There were at one time nineteen packets due from England.
Things in Sweden began to take a different turn. The conduct of the King in disgracing his guards, because, after beating three times their number of Russians in Finland, they were obliged to retreat, and could no longer defend Åbo, the capital of that province, rendered him unpopular; and a conspiracy was formed, at the head of which was Aldercreutz, the general who had been in Finland, in conjunction with Aldersparre, who commanded the western army, which was secretly set in motion for Stockholm from the frontiers of Norway, and had arrived at Orebro before reports of its progress reached the King.
On the night of the 8th of March, his Majesty issued orders for all the troops to get under arms at daylight; and on the morning of the 9th he demanded the specie from the bank, intending to set off with it to Scania. The ministers and officers of state were summoned to the council; and others, among whom was the Author, were required to attend his levee at nine o'clock, which was the moment fixed on by the conspirators, who entered, and told the King that he must not leave Stockholm. Drawing his sword, his Majesty made a pass at one of the conspirators: in the mean time the General seized the staff of power,[8] and ordered the others to seize the King, which they immediately obeyed by forcing him into the next room. They forgot, however, when they locked the door, that there was a private entrance, out of which the King immediately escaped, and appearing on the staircase, below which the Author was standing, he called loudly for help. Some of the conspirators, however, with great presence of mind, called to the soldiers on duty, "The King is mad;" on which they again secured him, and in the evening he was removed to Drottningholm, where his family resided.
The conspirators then went to his uncle the Duke of Sudermania, and, having represented the state of the King, requested he would assume the reins of government, to which he readily assented; and a proclamation was forthwith issued, declaring that Gustaf IV. Adolf was unable to govern the nation, and that his uncle had assumed the royal authority in his stead.
This proclamation made no sensation, and things went on as if nothing had happened.
The new regent and government were of course anxious to have the matter set favourably before the government of England; and, in order to prove that the King was actually deranged, the regent submitted to the Author a paper found in the dethroned King's desk, certainly in his own handwriting, in which he described himself as the "Man on the white horse" in the Revelations, and declared that he must fight a battle under the walls of Copenhagen, which would give peace to Europe.
The Author, who had only a few days before been named aide-de-camp and adjutant to the fleet, had no longer any command, and therefore demanded his passports, which were granted: but, understanding that he was to be arrested at Orebro, he left Stockholm two hours sooner than the stated time of his departure, and by pretending that he was a Swedish officer who had despatches for Count Rosen at Gothenburg, and that the English officer was some hours behind, he escaped through the western army, after being questioned and examined by Aldersparre. He at length arrived safe on board the Superb, which had cut out of the ice into Wingo Sound; and, being immediately forwarded by a packet, reached London in only nine days, where he found Sir James Saumarez preparing to resume his command.
It has been seen that, after Sir James's arrival in London, he was offered the chief command in the East Indies, which he declined chiefly because he did not consider his health equal to it; but he was not allowed to remain long idle. A squadron of the enemy's ships having escaped the vigilance of the Brest blockading fleet, Sir James was ordered to hoist his flag in the Mars, and proceed to sea in search of them: but their return into port before his squadron could be reported ready, did away with the necessity of his following them; and the affairs in Sweden rendering more necessary than ever, that an officer of his rank, character, and abilities should be sent to the Baltic, he was reappointed to that important command.
In the mean time Captain Searle was appointed to the Victory, Vice-captain Dumaresq, who had left her in consequence of a severe family affliction. The former was sent to Corunna, and was one of the fleet which brought home the remains of the army of the gallant but unfortunate Sir John Moore. On her return, Captain Dumaresq returned to the ship, as also Captain Hope, in his former situation; and Sir James's flag was hoisted in April at the Nore, whence she sailed soon after. His instructions were to proceed to Gothenburg, and take under his command all his Majesty's ships and vessels employed and to be employed in the Baltic: he was to consider the protection of the trade his principal object; to watch the Russian fleet, and attack it if possible. In the present state of Sweden no precise instruction could be given: but he was to preserve as long as possible an amicable intercourse with the Swedes; to use every means in his power to encourage and protect the trade of his Majesty's subjects with Sweden; to be cautious not to give offence to its government, and to afford protection to such Swedish vessels as might require it; to keep up the supply of water and provisions in the fleet, so as not to be dependent on the supplies from Swedish ports; and finally, to guard against the admission of the infectious disease which was at that time prevalent in Sweden.
The Victory arrived at her station on the 6th May, when a correspondence took place between Sir James and Mr. Merry, the British minister and chargé d'affaires. Sir James informed the latter that the Alexandria was ordered to take his excellency to England if required, which offer was accepted by Mr. Merry. Mr. Augustus Foster was left as chargé d'affaires, who announced his appointment in a letter to Sir James, dated Stockholm, 7th May. He describes the state of Sweden to be most unsettled and perplexing, but that no change had taken place in regard to her relations with England.