The Swedish Colony Saint

Barthélemy in the West Indies,

1784 – 1878

Introduction

Sweden’s economical politics during the 18th century was in large governed by commercial ideas. During the regime of King Gustav III (1771 - 1792) the foreign trade was fostered. To work up or refine imported raw material was regarded propitious. The first draperies were established in Gothenburg (Göteborg) during the second half of the 1700’s. All of those draperies were refining imported raw material like sugar, tobacco and cotton.

The USA Being Favored

Besides the East Indian trade, which also had Gothenburg as a base, the transoceanic trade was fostered. Already during the American War of Independence (1775 - 1783), ships from the USA had the same benefits as Swedish ships in the Gothenburg harbor. In 1782 Baron S. G. Hermelin was sent to the USA to achieve an increased trading between Sweden and America. However, Hermelin found that such a trade already existed. A Swedish businessman Richard Söderström had already in 1780, together with a group of businessmen, opened up a direct trade between the two countries. Söderström was promoted Swedish Consul and as such developed the trade relations further. When Britain in the peace treaty of 1783 recognized the independence of the former colonies in North America, the USA became an alien nation in the eyes of Britain. Such nations were not granted the right to have a trade with Britain’s other colonies. This meant that the USAs trading with the British colonies in the West Indies was stopped.

The Island Saint-Barthélemy Becomes a

Swedish Colony

Meanwhile, the contacts between Sweden and USA were strengthened. Sweden was the first country beside Britain to recognize the new American Republic. A trade treaty was signed in 1783, a treaty where France had mediated the contacts. A few months later Sweden’s subsidy agreement with France was renewed. In 1771 Gustav III becomes King of Sweden and during the summer of 1784 he made a diplomatic visit to Paris. In Paris an agreement was made between Sweden and France which resulted in a Swedish colony in the West Indies (Caribbean Basin). France was to hand over the West Indian Island Saint-Barthélemy to Sweden while France received trading rights for French goods in Gothenburg. The map to the right shows the island Saint- Barthélemy. The map is made by the physician and land surveyor Samuel Fahlberg who was stationed on the island between 1785 - 1801. The island has, according to the map, 843 houses and 32 rain water cisterns. The capital Gustavia with its sheltered harbor is located in the island's western side. War Archives (Krigsarkivet), Stockholm. USA now saw a possibility to replace the closed British ports in the West Indies with the new Swedish colony. USA wished to see Gustavia on Saint- Barthélemy as a free port. This suited Sweden’s purpose of the colony and on September 7, 1785 it was declared as such. Due to the long wars between Britain and France during the French Revolution (1789 – 1799) the port in Gustavia didn’t become as important as what Sweden had hoped for. Indirectly Sweden did get some help by the later so famous Lord Nelson who between 1784 and 1787 was the commander of a British frigate in the West Indies. The British authorities hadn’t made such a big deal of the embargo for the Americans. However, Nelson enforced the embargo with great strength and stopped all American ships from going into British ports. This way Saint-Barthélemy’s free port grew in importance. American cargo was unloaded and later loaded on British ships with British harbors as a destination. Nelson wasn’t able to stop this traffic and Sweden did profit from this transfer. This lasted until Britain also banned import to the British Isles from natural ports.

The Colony Saint-Barthélemy

Saint-Barthélemy is not a big island, about 24 km² (9 square miles). The island is not easily accessible due to its rocky country. When Sweden acquired the island there were 739 inhabitants of which 281 were slaves. There were no roads and the plantations had been neglected for some time. Most troublesome was that the island had no fresh water wells. All water needed had to be gathered in water cisterns during rainy days. The major importance with the island was its sheltered harbor. Major Salomon Maurits von Rajalin was appointed commandant, later the first Swedish Governor to the colony. He served in the colony for two years. The City of Gustavia was built in the harbor area. The city was named after the Swedish King Gustav III. The church was inaugurated in 1787 and named after the Swedish Queen Sofia Magdalena. The first Swedish clergy on the island was Parson Sven Thunberg. There was a Swedish garrison with two NCOs and 50 soldiers under the command of the Commandant. The garrison was later diminished to 24 soldiers. A court of law was also instituted on the island.

The West Indian Company

The colony wasn’t able produce any greater yield to be imported to Sweden. However, in 1786 the Swedish West Indian Company was established, a joint-stock company. The Company received a charter on 31 October, 1786. The charter also gave the Company a certain influence of the administration, something that caused conflicts with the governor. The Company drew the government’s income from the free port as long as they extended and maintained the harbor in Gustavia. This continued until 1805 when the Company was dissolved. King Gustav III owned 10% of the Company’s shares which made him the largest shareholder. The profits from the West Indian Company were split among the owners in a way so the King received 25%.

