Memoirs and Correspondence of Admiral Lord de Saumarez Volume II Part 19

Victory, Hawke Road, 21st May 1810.

SIR,

I have the honour to acquaint your excellency of my arrival here with part of the squadron under my command, and of my intention to proceed into the Baltic as soon as the wind will permit. It will afford me the highest satisfaction to renew a correspondence from whence I derived such great benefit during the time I was employed upon this station last year; and although the unfortunate exclusion of British s.h.i.+ps from the ports of Sweden will render it more difficult at this time, I hope it will not be the means of entirely depriving me of the honour of hearing from your excellency. As I propose calling off Ystad, on my getting into the Baltic, I shall detach a vessel to that place for any letters you may have done me the honour to write.

I have, &c.

JAMES SAUMAREZ.

The Victory arrived off Ystad on the 6th June, when Sir James received the following letter from Mr. Foster:

Stockholm, 25th May 1810.

SIR,

I hasten to reply to the letter which you have done me the honour to write from Gottenburg, and to return you my best thanks for the communication of your arrival off the Swedish coast. It is with great pleasure that I renew a correspondence which, as you are kind enough to say, was of benefit to you last year, and from which I certainly derived most important a.s.sistance, and the highest satisfaction.

I am afraid, however, that the opportunities of writing to you will be few. Ystad, from its neighbourhood to Denmark, seems to be too much exposed to observation, for this government to wink at the correspondence pa.s.sing that way. It has been hinted to me, however, that it might proceed without difficulty through the small town of Solvitzborg on the frontiers of Blekingen and of Scania, and I write to Mr. Fenwick by this day's post to recommend his making arrangements for the purpose.

Mr. Consul Smith has transmitted to me a copy of an article in your printed instructions, which he says you allowed him to make known at Gothenburg, and which, if acted upon, will strike at the coasting trade of this country in a manner that I scarcely think was contemplated by Government. Indeed it appears to me, particularly when I consider the previous notice that has regularly been given in Sweden, where measures have been taken against his Majesty's interests, that it will be liable to the imputation of unfairness, if acted upon immediately, vast quant.i.ties of Swedish s.h.i.+pping, which was sent to sea in the confidence of security from capture, being exposed to its operation. I was in hopes that I should have heard from you on the subject, and I cannot but flatter myself that his Majesty's Government will have forwarded to me explanations respecting it.

The Danes have annoyed the Swedish trade so considerably, that I understand strong representations will be made on the subject at Copenhagen, and possibly some retaliation may take place from this side of the water, if they do not cease their proceedings.

I trust you will have the goodness to let me know if it is your intention to order the capture of Swedish s.h.i.+ps of all kinds which shall be proceeding from one port of Sweden to another.

I am, &c.

A. FOSTER.

Sir James had made known at Gothenburg the article in his instructions referred to in Mr. Foster's letter, for the express purpose of giving the Swedes timely notice of the step Government had found it necessary to take; and being still in hopes that the order would be rescinded, he had not given directions to his squadron to act upon it, although it appeared from a communication of the same date from Mr. Foster that his recall was required by Buonaparte, and that his stay at Stockholm could not exceed six weeks.

The following is Sir James's reply to Mr. Foster:

Victory, off Ystad, 7th June 1810.

SIR,

I had the honour to receive both your letters, dated 25th ult., on my arrival at this place yesterday evening, and I request you will accept my best thanks for them. I was much surprised, before I sailed from Hawke Road, to find from Mr. Consul Smith that you had not received from Government any communication relative to the restrictions upon the trade of Sweden, having taken it for granted, at the time I received instructions upon the subject, that intimation of it would have been made to you by the same conveyance. I trust that you have before this received explanations respecting it, and that they will prove as satisfactory to the government of Sweden as the circ.u.mstances will admit.

I have hitherto acted on that part of my instructions with the utmost moderation; but, in conformity to these instructions, it will not be in my power to desist in future from allowing the cruisers to make captures of such Swedish vessels as they fall in with, who are not provided with licences from England. The depredations by the Danish armed vessels have determined me to give orders to his Majesty's s.h.i.+ps stationed off Kioge Bay not to admit any vessels to enter the Sound, which I have signified to our Government.

The place you have been pleased to point out for the correspondence in future is perfectly well adapted, more particularly from its vicinity to Hano Bay, the rendezvous which I have appointed for the trade, and where I propose to proceed on receiving despatches which I daily expect from Gothenburg: I shall therefore hope to have the honour of hearing from you next by way of Solvitzborg.

The information I have received from Mr. Fenwick of the lamented death of the Crown Prince must have thrown this Government under very considerable embarra.s.sment, and possibly may lead to some change in the politics of the country.

I request you will favour me with any information you receive relative to the Russian fleet, as it will in a great degree decide the time when I may proceed towards the Gulf of Finland.

It is with great satisfaction I have the honour to inform you that the numerous convoys that have sailed from Gothenburg have all cleared the Belt without loss, and the two homeward bound convoys are, I hope, by this time far on their way. The one under protection of the Edgar and Saturn was off Romsoe last Sunday, and the one which sailed more recently was yesterday off Dars Head.

I hope the time is yet very distant, but I trust you will be pleased to signify to me the proposed period of your leaving Sweden. I will give directions for one of the s.h.i.+ps under my orders to convey you and suite to Yarmouth, or any other port you prefer.

I have, &c.

JAMES SAUMAREZ.

