Transcriber's note:
"Inconsistent hyphenation and spelling in the original document have been preserved. Obvious typographical errors have been corrected. Accents on foreign names have been added where necessary.

The ERRATA given in this edition are indicated by dotted lines under the corrections. Scroll the mouse over the word and the original text will appear.

An abbreviation key for the table was added on page 411, as it was too large in the original to be read easily in this format.

The transcriber's note at the end of this e-book lists the other corrections that have been made.

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Frontispiece.
Portrait of Lord de Saumarez.

MEMOIRS
AND CORRESPONDENCE

OF

ADMIRAL
LORD DE SAUMAREZ.

FROM

ORIGINAL PAPERS IN POSSESSION OF THE FAMILY.

BY SIR JOHN ROSS, C.B. K.S.A. K.C.S. F.R.A.S.

CAPTAIN IN THE ROYAL NAVY.

IN TWO VOLUMES.

VOL. II.

LONDON:
RICHARD BENTLEY, NEW BURLINGTON STREET,

Publisher in Ordinary to Her Majesty.

1838.

LONDON:
PRINTED BY SAMUEL BENTLEY,
Dorset Street, Fleet Street.

CONTENTS
OF THE SECOND VOLUME.

[CHAPTER I.]

News of the Battles of the 6th and 12th of July reach England.—Rejoicings on the occasion, particularly described in a letter from Mrs. Saumarez.—Promotion of Lieutenant Dumaresq.—Letters from Earl St. Vincent, Mr. Tucker, and others.—Remarks on the conduct of the Governor and Garrison at Gibraltar.—State of the crew of the Cæsar.—Ship refitted.—Appointments of officers to the St. Antoine, and other vacancies.—Correspondence with the Spanish Governor at Cadiz on the subject of red-hot balls.—Accusation refuted.—Letters from Lord Keith, Sir John Warren, and Captain Dixon.—Squadron off Cadiz reinforced.—Sir James resumes the blockade of Cadiz.—His proceedings.—Remarks on the result of the two Actions.

[CHAPTER II.]

Despatches arrive from England.—Sir James superseded by Sir Charles Morice Pole.—Remarks and correspondence on the subject.—The St. George and four sail of the line arrive.—Blockade of Cadiz.—Sir James continues as second in command.—His appointments not confirmed.—Injustice of his treatment.—Letters from various persons.—The Cæsar arrives at Gibraltar.

[CHAPTER III.]

Preliminaries of peace.—Sir James created a Knight of the Bath.—Remarks on that Order.—Ceremony of investiture.—Action of the Pasley and Rosario.—Sir James receives the thanks of both Houses of Parliament.—Speeches of Earl St. Vincent, Lord Nelson, and Mr. Pitt.—The freedom of the city of London,—and a sword.—Address from Guernsey and Jersey.—Silver vases.—Inscriptions thereon.

[CHAPTER IV.]

Sir James disappointed in not returning home.—Extract of a letter to his brother.—The French send ships to the West Indies.—Squadron detached after them.—Death of General O'Hara.—Sir James receives orders to superintend the evacuation of Minorca.—Arrival of H.R.H. Duke of Kent.—Sir James arrives at Minorca.—Definitive treaty of peace.—Proceedings there.—Island given up to Spain.—The Cæsar arrives at Gibraltar.—Proceeds to England.—Anchors at Spithead.

[CHAPTER V.]

Commencement of Hostilities with France.—Sir James hoists his Flag at Sheerness.—Proceeds to Guernsey.—Flag in the Grampus.—Anecdote of Captain Caulfield.—Sir James visits Jersey, &c.—Diomede arrives as Flag ship.—The Admiral examines the Defence of the Island.—Loss of La Minerve.—Attack and Bombardment of Granville.—Cerberus gets aground.—Narrow Escape from a Shot.—Public and Private Letters.—Blockade of the Coast.—Loss of the Shannon and Grappler.—Conclusion of 1803.

[CHAPTER VI.]

