The Victory, after parting with the St. George, was detained by baffling winds and thick weather. Fortunately on the 21st good altitudes of the sun were obtained for the chronometers, and thereby the situation of the fleet was determined before the storm began on the 22nd: at noon it blew a strong gale from N.W. (by compass); Leostoff bore N. 31, W. 203 miles, the Texel S. 136 miles; but an allowance of two points was made for what was called indraft, and the course steered was S.W. by W. On the 23rd the storm increased with inconceivable violence: the Victory was scudding under close-reefed main-top-sail. At noon the signal was made for longitude, when it appeared that the reckoning of the whole fleet was much to the westward of the Victory, particularly the Vigo, no less than eighty-four miles; but none of the ships had observations for the chronometers, and therefore the commander-in-chief determined on running by the reckoning of his own ship; and had he not done so, the whole fleet would have shared the fate of the Hero in the same spot! At ten p.m. soundings were struck on the broad fourteen, which cleared up all doubts on the subject; on the next day the gale moderated, the fleet passed the Gallopere light and anchored to stop tide; on Christmas-day passed down Channel, and in the evening anchored in St. Helen's.
I may here observe with propriety, that I have since found the deviation from the true course, which by pilots and masters of ships had been attributed to indraft, &c. was occasioned entirely by the deviation of the magnetic needle when steering to the S.W. the point on which the attraction found in almost every ship was, by a series of experiments, established to be, from one to two points; (see Ross's voyage 1818;) while it is notorious that if the ship was standing N.E. the opposite point, it had been always found that not only no allowance for indraft was necessary, but that the error in the reckoning was on the opposite way; and we therefore conclude that many ships have been lost for want of making the necessary allowance for the deviation of the compass in steering across the North Sea, in a storm from N.W.
A correspondence was carried on with the Captains of this squadron without leading to any satisfactory reason for the extraordinary errors in the reckonings of each ship, and it is mentioned here to warn those who may be in a similar situation, and to induce them to obtain the errors of their compasses, for which plain rules have been given, if they are not provided with Professor Barlow's apparatus.
On the arrival of the Victory at Spithead, Sir James applied for leave of absence, and arriving in town received the unqualified approbation of Ministers, and of his Royal Highness the Prince Regent, for his wise and firm conduct on this critical situation of affairs in the Baltic, and for the important service he had rendered the country in maintaining peace, and in supporting the dignity of the Crown and the best interests of the community.
CHAPTER XIII.
1812.
State of Europe in 1812.—Critical situation of Sweden and Russia.—Advance of Buonaparte.—Sir James Saumarez resumes the command in the Baltic.—Attack on Anholt prevented.—Proceedings of the advanced squadron.—Arrival of the Victory at Gothenburg.—Capture and destruction of a Danish frigate and two brigs.—Captain Stewart's gallant conduct.—Official letters.—Capture of a ship in Pillau Roads.—L. Jones's gallant conduct.—Official letters.—Peace with Russia.—Correspondence with Mr. Thornton and Earl Cathcart, who is appointed Ambassador to the Court of St. Petersburg.—Proceedings of the hostile armies on the frontiers of Russia.—Admiral Byam Martin sent to co-operate.—Siege of Riga.—Diversion made by Admiral Martin in Dantzig Bay.—Capture and destruction of four French privateers.—Ratification of peace with Russia and Sweden.—Sir James named Knight Grand Cross of the Sword of Sweden.—His Swedish Majesty's letter and the answer.—Emperor Alexander sends the Russian fleet to England.—Defeat of the French at Polosk, Borodino, Moscow.—Retreat of Buonaparte.—Archangel fleet arrives.—Earl Cathcart.—Mr. Saumarez's tour to Åbo and St. Petersburg, and return to the Admiral with despatches.—Afflicting news from England.—Sir James's conduct on that occasion.—He is relieved by Sir George Hope.—Returns to England.—Strikes his flag.
The state of Europe at the commencement of this year left no doubt that a severe struggle for independence was approaching. It was evident that under the pretence of conquering a maritime peace, Buonaparte's ambition was nothing short of continental empire; his armies had been gradually advancing, and, under various pretexts, taking possession of every fortress in Prussia, and towards the frontiers of Russia. Supposing himself in a position to enforce the ruinous demands which he well knew could not be granted, he looked forward with confidence to the subjugation of Russia, after which Sweden would become an easy conquest. Alexander saw that the existence of his empire depended on the exertions he was now compelled to make, and before the conclusion of the last year, his intentions of resistance were secretly made known both to the British and Swedish cabinets. It was now deemed fortunate that the wise and temperate policy of Sir James had been the means of forming that coalition, which was subsequently the saving of Europe.