Page 27 - Export Porcelain and Globakization- GOOD READ

in 1731 enjoying the Swedish monopoly for all trade and shipping east of the Cape of
Good Hope. The privileges granted in 1731 (Royal Charter) were renewed by the
Swedish Government four times and these periods are divided in octrois, 61 ships
sailed to Asia during the first and second octroi (1731-1766), 39 ships during the third
octroi (1766-1786), and 32 during the fourth octroi. The last SOIC ship turned back to
Gothenburg in 1806.
Pic. 13: Flag of the Swedish East India Company (SOIC)

The term “East Indies” refers to the large area covering the Indian Ocean and part
of the Pacific Ocean including Japan and Australia. However, the Swedish had no
colonial possession or enclave like all the other East India companies, especially the
British, Dutch and French. For their transactions, the SOIC rented a factory in Canton
next to the English factory. On paintings of the Canton factories one can see the
Swedish flag on the west side of the British one, and on the east side of the US factory,
after its establishment in 1784. The SOIC made a total of 132 voyages and 129 of
them from Gothenburg via Cadiz to Canton and back to Sweden. In Cadiz Spanish
silver dollars were purchased – the only currency Chinese merchants were willing to
accept. Most voyages went directly from Cadiz to Canton passing the Cape, crossing
the Indian Ocean in the East of Madagascar and the Sunda Strait between Sumatra
and Java. Only three voyages aimed directly at Bengal and not China. The first SOIC
ship Fredericus Rex Sueciae left Gothenburg on 7 March 1732 and arrived in Canton
on 19 September, stayed there until 16 January 1733 and turned back to Gothenburg
on 7 September 1733. The voyage took 550 days. Seven SOIC ships got lost. The
most famous accident happened to the Götheborg in 1745 on its third China voyage.
The ship sunk on its homeward journey at the entrance of the Gothenburg harbor and
its cargo was partly excavated later (plate 125), including several thousand pieces of
porcelain and porcelain shards. Detailed information on the duration and route can be
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found in the annex of the analysis of C. Koninckx and in the work of J.F. Nyström .
The Swedish SOIC was a latecomer, established 130 years after the Dutch VOC, but
nevertheless was very important for the Sino-European porcelain trade.

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