Sir James continues in the command at Guernsey.—Proceedings of his Squadron.—Letter from Lord Nelson, dated two days before he was killed.—Capture and destruction of La Salamandre.—Sir James's benevolent conduct at Guernsey.

[CHAPTER VII.]

Sir James is called into active service.—Joins the Channel Fleet as second in command.—Shifts his Flag from the San Josef to the Prince of Wales.—His decisive conduct.—Anecdote of the Prince of Wales' Men.—Change of Ministry.—Sir James leaves the Channel Fleet, and returns to Guernsey.—Is offered the Command in the East Indies.—Letter on that occasion.

[CHAPTER VIII.]

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.

[CHAPTER IX]

Sir James at Carlscrona.—Arrangements.—Author left in Sweden.—Letter from the Swedish Admiral.—Sir James leaves Carlscrona.—Arrives at Gothenburg.—Makes arrangements for the protection of the Trade.—Leaves Rear Admiral Keats in Command.—His departure from Sweden, and arrival in the Downs.—Proceeds to the Admiralty, and receives their Lordships' high approbation.—Proceedings of the Fleet.—Revolution in Sweden.—Sir James reappointed to the command in the Baltic.—His correspondence with Mr. Foster.—Official notice of the Duke of Sudermania being elected King of Sweden.—He confers upon Sir James the Grand Cross of the Order of the Sword.

[CHAPTER X.]

Blockade of the Russian fleet.—Swedes' expedition, under Admiral Puké and General Wachtmeister, sails,—is unsuccessful. Private correspondence with Mr. Foster.—Armistice and Peace with Russia.—Peace with Denmark.—Proceedings of the Fleet.—State of affairs in Sweden.—Fleet returns to Carlscrona, and subsequently to England.

[CHAPTER XI.]

Sir James's third year in the command of the Baltic Fleet. Proceeds to Gothenburg and Havre.—Correspondence with Mr. Foster, Admiral Krusenstjerna, and others.—Swedes shut their ports.—Death of the Crown Prince.—Murder of Count Fersen.—Restrictions of the Swedish commerce.—Sir James's judicious conduct in that and in several disputes.—Election of Bernadotte, and his entry into Sweden.—Correspondence on the subject.—Sir James returns to England, and receives the approbation of the government and the nation.

[CHAPTER XII.]

Buonaparte declares he will conquer a "Maritime Peace."—Illness of George III.—Prince of Wales Regent.—Sir James obtains leave of absence.—The Victory sent to Lisbon with troops.—Attack on Anholt.—Gallant defence of the garrison.—Sir James continues in the Baltic at the request of ministers.—Letters respecting Anholt.—Letters from the Duke of Brunswick and answers thereto.—Arrival in Sweden of Sir James.—Letters to Mr. Yorke and Admiral Reynolds.—Negotiations on the sequestration of English ships at Carlscrona.—Conference with Baron Tawast.—Written document from the Baron unsatisfactory.—Letter from the Admiralty.—Sir James remonstrates with the Swedish Government.—Evasive answer.—Further correspondence.—Value of sequestered property.—Capture of two Danish privateers.—Gallant conduct of Lieut. St. Clair and Mr. Purcell.—Determination of Russia not to accede to the terms of France.—The Crown Prince places implicit confidence in Sir James.—Arrival of Mr. Thornton.—He is smuggled into the city of Gothenburg.—Amicable confirmation of the Ghent treaty.—Situation of the fleet.—Sir James's letter.—Disaster of the St. George and convoy.—Admiral Reynolds's letter.—Arrival of St. George at Wingo.—Sailing of the fleet.—St. George and Hero's convoy put back.—Sail again.—Melancholy wrecks of the St. George and Defence.—Captain Pater's narrative.—Remarks.—Loss of the Hero and convoy.—Proceedings of the Victory.—Remarks on crossing the North Sea.—Sir James arrives at Spithead.

[CHAPTER XIII.]

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.—Lieut. 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.

[CHAPTER XIV.]

