To Earl Mulgrave.
CHAPTER VIII.
1808.
State of Affairs in Sweden.—Alarm of the King.—Sir James selected to command the Baltic Fleet.—Correspondence with Lord Mulgrave.—Sir John Moore's Expedition.—Arrives at Gothenburg.—Capture and Destruction of a Danish seventy-four.—Sir John Moore goes to Stockholm.—Is arrested, and escapes.—Expedition returns to England.—Disposition of the Fleet.—Sir James proceeds to Carlscrona.—Rescue of Romana's Army.—Sir James proceeds to the Gulf of Finland.—Capture and Destruction of the Russian seventy-four, Sewolod.—The combined Swedish and English Fleet off Baltic Port.—Reconnoitres the Russian Fleet in the harbour, and determines to attack them.—Prevented by change of winds.—Proceeding off Baltic Port.—Letter to the Emperor of Russia.—Fleet returns to Carlscrona.
The success of Buonaparte in Austria and Prussia, by which he was enabled to force Denmark to join him against Great Britain, and which, in the preceding year, led to the capture of Copenhagen and to the possession of the Danish fleet, had now induced Russia to accede to the proposal of declaring England to be in a state of blockade: Sweden alone remained faithful. The preparations for invasion which were making at St. Petersburg having alarmed King Gustavus Adolphus, the most earnest solicitations were made for a large naval and military force to be sent from England for its protection. A fleet was accordingly ordered on that important service, and Sir James Saumarez was selected as the commander-in-chief best qualified to undertake it.
The Victory, which had been thoroughly repaired after the battle of Trafalgar, was commissioned at Chatham early in March, by Captain Philip Dumaresq, for Sir James's flag, which was soon after hoisted: Rear-admirals Sir Samuel Hood, R.G. Keats, M. Dixon, and A. Bertie, were placed under his command. The fleet consisted of sixteen ships of the line; and, including frigates, sloops, and gun-vessels, the number amounted to sixty-two sail.
Admiralty, February 20th, 1808.
Dear Sir,