mr. Hill to Mr. Grip. A. GRIP. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, September 25, 1901. SIR: The pressure of public business attendant upon the death of President McKinley has delayed until now an acknowledgment of your telegram of the 14th instant, conveying, by direction of your Government, an expression of the sympathy felt by His Majesty the King and the United Kingdoms of Sweden and Norway in view of that sad event. I shall be obliged if you will assure His Majesty and your Government that their condolence is gratefully appreciated by the Government and people of the United States, who are deeply touched by the innumerable manifestations of sympathy which they have received from all parts of the world. Accept, etc., DAVID J. HILL, UNVEILING OF MONUMENT TO JOHN ERICSSON AT STOCKHOLM. Mr. Thomas to Mr. Hay. No. 219.] LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, SIR: I have the honor to inform you that a bronze statue of John Ericsson, the great Swedish-American, erected by national subscription, was unveiled at Stockholm on the 14th instant with imposing ceremonies. The occasion was honored by the presence of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince of Sweden and Norway, Prince Eugene, and Prince Bernadotte, his excellency the minister for foreign affairs, and other members of the Swedish cabinet, the governor of Stockholm, high officers of the Swedish army and navy, members of the Swedish Riksdag, and several hundred other gentlemen and ladies prominent in the political, social, and literary life of Sweden. The entire personnel of the American legation and consulate-general were also present. All were seated upon a raised tribune in front of the monument. About the tribune were gathered a vast multitude of over 20,000 people, who filled the broad place at the head of Nybro Harbor, where the statue stands, in the heart of Stockholm, and overflowed all approaching streets and avenues. All around the park were erected tall flagstaffs, from which floated the American and Swedish flags alternately. Swedish and American flags were also very generally displayed from public and private buildings throughout the entire city and from the shipping in the harbor. At the command of the Crown Prince, "Let the veil fall from the monument of our illustrious countryman, John Ericsson," the covering fell, disclosing the stately statue. A salute of fifteen guns was fired by the first Swedish monitor, John Ericsson, lying in the harbor hard by, and the royal naval band blew a flourish of trumpets. It is an interesting fact that the plans for this monitor were all drawn by Ericsson in America and the two great cannon in the turret were procured by Ericsson in the United States and presented by him to Sweden. The monitor now saluted the monument of its creator. Maj. Cl. Adelskiöld, chairman of the monument committee, then delivered an address. He concluded with the following words, addressed to the minister of the United States, which I give in English translation: CONCLUSION OF MAJOR ADELSKIÖLD'S ADDRESS. It is now eleven years since the Government of the United States of America gave a son of Svea, John Ericsson, obsequies which have no parallel in historic time, and his ashes were delivered to Sweden on behalf of the United States Government by the American minister, Mr. Thomas, whom we still have the pleasure of seeing in the same high position he then held. And it has been considered especially appropriate to choose this day, when two nations joined in honoring the memory of John Ericsson, for the unveiling of this monument, thereby publicly and before the whole world affirming the high appreciation which the Swedish people feel and always will feel for the mark of distinction which the great Republic accorded Sweden by the honorable manner in which the earthly remains of one of its most noble sons were delivered to the fatherland. And I take the liberty of most respectfully requesting your excellency to bring to the knowledge of your Government, your countrymen, and the million of John Ericsson's countrymen who live in the United States of America the feeling of deepest and warmest gratitude which the country and people of Sweden will always bear toward the great Republic on the other side of the ocean and the pride we feel in this extraordinary mark of honor. Tell him that, though it was not granted us to have this immortal man here in our home country during the whole of his lifetime, we rejoice that he in his new fathererland had opportunity to develop the rich resources of his genius, thereby making himself useful to you, to humanity, and to us, and that we, through the noblemindedness of your Government, were granted an opportunity of tenderly caring for his earthly remains, in accordance with the wish expressed by him. Just before the unveiling of the monument I had received your telegram announcing the death of President McKinley. The members of the legation and consulate-general, both ladies and gentlemen, were therefore all clad in mourning on this occasion. Wearing the symbols of mourning, I then delivered the following address. To this vast Swedish audience I spoke in the Swedish language, but the following is an exact English translation of my words: ADDRESS OF MR. THOMAS. It is with a heavy heart I stand here to-day. The sad tidings have just flown over the ocean that America's beloved President lies dead in our distant land. But if his dead lips could speak, full well I know they would say to me: "Do your duty. Let not my death cause America to be unrepresented to-day, when Sweden honors the memory of the great Swedish-American who at a critical moment in America's history rendered the Republic illustrious service and saved her from great peril." Eleven years ago this September day, on board the American man-of-war Baltimore, lying in Stockholm's harbor, it fell to me, representing my country, to deliver to Sweden the honored ashes of John Ericsson. And now to-day it is my privilege to be present at the dedication of this monument, which has been erected to Ericsson's honor in Sweden's capital. To participate in this celebration I esteem not only an honor but a duty, for John Ericsson belongs to America as well as to Sweden. True, here was his fatherland, but the broad field of his activity was in the New World beyond the western wave, and there lay the scene of his great achievements. These achievements have materially aided the progress of the world, for Ericsson