State of the Continent after the defeat of Buonaparte.—Sir James's services in the Baltic no longer required.—Retires from service, but not from public life.—His various occupations.—His claims for a Peerage disregarded.—Correspondence and observations thereon.—His residence in Guernsey.—Visit to Oxford.—Letter from Lord Nelson.—Captain Miller's monument.—Political opinions.—Letter from Earl St. Vincent.—Is appointed to the command at Plymouth.—Speech of Earl Grey.—Receives a visit from Lord Exmouth.—Strikes his flag.—Claims for a Peerage again disregarded.—Returns to Guernsey.—His reception there.—Death of George IV.—Accession of William IV.—Is created Baron de Saumarez.—Letter from Lady de Saumarez.—His reception at the Island of Guernsey, and rejoicings there.

[CHAPTER XV.]

Political opinions and conduct of Lord de Saumarez.—Death of his second son.—His letter on that occasion.—Anecdotes of his carriage being robbed.—Of Sweden.—The King of Sweden presents him with his portrait.—Count Wetterstedt's letter and Lord de Saumarez's answer.—Lord de Saumarez's last illness and death.—His Christian fortitude.—His professional character.—Moral and religious character.—Remarks and conclusion.

[ADDENDA.]

Memoir of Sir Thomas de Saumarez.	[page 332]
Memoir of Captain Philip de Saumarez.	[page 348]

[Appendix].

[Index].

LIST OF PLATES

[Frontispiece.]
[Battle of the 12th July 1801]
[Harbour of Rogerwick]

ERRATA.
Page 130, l. 4, for "Eurthalms" read "Eartholms."
182, l. 8, -- "Stedriegh" read "Stedinck."
184, l. 3, -- "remaininig" read "remaining."
187, l. 5, -- "Krusensbyerna" read "Krusenstjerna."

APPENDIX.
396, for "T. Manzell" read "T. Mansell."
397,-- "Michaer," read "Michael."

THE LIFE
OF
LORD DE SAUMAREZ.

CHAPTER I.

1801.

The news of the splendid victory of the 12th of July was received in England with enthusiasm. After it became known that the squadron under Sir James Saumarez had been so materially damaged at Algeziras, it was thought impossible that the ships could have been prepared to meet the enemy in so short a time. The Admiral's despatches, subsequently to the first battle, stated that an overwhelming force had been sent to Algeziras from Cadiz; and, consequently, the news of his subsequent triumph over so great a superiority of force struck every person with astonishment.

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Battle of the 12th July 1801, when two Spanish ships of the line were burnt, and one French 74 taken by Rear-admiral Sir James Saumarez in the Straits of Gibraltar.

The Louisa brig, Lieutenant Truscott, having on board Lieutenant Dumaresq, arrived off Mount's Bay on the 30th July. This officer landed with Sir James's despatches, and immediately proceeded to London. He was received at the Admiralty by Earl St. Vincent in the most gratifying manner. Mr. Addington, then prime minister, sent an express to Sir James's youngest brother at Brighton, requesting his presence in London; and, on his arrival, he in the handsomest manner presented him with a situation of trust and importance in the island of Ceylon, with a salary of two thousand pounds per annum. Lieutenants Dumaresq of the Cæsar, Jackson of the Superb, and Lillicrap of the Venerable, were promoted to the rank of commanders.

The extraordinary public sensation which this important and unexpected victory created, is described in the following letter from Mrs. Saumarez of Newington, (Sir James's sister-in-law,) to whom Lieutenant Dumaresq paid a visit on leaving the Admiralty.

London, 5th August 1801.

My dear Sir James,

It is impossible to express the admiration and enthusiasm which your late despatches have excited in the breasts of all ranks of people. You are now the theme of every conversation, the toast of every table, the hero of every woman, and the boast of every Englishman. When Dumaresq waited on Lord St. Vincent, his lordship squeezed his hand in the greatest rapture, exclaiming, "I knew it,—I knew it,—I knew the man,—I knew what he could do! It is the most daring thing that has been done this war. It is the first thing.—I knew it would be so!" He then gave Dumaresq his commission, and wrote a letter of congratulation to Lady Saumarez, which he charged Phil. Dumaresq to deliver with his own hand. I trust they are now both together; and, after staying there one day, Phil. is to return to town.

