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 principal 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 document 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 document 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 circumstances 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,