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 circumstances 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 ships 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 Sölvitzborg.
The information I have received from Mr. Fenwick of the lamented death of the Crown Prince must have thrown this Government under very considerable embarrassment, 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 Romsöe 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 ships 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 Sölvitzborg, 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 assembled, the merchants having built store-houses on the island of Hano, previously inhabited by a few fishermen. The convoys at anchor there consisted of ships 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 accumulated 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.