The Author, then lieutenant of the Victory, was despatched to Solvitzborg, where he made arrangements with the authorities for the correspondence between the Admiral and Mr. Foster, and also for a supply of fresh beef and vegetables for the fleet, which occupied the Roads of Hano, where the convoys a.s.sembled, the merchants having built store-houses on the island of Hano, previously inhabited by a few fishermen. The convoys at anchor there consisted of s.h.i.+ps under various neutral flags, which had licences from Government. These entered St. Petersburg and every port in the Baltic with British manufactures or colonial produce, returning with timber, hemp, tallow, &c. the produce of Russia and Prussia. As soon as they had acc.u.mulated to about 500, and the wind came fair, they sailed from Hano under convoy to the Belt, where a strong force was always kept to protect them from the attacks of the Danish gun-boats. The tyrannical decrees of Buonaparte were thus rendered null and void on this part of the Continent.

The following letter from Mr. Foster to Sir James exhibits in strong terms the alarm excited in Sweden by the communication of the Admiral, while it points but the excellent policy of his not acting under the circ.u.mstances upon his instructions.

Stockholm, 31st May 1810.

SIR,

The situation in which this country has been placed by the publication of your orders to capture Swedish s.h.i.+ps employed in the coasting trade, has created such an alarm that even private individuals are afraid to take their pa.s.sage in the packet boats, between Sweden and Stralsund, without they have letters from me. Among the rest a M. de Bon, a merchant of my acquaintance, who is shortly to proceed to Germany in order to be married to a young lady, the sister of a friend of mine, has urged me to ask if your excellency means to include the Stralsund packet-boat in your general orders for capture, or if he can safely hire a vessel to take him there. Any information you can give me on the matter will be very agreeable to me.

Swedish subjects are of course free from being made prisoners, as we are not declared at war with Sweden; but my a.s.sertion of the fact is not considered here of sufficient satisfaction without a particular letter to the commanders of his Majesty's s.h.i.+ps.

I beg you will let me know if you can allow a young Swedish officer to serve on board any of the s.h.i.+ps under your command, as application has been made to me on the subject.

Admiral Puke is directing all his attention to the defence of Carlscrona; sailors and soldiers have been sent there from hence, the latter belonging to the Queen's German regiment, in some transports, which it is feared may be captured by some of your cruisers. I had the honour to write to you twice by the medium of this Government.

Mr. Jacobi will deliver to you a letter which Mr. Millander, a merchant of this place, has requested I would forward to your excellency.

I have the honour to be, &c.

A. Foster.

The letter conveyed by Mr. Jacobi respected his making a settlement in Gothland, which might be of use to the Admiral. This, however, became unnecessary, in consequence of the occupation of Hano, where supplies were plentifully obtained. Hano was also more convenient for convoys, and for communicating with England, &c.

Several letters pa.s.sed between the Admiral and Mr. Foster on the same subject; at length Rear-admiral Krusenstjerna was deputed to communicate verbally what could not be committed to paper. This officer pointed out the harbour of Matwick, only a few leagues to the northward of Hano, as the situation most suitable for the collection of convoys under the circ.u.mstances. This, being surveyed, was found to be safe and capacious. It was formed by a number of small islands, while it was impossible for any power, unless with a superior naval force, to molest the s.h.i.+ps in the harbour.

On the 6th of June directions to rescind the orders to capture Swedish s.h.i.+ps were given. These reached Sir James in a week, after which things went on smoothly and agreeably, no captures of any consequence having been made during the time the order was in force. Buonaparte, finding that his views of restricting British commerce were frustrated, insisted that the British minister should quit Stockholm; and Mr. Foster, having only forty hours' notice, arrived at Gothenburg on the 14th June. Here he wrote the following letters to Sir James, which will show the state of affairs, and the propriety of the steps the Admiral had hitherto taken.

Gothenburg, 14th June 1810.

SIR,

I should have written from Stockholm to inform you of my being obliged to quit that capital; but the Swedish minister's letters to me, conveying the wish of the Government that I should depart, gave me but forty hours to prepare myself, and I had scarcely time for any other occupation than that of getting ready during so short a period. I left Stockholm on the morning of the 8th inst. and arrived at Gothenburg this evening. I am anxiously waiting to receive orders from home, in order to take my departure.

The Swedish Government has now notified in London its intention to shut the ports of Sweden to his Majesty's packet-boats; therefore, I expect from day to day that an order will arrive for their exclusion. Captain Honeyman of his Majesty's s.h.i.+p Ardent has been kind enough to offer me a pa.s.sage on board the Chanticleer, if she can be detained a few days, and I shall very willingly and thankfully accept of the offer.

Baron d'Engestrom considered my departure, and the cessation of the correspondence between England and Sweden, as a necessary consequence of the treaties of peace lately concluded by this country, and therefore as not likely to produce any change in the present relations with Great Britain; indeed they have both long been announced as being to take place. The communication, therefore, will still be winked at, as I have reason to believe, by the Swedish Government, but it must be done privately.

I have, &c. &c.

AUGT. FOSTER.

The next letter was dated Gothenburg, 16th June; and after reiterating the above and acknowledging a despatch from Sir James, he adds,--

I am sincerely rejoiced at the modifications which have been made of your original instructions how to act towards the Swedes, and I have great satisfaction in telling you that, even previously to my leaving Stockholm, your conversation with Mr.

Brinkman had been reported to the Swedish minister, and the language you had held, and your moderate conduct subsequently, in regard to their trade, had made upon his mind the most favourable impressions. Both he and the rest of the cabinet of Stockholm seemed convinced that you had executed your orders with as much mildness and consideration for this country as could possibly be expected.

The following is Sir James's reply to these letters:

Victory, Hano Bay, 20th June 1810.