Memoirs and Correspondence of Admiral Lord de Saumarez Volume II Part 23

On the 24th May, the Author being sent confidentially by the Admiral to insist on some written doc.u.ment to explain the views of the Swedish Government in the sequestration of British property at Carlshamn, he obtained a promise, in presence of Mr. Smith, that the demand should be complied with after the arrival of the Stockholm post that evening; and accordingly on the following day the Baron Tawast transmitted what he termed the substance of his verbal communication with Admiral Saumarez.

1. That the s.h.i.+ps under Prussian colours loaded with colonial produce were detained as reprisals for Swedish s.h.i.+ps detained and confiscated in Prussian ports.

2. That the same step has been taken with the Danish s.h.i.+ps, in consequence of their having captured vessels belonging to Sweden.

3. That Sweden has been forced by imperious demands to confiscate all colonial produce found at Carlshamn under whatever flag, that the cargoes are put into safe stores, and that the s.h.i.+ps are permitted to depart paying nothing, and that these steps are taken to avoid great inconvenience and to hope for better times.

4. We engage to indemnify all merchandise insured in England, therefore, only those merchants who have neglected to insure will lose.

5. Colonial produce belonging to Swedish subjects will not be seized or confiscated.

6. s.h.i.+ps having made false declarations, and found loaded with warlike stores, will be confiscated, as also in time of peace.

7. It is engaged to give every possible facility for watering and supplying the English fleet with provisions: the same shall be given to Admiral Reynolds at Hano.

The above explanations stating the substance of the conference, according to Baron Tawast, being by no means satisfactory to Sir James, and indeed at variance with what he had inferred from it, he wrote the following letter to Mr. Smith:

Victory, in Wingo Sound, 25th May 1811.

SIR,

I have to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of this date, enclosing Baron Tawast's explanations of the late transactions at Carlshamn. With regard to the first article, it does not appear that any indemnification is held out for the property landed from the vessels under the Prussian flag at Carlshamn, which is represented as an act of retaliation for similar cargoes, belonging to Sweden, having been confiscated in the Prussian ports. Neither does the 4th article hold out any indemnification but to such property as may have been insured in England, it stating that the loss would fall only upon those merchants who have neglected to insure their cargoes. I request you will be pleased to report to Baron Tawast, what I had before the honour of stating to him, that Government will naturally expect that the British merchants will be indemnified for whatever property belongs to them which has been landed from vessels in Sweden, trading under licences from one of his Majesty's princ.i.p.al Secretaries of State, at the same time informing him that I shall transmit by the earliest opportunity to Government, under strict secrecy, a copy of the doc.u.ment you enclosed to me, and you will also be pleased to express to him my acknowledgments for the facility with which the supplies are proposed to be conveyed to the squadron at this anchorage and in Hano Bay.

I have, &c. &c. &c.

JAMES SAUMAREZ.

To J. Smith, Esq. Gothenburg.

Sir James at the same time enclosed the doc.u.ment to the Secretary of the Admiralty, as a confidential communication to the Board. He also wrote a private letter to Mr. Yorke, which we prefer inserting, as it gives a more full and explicit detail of all the circ.u.mstances of the transaction, and because it is an answer to the following letter from him which precedes it, and which was received by Sir James at that moment.

Admiralty, 21st May 1811.

SIR,

I had the honour to receive your letters of the 3rd, 4th, and 11th inst. and am glad to hear that the first divisions of your squadron made so favourable a pa.s.sage to their rendezvous in Wingo Sound. The four s.h.i.+ps with Linzee, which have been ready for some days, have been detained by the strong easterly winds; and though they sailed from St. Helen's the day before yesterday, I should not wonder to hear that they have put back again. Impetueux is getting forward, and we shall send her to you as soon as we can spare her from the reserve. Fisguard ought to be ready, but is to call at Deal for M. de Begenhas, Minister from Portugal to Russia, whom you will have the goodness to land as well as you can at Gothenburg, that he may find his own way forward.

I think we ought not to listen for a moment to any Swedish projects on Norway; my own opinion is that Bernadotte is playing us false, and at any rate I, for one, should dread to see a consolidation of the Swedish and Norwegian power, such as it is, in his, or indeed in any hand.

Since the arrival of the accounts of the landing the cargoes at Carlshamn, and the accompanying measures, considerable distrust appears to prevail here about alternate views of the Swedish Government. A little more time will develop their plans in all probability; in the mean time it seems very desirable that the bulk of your efficient force should remain where it is (in the Sleeve) to be ready to receive the requisite orders. Admiral Young has taken his station off West Ca.s.sel, and has fifteen sail of the line. Enemy, eleven in the Scheldt, three in Texel, and two at Helvoet. When the Impetueux joins, you will have eighteen, which is as many as we shall be able to give you for some time at least.

The public letters will have apprised you of the views of the Board of Trade and of the Government in the several points on which it was important that you should be informed. The Swedes should be gently but steadily convinced that it is in our power to resent this ill usage, and to turn the consequence of perfidy on the inventors; but the evil day should be postponed as long as possible and every practicable chance should be given them of remaining in the right path.

Accounts have been received this morning from Oporto via Bristol in eight days, which give us reason to suppose that Ma.s.sena has had a good beating near Almeida on the 3rd, 4th, and 5th inst., and has been obliged to retire towards Salamanca, with the loss of four thousand killed, and seven hundred prisoners. The British loss is stated at twelve hundred. It is very probable, as when the last accounts came away a battle was shortly expected.