Lord St. Vincent also sent Dumaresq to Mr. Addington, who received him in the most gracious manner. He told Phil. everything that man could say in terms of approbation; and justly added, that, however the multitude might estimate and admire the last action, yet the first, in his own mind, and in the minds of men who understood the matter, was equally deserving of praise, and would have fixed their approbation of Sir James's conduct, even though he had failed in his second attempt. At the same time he owned, that the exertions made by the men after the first action, in order to meet the second, were beyond conception or example. Indeed, they must surpass Mr. Addington's conception, since even Lord St. Vincent told Dumaresq that it was far beyond what he himself could imagine. In short, my dear Sir James, you have been achieving a deed that has held you up to the contemplation of mankind, and that secures you the gratitude of your country.

You will, no doubt, soon receive very distinguished marks of the royal and the national favour. In the mean time you will be delighted, equally with ourselves, to find that the stream of prosperity, beginning to flow towards you, has already involved your brother Nicholas, who was sent for yesterday from Brighton, in order to wait on Mr. Addington to-morrow morning. It can be for no other purpose than to make his fortune. God knows the poor fellow has suffered enough on your account! for we had the rascally French despatches full ten days before we received yours; and, when we did receive the first account, your brother Richard was not satisfied. He feared the business was not done, and his mind dwelt upon it with anxiety. At last, on the 1st of August, and not before, all our fears were removed; and yesterday we received the news that Mr. Addington had sent for Nicholas.

Indeed, Sir James, you have electrified your whole circle of friends in a masterly manner; for the very great success you experienced at last, came with double effect upon those who had greatly feared for you at the first: and, let me add, that not only your actions, but your letters also, are very much admired, and, I think, most deservedly.

Dumaresq is just like yourself,—unassuming and unaffected. He had been with us an hour with his commission in his pocket, without telling us of it; and it was only accidentally that we discovered he had been promoted.

And now, my dear Sir James, let me speak like an old woman. I tremble for you. Had you only dangers and difficulties to encounter, I should not fear; but now you are going to be overwhelmed with wealth, titles, fame, adulation, and distinction; with everything, in short, that can make a man forget himself;

"And Satan, wiser than he was of yore,
Now tempts by making rich, not making poor!"

Now, if in such a situation you can retain the two pillars of your Christian faith, namely, humility and patience, you will then be the first of human characters. Alas! how seldom it is that we see the characters of the hero and the philosopher blended in one! When the head monopolises the spirits, the heart often wants courage; and, if the heart is strong, the head is weak. But, as no part of you has yet betrayed signs of weakness, endeavour to preserve yourself the same in future as

God bless you, my dear brother! and God bless also Captain Brenton, and all the heroes that are with you, and bring you safe back again to enjoy the favours of your grateful country! M —— is here very happy. She sent to the Bank yesterday for money, and requested to have cash instead of notes. She was refused of course, at first; but when Mr. Brock said, that, upon his honour, the money was for Sir James Saumarez's sister, the guineas made their appearance immediately. I give you this as a specimen of what people think of you. Two engravers have called on us for your picture; and I have written to Lady Saumarez to let them have it. I hope her ladyship and Captain Dumaresq are now in high chat.

I remain, dear brother,
Ever truly yours,

M.S.

P.S. Richard desires his love; but you have deprived him of sleep.

As you could think on Mrs. Pope at the time you were undertaking the most desperate attempt that ever was made, you may probably find time to inquire for Horace T. who is now at Gibraltar hospital mending two broken thighs. He is the son of Mrs. T. whom you have met at our house. She keeps a ladies' school next door to us; and, could you serve her son, you would help the widow and the fatherless, and please me at the same time.

