Sir James writes thus to his son; Sir John Moore's expedition being still at Gothenburg.
Victory, Gothenburg, 23rd May 1808.
I trust that we shall be enabled to defend Sweden during the summer; but, when winter sets in, we shall be compelled to withdraw our ships from the Baltic: this will expose the country to the attack of the enemy from Zealand and the ports on the south of the Baltic. The Swedes are a brave and upright people; they are faithful to their prince, and are very averse to any change in their government, and still more so to French principles. I have been twice on shore; but being near ten miles from Gothenburg, makes it inconvenient: it is a place of great trade; at this time, at least twelve hundred sail of vessels of different nations are in the port.
The above is a sufficient proof of the good opinion Sir James had formed of the Swedish character, and which, he often said, he never had occasion to alter.
Sir James was now placed in one of the most anxious and arduous situations which it was possible to imagine. He had to protect the commerce of both nations in a dangerous and intricate navigation, with which his ships were but little acquainted, opposed on every side by Russians, Prussians, French, Danes, and Norwegians. It was requisite that his forces should be most judiciously disposed; and great tact and firmness were indispensable to conduct affairs under the existing circumstances. His conduct on this, as well as on every former occasion, was such as to deserve and obtain the high approbation of the government, and the people of both Great Britain and Sweden. The first letter Sir James received from Gustavus Adolphus was written in French, of which the following is an exact copy:
Château de Stockholm, le 6 Mai 1808.
Monsieur l'Amiral,
J'ai ordonné à mon aide-de-camp général de la marine, le Vice-amiral Baron de Rayalin de se rendre en Sconie, pour se concerter avec vous sur les opérations des flottes Swedoise et Anglaise contre l'ennemi commun. Il est indispensable de déployer la plus grande activité et energie proportionnées au danger; le Baron Rayalin vous montrera un plan à cet effet, que j'ai arrêté, et dont communication a été faite au Ministre de sa Majesté Britannique, resident auprès de moi, qui'il a du vous envoyer. Je suis persuadé que vous saisirez avec plaisir cette occasion pour remplir à ce que l'honneur et le devoir vous prescrivent. Et sur ce je prie Dieu qu'il vous ait, Monsieur l'Amiral, en sa sainte et digne garde; etant votre bien affectionné,
Gustaf Adolph.
A l'Amiral commandant les forces navales de sa
Majesté Britannique, dans le Sund.