Sea lovers who mourn the passing of the spacious days of sail will find cause for tears in a recent action of the Swedish Riksdag or Parliament. Prompted to economize in other directions by the demands of an increased defense budget, this body has put its sign and seal on a gradual scrapping of the three sailing ships which hitherto have been seagoing schools for Sweden’s bluejackets.
The history of Sweden’s naval cadet corps has a span of more than 400 years and dates from about 1530. During the first century and a half of this time, the organization was rather loose and indefinite, supported by such desultory contributions as the ever-warring Swedish State could spare from the financing of its aggressive operations in foreign fields. But in 1680, swept along with the great reforms which were taking place within the Swedish Navy, the cadet corps was given a fixed and delimited organization and thereby became a definite agency in the education of Swedish youths for careers in the Navy. Today, 180 boys between the ages of 15 and 17 are admitted to the course each year and given a 2-year training.
In abandoning this unique institution, with its long traditions and its popularity among a sea-minded people, the Swedish Parliament has aroused a storm of protest and amazed alarm, not only at home but also from abroad. For at least one feature in which the Swedish naval cadet corps was unique was that its three sailing vessels—two full-rigged ships and one brig— were wholly dependent upon sail and were not equipped with the powerful auxiliary motors found on the training ships of other countries. For this reason a high degree of seamanship was cultivated in their proper handling by the youths who served on them. That the type of seamanship which this training fosters is of the highest order is testified to by the numerous inquiries of surprise that have come from naval officers of foreign countries since the abandonment decision was announced.
Four ships had been engaged in this training service, but one of them, the of Chapman, dating from 1888 and rebuilt in 1924, has for some time been tied up at the wharf in the south Swedish naval station of Karlskrona as a floating dormitory. Of late years the Najaden and the Jarramas, both 3-masted full-riggers, have been in active service, with the handsome little 2-masted brig, Falken, in reserve. Najaden may be rendered into English as the Naiad and Falken as the Falcon. Jarramas is a Turkish word and its appearance in the Swedish Navy is a relic of Charles XII’s time. That wandering King spent some time in Turkey and on his return he chose to name one of the Swedish ships Jarramas, which is believed to mean “Thunder.” The name has thus been inherited by the current holder. And of course the earlier af Chapman will be recognized by every naval historian as bearing the name of Fredrik Henrik af Chapman, greatest figure in Swedish maritime annals.
Falken was built in 1877 and on her forthcoming retirement she will become an exhibit in the new museum of marine antiquities in Stockholm. As yet no disposition has been announced for Najaden, built in 1897, and Jarramas, three years younger. But as they are more seaworthy than the little Falken, some comparatively active duty may be found for them.
This little squadron of glistening white school ships, led by the flagship Jarramas, has just completed the first of its annual series of training cruises around the Baltic, returning to sleepy little Karlskrona with her crew of 90 eager young lads aboard, the second group has now spread sail and headed into open water toward the Kiel Canal.
Knowledge of the fact that an institution which has existed for 400 years is about to be swept away has naturally depressed the corps of officers in whose charge it rests. For them it is but scant consolation to know that the Swedish Sailing School, a private organization, has offered to buy the Falken and convert her into a floating dormitory. Not even the provision for turning her over to the Maritime Museum of Stockholm arouses any semblance of enthusiasm. An old world is giving place to a new, and they know it.