The following letters from Earl St. Vincent, and his secretary Mr. Tucker, will demonstrate the high estimation in which the victory of the 12th of July was held at the Admiralty.

Admiralty, 5th August 1801.

My dear Sir

I have to acknowledge your letters of the 30th June, 5th, 6th, 7th, 9th, 13th July, and to congratulate you most heartily on the career of glory you and your gallant squadron have run in the course of those periods. The hardy enterprise of the 6th merited complete success; but all who know the baffling winds in the Bay of Gibraltar can readily account for the event of it. The astonishing efforts made to refit the crippled ships in Gibraltar Mole surpasses everything of the kind within my experience; and the final success in making so great an impression on the very superior force of the enemy crowns the whole. I have great satisfaction in reporting to you that I have received the most gracious and full approbation of his Majesty this morning of your whole conduct, and that of every officer and man under your command, and I hear nothing but praise and admiration from every quarter.

We wait impatiently the arrival of Vice-admiral Pole from the Baltic to detach a powerful reinforcement to you, and we are not without hopes that four ships of the line are on their passage from Cork to join you before Cadiz, or at Gibraltar.

Having, from the moment of your departure, felt the most perfect confidence that everything would be performed for the honour and success of his Majesty's arms within the reach of human power, I have only to add my anxious wish that another opportunity will present itself, ere long, for a further display of that talent and intrepidity from which the country has, upon so many occasions, received important benefits.

I have the honour to be
With the most perfect regard and esteem,
Very sincerely yours,

St. Vincent.

To Sir James Saumarez.

Admiralty, 10th August 1801.

Dear Sir,

I congratulate you from my heart and soul, and assure you that I rejoice most sincerely in the glorious events you have achieved. I but feebly express what I feel on this occasion. It has been your good fortune, sir, to bear so large a part in accomplishing the most glorious actions of this eventful war, that you can scarcely have had an opportunity of witnessing their immediate effect on the public mind; but, be assured, in no instance has there been more lively admiration expressed of the intrepidity and indefatigable zeal of our navy, than has been shown by all ranks, of your most gallant enterprises, even before the account of your first action was received; and I am sure you will excuse me for adding the tribute my noble lord paid on that occasion, who, when he read the French account that they had taken the Hannibal, exclaimed, "We may have lost a ship, but I well know the man and the men who are there, and I'll pledge my life the nation has lost no honour!" The instant despatch of the ships from Ireland will prove that it was not conceived possible for you to have so soon refitted the squadron, which has been the subject of great admiration and surprise.

The noble and liberal conduct of the squadron in admitting the Pompée and Hannibal to partake of their prize-money is an honourable and beautiful contrast to the bickerings which have arisen lately respecting joint captures, and must ensure success to every claim that can be made out; but I am afraid we shall not be able to find a precedent for anything beyond head-money being given for ships which have been blown up in action.

B. Tucker.

We shall now return to the proceedings at Gibraltar, where we left the squadron of Sir James Saumarez, after the glorious battle of the 12th July.

The extreme degree of excitement and enthusiasm, sharpened by revenge, which supported the gallant crew of the Cæsar, and enabled them to perform such prodigious labour during the last seven days, had now subsided. The incessant fatigue which they had endured, both of body and mind, their long abstinence from their natural sleep, and the sudden change from bustle to inactivity, threw the whole of the men into such a state of languor and debility, that they were found lying on the bare planks of the deck, having sunk exhausted, and incapable of making any exertion. This state of stupor continued several hours; some days, indeed, elapsed before many of them regained their usual strength and spirits. At length, however, the men again began to refit the ship, and prepare for resuming the blockade of Cadiz.

Nothing could surpass the attention, kindness, and hospitality of the governor and garrison of Gibraltar, who were, by the signal defeat of the combined squadron, happily relieved from a state of siege. Invitations from every quarter were given; but Sir James, who was averse to adulation, declined all except those of the governor, which he considered it his duty not to refuse. No time was lost in sending the men who were saved from the unfortunate Real Carlos to Algeziras; and Sir James entered into a correspondence with the governor, and subsequently with the commander-in-chief at Cadiz, for an exchange of prisoners, which, as the circumstances were now different from those which lately existed, was acceded to without waiting for the permission of the Minister of Marine at Paris. Consequently the whole of the Hannibal's men were sent to Gibraltar, in exchange for the crew of the San Antonio, which ship was surveyed, taken into the service, and commissioned. On this occasion the following promotions took place.