Slave Traffic

One of the West Indian Company’s privileges was to run slave traffic with trade partners on the west coast of Africa. The Swedish government had processed such a request and there seems to be no protests recorded at the council meeting. Instead the company was encouraged to run such a trade. The wording of Article 14 in the Charter was “The Company is free to run slave traffic on Angola and the African coast where such a trade is allowable.” A slave expedition organized by the Company was prepared in 1787. They made an agreement with a Danish ship and procured necessary cargo; mirrors, decorated snuffboxes, razors, nightcaps, vodka and guns. Along the cost of the Gulf of Guinea the cargo was to be bartered for slaves. The plan was to set sail for Africa in 1788. However, in 1788 a war between Sweden and Russia/Denmark broke out (1788 – 1790) and the expedition had to be canceled. The price of slaves went up in the 1790’s. The Company’s agents on the island were at the time two businessmen, J. E. Röhl and A. F. Hansen. Their firm wished to have a vessel in regular traffic to Africa with slaves as cargo on the return voyage. Now, the Company reacted and denied their request. They got the same reply from the Government when their firm applied for a permit to keep their own ship on the trade to Africa. These replies have to be viewed from the fact that it now existed a debate about the slavery that had been going on for a few years, not the least in the British House of Commons (Parliament). The opinion was now against slavery. In other words, it did not exist any official slave traffic on the island. However, there were private slave traders on Saint-Barthélemy; one of them was the Company’s managing director. Slavery wasn’t abolished on Saint-Barthélemy until October 9, 1847. At that time, the Swedish government had earmarked money to redeem the slaves and granted their freedom. However, since the island was not really a plantation area, the freed slaves suffered economic hardships due to lack of opportunities for employment. The Company also had other difficulties. Importation of coffee to Sweden was banned between 1794 – 1796, which stroke the Company severely. Sugar was the most important export goods. Despite the difficulties the return of the Company was very good. When the Company was dissolved in 1806 the invested capital was repaid with 150%. In 1808 the joint owners received further 170% and in 1809 25%. Henceforth the return of Saint-Barthélemy went to the Swedish Government. The profit was considerable, not the least during the Napoleonic Wars (1803 – 1815). The profit decreased after 1816 though. Between 1812 and 1844 the revenue was invested in a fund, the Saint-Barthélemy Fund, which was at the disposal of the King.

Reduced Importance of the Colony

The years of profitability for the colony ended more or less in 1830. This year Britain opened up their ports in the West Indies for American merchant vessels. The USA had thereafter no need for the Swedish free port as a middleman. The free trade at Saint-Barthélemy came to a halt and the port became an ordinary port. The colony had thereafter little value for Sweden. The plantations were limited of natural reasons due to the island’s topography. Only cotton and pineapples gave any yield worthwhile. Besides the plantations it was handicraft like reed plaiting that occupied the inhabitants.

The Disestablishment of the Colony in 1878

After being a very good source of income Saint- Barthélemy became a burden to the Swedish State finances. The Government considered several times to get rid of the colony. However, the colony was not disestablished until 1877 – 1878. A referendum was held at Saint-Barthélemy and the majority was in favor of a transition to France; only one vote against. The State of France redeemed all real property and guaranteed the Swedish civil servant’s pensions and journey back to Sweden. The purchase-sum for the island was 320,000 Franc. On May 16, 1878 the flag of Sweden was lowered for the last time on the island. The Swedish Saint-Barthélemy Governor Flag is today kept at the Maritime Museum (Sjöhistoriska Museet) in Stockholm. The museum received the flag in 1944 after the death of Sigrid Ulrich, daughter of the last Swedish governor to Saint-Barthélemy.

Governors to Saint-Barthélemy between

1784 and 1878

The list below is complied from Wikepedia.

Facts About Saint-Barthélemy

Saint-Barthélemy was discovered by Christopher Columbus in 1492 and named the island after his brother Bartolomeo. Saint-Barthélemy was first colonized in 1648 by a French trading company. In 1651 the island was sold to the Order of St. John but was repurchased by Frenchmen in 1664 and was from 1674 subordinated the French Crown. King Louis XVI of France handed over the island to Sweden in 1784 while France received trading rights for French goods in Gothenburg, Sweden. Between 1784 and 1878 the island was a Swedish colony. The island was resold to France by the Swedish King Oscar II in 1878. Saint Barthélemy is a volcanic island fully encircled by shallow reefs and is located approximately 250 kilometres (160 mi) east of Puerto Rico and the nearer Virgin Islands, Saint-Barthélemy lies immediately southeast of the islands of Saint Martin and Anguilla. It is separated from Saint Martin by the Saint-Barthélemy Channel. The island has a 32 km long (20 mi) coastline and the highest peak is Vitet, 286 m (938 ft) above sea-level. The island covers an area of c. 24 km² (about 9 square miles). The Swedish heritage still remains on the island in the naming of places and streets. Symbolism from the Swedish national arms, the Three Crowns, still appears in the island's coat of arms. See image to the right.

Source References

• Känn ditt land, Nr 8 Saint-Barthélemy, Ralph Scander, STF • Wikipedia • Nationalencyklopedin, NE Top of page