was a true laborer for the development and civilization of mankind, but his most illustrious service rendered to his adopted country will ever merit special recognition. We Americans will never forget our great war for the Union, which freed 4,000,000 slaves and saved our nation's life. We will never forget one bright spring morning when the rebel ram Merrimac steamed out of Norfolk Harbor and with her prow of iron bore down upon our fleet of wooden vessels lying at anchor in Hampton Roads; or how that monster ironclad rammed and destroyed, one after the other, our bravest ships, broke our blockade, and for a few short hours was mistress of the seas. We will never forget how the little Monitor, as if sent by Providence, suddenly appeared upon the scene, attacked the colossus of the slave power, as David did Goliath, and how, after a hard-fought duel, the little Union ship defeated its giant adversary, and thus saved our navy, our blockade, and our power on the ocean. We will never forget either that the man whose genius invented and built and gave us the Monitor was no native American, but the Swede, John Ericsson, born and bred in this ancient, honored land. America will always owe a debt of gratitude to Sweden, which has given us a million of our best citizens, each one a link in the golden chain which binds together two great and kindred peoples in the bonds of friendship and good will; but our deepest gratitude is due because Sweden gave us that man whose memory we to-day are met to honor, and who has justly won the proud title of the Great SwedishAmerican. And America will never forget her debt. In the New World we have raised monuments to the memory of John Ericsson in imperishable bronze. We have inscribed his name in our Pantheon of the Republic's immortal heroes. We have sent his earthly remains home to fatherland with greatest honors the nation can bestow. And on this day, when the veil falls from the statue which shall here perpetuate the memory of his life and deeds, our hearts beat in unison with yours in thanksgiving for the great man whom two nations rejoice to call their own. I may be permitted to add that the address was received by gratifying manifestations of approbation, for which the signal was given by the Crown Prince. His Royal Highness also publicly arose and, taking my hand, warmly thanked me for the words I had spoken. The Swedish royal band then played our American national anthem, "The Star Spangled Banner." All the flags around the monument park, both Swedish and American, were then lowered to half-mast, and continued to fly at half-mast for the remainder of the day, as a token of respect to the memory of America's dead President. I have, etc., W. W. THOMAS, Jr. FIRST ANNUAL AWARD OF THE NOBEL PRIZES. Mr. Thomas to Mr. Hay. No. 233.] LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, Stockholm, December 11, 1901. SIR: I have the honor to inform you that events of exceptional import and interest took place yesterday at Stockholm and Christiania. December 10, 1901, was the fifth anniversary of the death of Alfred Bernard Nobel, the great Swedish engineer and inventor, and on yesterday were awarded for the first time the prizes instituted by him in his testament to those persons who have contributed most materially to benefit mankind in the domains of physics, chemistry, medicine, literature, and in the works of peace. The prizes were awarded as follows: In physics, to Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen, professor at the University at Munich, the discoverer of the Röntgen rays; in chemistry, to Jacobus Henricus Van't Hoff, professor at the University of Berlin; in medicine, to Emil von Behring, professor at Halle, the discoverer of the diphtheria serums; in literature, to Sully-Prudhomme, member of the French Academy; in the works of peace, this prize was divided in two, and awarded in equal parts to Henri Dunant, of Switzerland, the leading spirit in bringing about the Geneva convention and in instituting the Societies of the Red Cross, and to Frederick Passy, national economist, of France. The first four prizes were given out at Stockholm with impressive ceremonies. The place was the grand hall of the Royal Academy of Music, which was tastefully decorated. This spacious hall was filled with a brilliant gathering of gentlemen and ladies, the leaders in Swedish science, literature, art, and public life, and the occasion was especially honored by the presence of the Crown Prince and other members of the royal family. FR 1901- -32 The exercises were enlivened by addresses appropriate to the event, and by music and song. The prize diplomas were given out by the Crown Prince in person and were received in person by Professors Röntgen, van't Hoff, and Behring. As M. Sully-Prudhomme was unable to be present on account of sickness, the diploma in literature was delivered to the minister for France at Stockholm, to be forwarded by him to M. Sully-Prudhomme. On the same day the prize in the works of peace, divided in two parts, as above mentioned, was awarded to M. Dunant and M. Passy at Christiania by the Norwegian Storting convened in solemn session. Each of the five prizes is for the sum of over 150,000 crowns (150,782.23 crowns exactly), or more than $40,000-an amount sufficient of itself to place each recipient in independent circumstances, and to permit him untrammeled to pursue his investigations and life work, which have already been of so great benefit. Furthermore, five prizes of like, or perhaps greater, amount will be awarded every year on December 10 hereafter forever. I think it may be said that these prizes, in kind as well as in amount, are unparalleled in the history of science, literature, and humanity, and that the day these prizes were for the first time awarded marks an epoch in the advance of the human race. Alfred Nobel directed that substantially the whole of his vast fortune be used for the benefit of mankind. Though the discoverer of dynamite, he instituted one of his grand prizes for the works of peace. His beneficence is as broad as humanity. He was more than patriot; he was the friend of the human race. In his last will he directs that in awarding the prizes no consideration whatever be paid to nationality, but that the worthiest be awarded the prize, whether he is Scandinavian or not. Peace to his ashes. His great and enduring work reflects honor upon himself and upon the race from which he sprung. I have, etc., W. W. THOMAS, Jr. |