Commander the Hon. Geo. H.L. Dundas, of the Calpé, was appointed captain of the San Antonio, now called the St. Antoine; Lieut. Lamburn, first of the Cæsar, to command the Calpé; Mr. Beard, master's mate of the Cæsar, to be lieutenant of the St. Antoine, to which ship the purser and warrant officers of the Thames, also, were appointed. Mr. Champion, secretary to Sir James, was made purser of the Thames, while warrant officers were selected from the class of petty officers in the Cæsar; Mr. John Brenton was appointed to fill the vacancy of lieutenant in the Cæsar; Lieutenant Janvrin was made first lieutenant of the St. Antoine; and the other vacancies for lieutenants were filled up from the other ships, viz. Messrs. Curry and Hillier of the Pompée, T. Dowel of the Venerable, E. Donovan of the Superb, and Mr. J. Crawfurd, master of the El Carmen, were made acting lieutenants to the said ships; while the marine officers of the Hannibal, Lieutenant (now Colonel) Connolly, and Lieutenant Dunford, were also transferred with the marines of that ship to the prize. All these appointments were transmitted to, but not confirmed by, the Admiralty, excepting Captain Dundas, and Captain Dumaresq, who was subsequently appointed to the Calpé.

As the correspondence between Sir James and the Spanish commander-in-chief is highly creditable to both, and as it clears up a doubt which may still exist, we give an exact copy from the original letters, which were exchanged by a flag of truce.

H.M.S. Cæsar, off Cadiz, 17th August 1801.

Having been informed that reports were circulated in Spain, ascribing the destruction of the two first-rates, Real Carlos and San Hermenegildo, in the engagement of the 12th July last, to red-hot balls from his Majesty's ships under my command, I take this present opportunity to contradict, in the most positive and formal manner, a report so injurious to the characteristic humanity of the British nation, and to assure your Excellency that nothing was more void of truth. This I request you will be pleased to signify in the most public way possible. To assuage, as far as lay in my power, the miseries that must necessarily result from a state of warfare, has ever been my strenuous endeavour, and such will be the rule of my conduct in carrying on the blockade of Cadiz, or any other service committed to my charge.

I beg your Excellency to accept the renewal of my respectful regard; and I have the honour to be,

With the highest consideration,
Your Excellency's most obedient and most humble servant,

James Saumarez.

To his Excellency Don Joseph de Mazzaredo, Commander-in-chief of his
Most Cath. Maj. ships, Cadiz.

The flag of truce, which had been sent into Cadiz with some passengers, taken in a small vessel, and with the above letter, returned with the following answer, of which we give a verbatim copy, as a specimen of a foreigner's English:

Esteemed Sir,

The reports which have been current, that the burning of the two royal ships, on the nights of the 12th and 13th, arose from the use of red-hot balls, which were fired at them, have existed only among the ignorant public, and have not received credit from any persons of condition, who well know the manner of combating of the British navy. At the same time they give the greatest credit to the assertion of your Excellency that nothing could be more foreign from the truth, and the characteristic humanity of the British nation. I have myself experience of the particular conduct of your Excellency, conformable to your personal character, and to that of your late commander-in-chief, his Excellency Lord St. Vincent, in the manner in which, in the last blockade of Cadiz, he reconciled with the duties of a state of war those attentions and considerations to alleviate miseries not connected with the great object, and to secure that good intelligence and friendship with which two powers may suspend for a time treating each other as enemies; and I have no doubt that such will always be the rule of your Excellency's conduct.