I have, &c. &c. &c.

C. Yorke.

To Vice-admiral Sir James Saumarez, Bart., K.B. &c. &c.

Victory, in Wingo Sound, 28th May 1811.

DEAR SIR,

I have received the honour of your letter of the 21st, and I beg to a.s.sure you that I shall pay particular attention to that part of it which relates to the measures to be pursued with this country. With the exception of the affair at Carlshamn, which took place previously to my arrival, nothing has occurred to cause any interruption to the same intercourse as was held last year. The usual supplies are continued, and the places pointed out whence they can be most readily received. There certainly appears great prevarication on the part of the Swedish Government relative to the property landed from the neutral vessels at Carlshamn; and in an object of such importance, I beg to suggest the expediency of one or two persons, duly authorised by the merchants and underwriters concerned in the Baltic trade, repairing to Stockholm for the purpose of a.s.serting their claims, and seeing how far this Government may be disposed to indemnify them for the property sequestered. The sooner such a measure is adopted the better, as should it be delayed, and any alteration take place betwixt the two Governments, the whole will be lost. From what pa.s.sed between Baron Tawast and myself, I have reason to believe that Sweden would accede to this proposal.

In my letter to the Board I have recommended that the two bomb vessels that were intended for this station, should be expedited; their appearance alone would have the best effect in intimidating the Swedes to a compliance with our just demands.

I am in hourly expectation of seeing the s.h.i.+ps from Spithead; the addition of the Impetueux will, I hope, make us sufficiently strong in line-of-battle s.h.i.+ps, but two or three good frigates are much required.

I beg to offer you my sincere congratulations on the continued success of the army under Lord Wellington, and I trust the accounts from Spain will prove equally splendid.

With the highest regard, I have, &c. &c. &c.

JAMES SAUMAREZ.

The Right Hon. Chas. Yorke.

P.S.--I have received no further accounts from Mr. Smith relative to the rupture between Russia and France, which makes me apprehend that the reports have not been confirmed.

It now became Sir James's duty to make a strong remonstrance to the Swedish Government. Antic.i.p.ating the worst, he had made dispositions of the force under his command, which were at least sufficient to ensure respect. This was well known to Baron Tawast, whose visit was probably, in addition to other objects, to ascertain whether or not resistance could be effectually made in the event of hostile measures being taken. The following is the remonstrance alluded to.

His Britannic Majesty's s.h.i.+p Victory, Wingo Sound, 30th May 1811.

SIR,

I have the honour to inform your excellency that intelligence having been received by his Majesty's Government, that the cargoes belonging to British subjects, and that have been insured to a considerable amount in England, embarked in vessels belonging to Prussia, Denmark, Mecklenburg, and other States, have been landed in Sweden by order of the Swedish Government, under pretext of making reprisals for the Swedish property said to have been confiscated in Prussia and Denmark,--I have been directed to remonstrate in the strongest manner against measures so deeply affecting the interest of his Majesty's subjects, and at the same time to signify to the Swedish Government that I cannot permit such proceedings, under whatever pretext they may be disguised, and that if acts of so injurious a tendency are persevered in, I shall be obliged to depart from that indulgent course I have hitherto pursued towards Sweden.

In requesting your excellency will be pleased to make known the above communication to your Government, I beg to renew the a.s.surances of the perfect consideration with which I have the honour to be, Sir, &c.

JAMES SAUMAREZ.

To his Excellency M. General Baron de Tawast, Commander-in-chief, &c. Gothenburg.

Baron Tawast's reply to this letter was a simple a.s.surance that no hostile act was intended, and that the Swedish Government had been compelled to act as it had done. He had no doubt but eventually the English merchants would be indemnified, and he trusted that Sir James would not insist on sending his remonstrance to Government as he had no doubt that Baron Von Essen, who was expected in a few days, would explain all to his satisfaction, and that a rupture would thereby be avoided. The same a.s.surances were given to Mr. Consul Smith, but their proceedings had so evidently the appearance of gaining time that Sir James firmly insisted that his remonstrance should be transmitted to Government through the medium of Baron Essen, and in reply to a note from Consul Smith and Baron Tawast he wrote the following:

Victory, in Wingo Sound, 6th June 1811.

SIR,

I request you will signify to Baron Tawast, that I can have no objection to the letter I had the honour to address to him on the 30th ultimo being communicated to the Swedish Government through the means of his Excellency Count Essen; but having received directions from England to make the remonstrance it contained on the very unexpected measures adopted against the property of the British, I hold it my indispensable duty to require that it should be transmitted to the Government at Stockholm.

It could never be expected by this country that England would pa.s.s with indifference a measure so seriously affecting the interests of British merchants; and Government will naturally expect some satisfactory explanation upon the subject. Those made to me by Count Rosen and Baron Tawast have been transmitted without delay, and I hope those in reply to the remonstrance I have made by order of Government will prove of a satisfactory nature.

I have, &c. &c. &c.

JAMES SAUMAREZ.

To J. Smith, Esq., Gothenburg.

P.S.--You will be pleased to signify to his Excellency Count Rosen and General Baron Tawast, that I have not replied to the confidential communications they have done me the honour to make, as you would more fully convey to them any sentiments upon the subject to which they relate, and at the same time express to them my most ardent hope that the amicable intercourse that has existed between both countries, may not be interrupted by the present unfortunate altercation.