On February 10 1958 the Swedish Post Office commemorated the country's trans-Atlantic postal service, begun several centuries ago, by issuing two postage stamps of 15 and 40 ore denomination. The design common to both shows the first and latest Swedish vessels used on the Western Ocean. They are, the old Kalmar Nyckel, or Calmar Nyckel —" the Key of Kalmar"—and the latest ship of the Swedish-America Line, the Gripsholm. From the meagre records, it appears the Kalmar Nyckel was a "pinass," 35 metres long but where she was built and by whom are unknown. She was given by the Swedish Government to the curiously named Colonisation of New America Society "Delaware" about 1637. Armed, she carried a considerable amount of cargo and a number of soldiers on her first voyage to North America. Later she was employed carrying cargo for the South Sea Company, a Swedish Government-sponsored emigrant organisation. Her fate is not known.
These days when designers seem to be confounding themselves with their gymnastics to produce something different it is pleasant to meet the Gripsholm, an Atlantic liner of the first order which may truly be said to be handsome. Built for the Swedish-America Line by Ansaldo at Genoa in 1957, she has dimensions 632 ft. x 82 ft., and a gross tonnage of 23,500. She is driven by twin 9-cylinder, 2-stroke Gotaverken oil engines with a total i.h.p. of 19,800 providing a cruising speed of 19 knots. There is accommodation for 842 passengers in two classes —150 first-class, 612 tourist and 80 in interchangeable quarters. The forward funnel made of light metal is a dummy containing a staircase so that passengers may climb to the top which is in effect an observation platform.
SG395 Sea Breezes June 1958