In my particular circumstances, with an obligation to reside in this capital, as Captain-general of the Marine department, the correspondence in any urgent case of a flag of truce might suffer delay; and it would be convenient for your Excellency to address yourself directly to Don Joseph Herryar, Commandant-general of the province and army of Andalusia, qui (who) resides in Cadiz.

I will avail myself of every occasion to assure your Excellency of the esteem and consideration which I profess for your person.

God grant you may live a thousand years!
Your most obedient servant,

Joseph Mazzaredo.

Isle of Leon, 17th August 1801.

The following reply was sent by Sir James to the Spanish Admiral:

Cæsar, off Cadiz, 18th August 1801.

Sir,

I have received the honour of your Excellency's letter, by which I am extremely happy to find the reports of the Real Carlos and San Hermenegildo having been destroyed by red-hot balls from the squadron under my orders have only been credited by the ignorant public, and not by persons of higher condition in Spain. But as such reports, if permitted to gain ground without being contradicted, must tend to irritate the minds of the public, and occasion an animosity between the two nations that ought not to exist, I trust your Excellency will be pleased to comply with my request in causing the formal disavowal of it to be publicly notified.

The very flattering manner in which your Excellency is pleased to express yourself at my endeavours to alleviate the miseries attendant on a state of warfare during the former blockade of Cadiz, under the orders of the Earl of St. Vincent, afford me infinite satisfaction. It is by pursuing similar conduct that I hope to deserve the approbation of the King my royal master, and that of the English nation.

I shall comply with your Excellency's desire in order to accelerate the communication of flags of truce, that they in future be addressed to his Excellency the Governor-general of the province of Andalusia.

I beg your Excellency to accept my sincere and fervent wishes for your health and every possible happiness, and my assurance of the sentiments of most perfect regard with which I have the honour to be

Your Excellency's most obedient
and most humble servant,

Jas. Saumarez.

To his Excellency Don Joseph Mazzaredo, &c. &c. &c.

We need only add that Sir James's request was complied with, and that several communications were subsequently made by flags of truce for the exchange of prisoners, by which the sufferings on both sides were much alleviated.

News of the battle of Algeziras, and of the loss of the Hannibal, having reached the Admiralty through the French papers, their lordships despatched a vessel with orders to Captain Tyler of the Warrior, who with six sail of the line was cruising off Ireland, to proceed with his squadron to reinforce Sir James Saumarez off Cadiz. These ships, viz. the Warrior, Captain Tyler; Defence, Lord H. Paulet; Bellona, Captain Bertie; Russell, Captain Cuming, all of seventy-four guns, and Eling, schooner, joined Captain Stirling of the Pompée on the 9th; who, with Captain Keats in the Superb, had resumed the blockade. Intelligence of this reinforcement was sent to Sir James at Gibraltar.

A claim was made for prize-money, by Captain C. Duncan of the Portuguese frigate Carlotta, but was not admitted; because, having been informed that peace had been made between Portugal and France, Captain Duncan had refused to take any part in the action, and had been requested by Sir James merely to carry his despatches to Lisbon.

The Cæsar being refitted, Sir James made two attempts to join his squadron off Cadiz; but it was not until the 15th of August that he reached his station, having, in the mean time, twice visited Tangier. The Thames had been sent with despatches to Lord Keith, who had ordered the Généreux, Captain Manly Dixon, to leave Mahon, and join the squadron off Cadiz; but this officer having heard of the second action, and conceiving it would be unnecessary, did not join, but wrote a letter, of which the following is an extract.

H.M.S. Généreux, Minorca, E.N.E. 50 leagues, 24 July 1801.

This evening, being distant from the west end of Minorca, on my passage to join you, I fell in with the brig with your second letter, addressed to the senior officer at Mahon; and taking the same into consideration, and the great advantage which your glorious and most brilliant action with the French and Spanish squadrons must give you over the enemy off Cadiz, I judged it best for his Majesty's service to return to my station at Mahon, and act conformably to the last orders I received from Sir John Warren,—which were, to hold the Généreux in constant readiness to join him on his appearance off that port.

