Swedish motorships Kronprins Gustaf Adolf and Pacific Reverting to your favour of February 28th, I regret to say that it seems to me from subsequent cables I have received from Sweden, as if the licenses the Johnson Line had obtained from the Swedish Government for the performance of two voyages of each of the above vessels for Belgian Relief, as per charter parties of which you have a copy, had already expired on the arrival of my cable to Sweden quoting contents of your said letter. The Swedish Government has therefore chartered both ships, the M. S. Kronprins Gustaf Adolf for a cargo of rockphosphates and the M. S. Pacific for a cargo of petroleum, both on the modus vivendi agreement. The M. S. San Francisco of 6600 tons D. W. and Suecia of 6600 tons D. W. now lying in La Plata, have been chartered with cargoes of maize to Sweden, also on the modus vivendi agreement. As compensation the following four vessels will be sent out from Sweden to South America, viz: M. S. Kronprinsessan Margareta- S. S. Drottning Sophia__ 6600 D.W. 6400 7500 The subsequent employment of these four vessels to be dependent on the issue of negotiations for another agreement between Sweden and the Allies. However, the Johnson Line is willing to employ two steamers out of these four vessels for one voyage each for Belgian Relief on arrival in South America on the same conditions as the M. S. Valparaiso, provided license obtainable from the Swedish Government, these two steamers to receive bunkers only on the voyage to Rotterdam from Hampton Roads. Consequently these vessels would be sent out to South America from Sweden with sufficient bunkers to reach South America and they should there take bunkers from stores belonging to the Johnson Line in sufficient quantities to reach Hampton Roads on the way to Rotterdam. With regard to M. S. Kronprins Gustaf Adolf and Pacific they will require in order to load the modus vivendi cargoes to Sweden a quantity of each 400 tons of Diesel oil in addition to the quantities they already have on board, without giving any guarantee to return to the United States and without signing the full bunker regulations; the only guarantee being given is that the oil taken aboard here will not leave the ship. As to the two motorships lying in South America, viz: M. S. San Francisco and Suecia, these ships will also require, in order to load the modus vivendi cargoes, 700 tons each of Diesel oil from United States at St. Thomas on the way home on the same conditions as for Kronprins Gustaf Adolf and Pacific. In regard to motorship Kronprinsessan Margareta, which is to be sent out to South America she will also re quire 700 tons of Diesel oil at St. Thomas on the way outwards on the same conditions as Kronprins Gustaf Adolf and Pacific. The three steamers will probably be supplied with sufficient bunkers in Sweden for reaching South America as I have no indication from Sweden that they require bunkers on the outward voyage. I shall be pleased to hear whether or not you are agreeable to these conditions, and remain, Yours very truly, (Signed) G. EKSTROM Swedish Motorship Kronprins Gustaf Adolf Confirming my letter of yesterday I beg to inform you that I have to-day received another cable from the Johnson Line advising that the above vessel requires five-hundred (500) tons of Diesel oil to be supplied at New York without any conditions making the ship in any way unfree. The ship owners have also authorized me to guarantee that this oil will be used only in this vessel. Yours very truly, (Signed) G. EKSTROM |