Captain Murray, having been relieved from his station, by a squadron under Rear-Admiral Totty, met Lord Nelson, with four sail of the line, off the north end of Gothland; and, on the 23d, at three in the morning, his lordship joined the rear-admiral off Gothland. He left him, however, the same evening; and, having sent the Ganges, Defence, and Veteran, to water in Kioge Bay, anchored next day off Rostock. His lordship had now not only received letters from the Russian government of an indisputably amicable tendency, but his Imperial Majesty, Alexander the First, with a wisdom and candour which do him the highest honour, absolutely sent Admiral Tchitchagoff for the purpose of holding a confidential communication with the British commander in chief. His lordship, accordingly, in a conference with this brave and worthy Russian admiral, soon became satisfied that the emperor, like his own most gracious sovereign, was sincerely disposed to enter into an amicable arrangement, and they respectively exchanged written documents to that effect; thus proving, that two honest and wise seamen are by no means such bad pacific negociators as might be imagined. Nor was this all; for, on the 26th, Lord Nelson received an invitation to visit the Emperor Alexander, in a letter from the Comte de Pahlen, which also apprised his lordship that the British merchant ships, unjustly detained by his imperial majesty's late predecessor, were now ordered to be liberated. To this pleasing communication, his lordship instantly returned the following answer, by the Russian lugger which brought his letter from the count.
"St. George, Rostock Bay, 10 o'clock at night, 26th May 1801.
"SIR,
"I am this moment honoured with your excellency's flattering letter of May 6, O.S. and I assure you, that his imperial majesty's justice has filled the idea I had formed of his excellent heart and head; and, I am sure, the handsome manner in which the embargo has been taken off the British shipping, will give the greatest pleasure to my good and gracious sovereign. I am truly sensible of the great honour done me, by the invitation of his imperial majesty; and, at a future time, I hope to have the pleasure of presenting my humble duty. I have now only to pray that a permanent (which must be honourable) peace, may be re-established between our gracious sovereigns; and, that our august masters reigns may be blessed with every happiness which this world can afford: and I beg that your excellency will believe, that I am, with the highest respect, your most obedient and very humble servant,
Nelson and Bronte.
His Excellency the Comte de Pahlen."
There could now be no sort of doubt, that a peace with the northern powers must soon be concluded on terms honourable to all parties. The Danes, however, though so liberally treated, appear to have been somewhat sore from the wounds which their temerity had invited. Sweden, through the whole business, sagaciously kept as much as possible aloof: ready to meet the evils of war, if necessary; but prudently prefering to avoid them, while this might be effected without dishonour. Such, happily, was also the disposition of Russia, from the moment of the frantic Paul's demise; as well as that of the British government, which had been forced into a state of hostility with those whom they were ever desirous of considering only as friends. Nations sincerely so disposed, have only thoroughly to understand each other, and the sword need seldom quit it's scabbard. With respect to Denmark, however, though a positive peace was every hour expected by his lordship, he found it necessary, at the beginning of June, to remind some of her governors of the conditions of the armistice. In a letter of June 11th, to Rear-Admiral Totty, his lordship writes—"A week, from this date, all must be settled, one way or the other. Reports say, that victuallers are laying at Yarmouth, ready to sail; probably, they are waiting the issue of Lord St. Helen's negociation at St. Petersburgh. In Denmark, we shall no longer find an enemy; they have too much to lose, by the renewal of hostilities.
At this moment, generally speaking, they hate us; but they are determined not to give up their colonies, ships, &c. In this nation, we shall not be forgiven our having the upper hand of them. I only thank God we have, or they would try and humble us to the dust." In this letter, his lordship says, to the worthy rear-admiral—"I feel much flattered at your kind wishes for my remaining with the fleet: but, although my health is perfectly re-established; yet, as the Admiralty cannot know it, I trust that they have had consideration to my situation, and directed another admiral to supersede me. Sir Thomas Graves is represented to be getting better; but, as yet, is unable to get out of his cabin." In a preceding letter to Admiral Totty, speaking of the indisposition of his worthy friend, is the following interesting passage, admirably illustrative of the characteristically affectionate regards of these most brave and excellent men. "Sir Thomas Graves is still very ill: so much so, that he begged I would not go and see him; as the pleasure he had in seeing me, did him harm when he was left." The pain, too, which he knew could not fail to be felt by his sympathetically susceptible friend, doubtless formed an equally strong reason for dreading those visits, in the breast of the rear-admiral, though he had the kind precaution to conceal that cause. Can we wonder, that such men should be invincible!
On the 13th of June, Lord Nelson received permission for his return to England; and immediately thanked the Lords of the Admiralty, in an answer addressed to Mr. Nepean, for the very flattering and handsome manner in which their lordships had expressed their acquiescence with his request of the 17th of May. Having received, at the same time, a commission from his majesty, to invest his friend Rear-Admiral Graves with the military order of the Bath, his lordship performed that ceremony, on board the St George, next day, in the following manner.
"His Majesty's Ship St. George, Kioge Bay,
June 14, 1801.