I beg leave to congratulate you, and the captains of your squadron, on the great success which has attended your first dash at the enemy in their strong position off Algeziras, and the very important consequence of it.

At the same time Sir James received the first of the following letters from Lord Keith, who had not yet received the accounts of the second battle:

Foudroyant, Bay of Aboukir, 4th August 1801.

Sir,

I yesterday received your letters of the 7th and 9th ultimo, by the Delight, from Minorca. The letter has given me much concern, in consequence of the unfortunate issue of your gallant endeavours. I am still in hopes that it will not turn out so favourably for the enemy, and that some of their ships will be lost.

You will know, before this reaches you, that Cairo is evacuated. The greatest part of its garrison is now embarked. When that is accomplished, I see nothing to prevent our beginning to attack Alexandria; and I am sanguine that it cannot hold out long: but, until it is in our power, I can detach nothing from blockading that port, and covering this immense fleet of transports, store-ships, victuallers, &c. which have no other protection. Besides, the army cannot exist without our protection.

Sir John Warren sailed from hence on the 12th May. I have since heard from him, at sea and at Malta; and I have lately understood that he was off Cape Spartavento, where he may have heard of Gantheaume's squadron; but his ultimate orders are for Mahon, at which place he must now be with seven ships of the line. The Athenian must now be ready to join, from Malta. Should the enemy sail up the Mediterranean, Carthagena or Toulon must be their first rendezvous, where you will be able to observe them, when joined to Sir John; and, from all information, their objects of attack must be confined to three,—Egypt, Turkey in Europe, or Sicily, in the event of a renewal of hostilities: and to those objects I recommend the strictest attention; because, after the island of Minorca is sufficiently reinforced, it may be left, for a longer time than before, without very much danger: but I must recommend that the strictest secrecy is observed on my intended operation, and that frequent information is transmitted to me.

Were the enemy once collected at any one point, I could venture to detach from hence; but, unsettled as they are at present, it would be a measure of much danger. The ships last from England sail very ill; and, if met with, would be taken. The Hector, Ajax, and La Diane, lately ran foul of each other at sea, and are not yet in a state to act.

It will be proper to keep the cruisers active off Carthagena, Barcelona, and Crette, whence the enemy must derive their supplies; and whichever port the enemy's squadron goes into, must be blockaded de facto; and any vessels that attempt to enter, after due warning, must be detained. I beg to mention that the anchorage of Alendia Bay is good. If not better defended than I have known it to be, the batteries might be destroyed by a few soldiers from General Fox: a position there covers both sides of the island. The idea of an attack on Maracoa, or Algiers, I discredit: at the first place their army would be lost; at the second they could not trust their fleet in so open a bay even for a week.

I hope you will send to the Admiralty copies of all your letters to me on points of service, whilst I am at such a distance from you.

I have the honour to be,
Sir,
Your most obedient humble servant,

Keith.

Rear-admiral Sir James Saumarez, Bart.
&c. &c. &c.

Foudroyant, Aboukir Bay, 17th August 1801.

Sir,

I have had the honour of receiving your letter of the 19th ultimo, acquainting me with the measures which you had adopted for opposing the return to Cadiz of the combined French and Spanish squadrons lately anchored in Algeziras Bay; and with the fortunate result of your attack on them, with an inferiority of force that little encouraged an expectation of so distinguished an advantage. I beg to offer to you my sincere congratulations on the successful issue of an enterprise, so honourable to yourself; and request you will accept the tribute of my perfect approbation of the ardent zeal and determined resolution which animated you on that important occasion; and that you will communicate my full satisfaction and approbation to all the captains and officers, seamen and marines, of the ships of the squadron under your orders, who, by so eminently distinguishing themselves, have merited and obtained yours.

I have the honour to be,
Sir,
Your most obedient humble servant,

Keith.

To Rear-admiral Sir James Saumarez, Bart.
&c. &c. &c.

(Same date.)

Sir,

I have to acknowledge the receipt of the various enclosures in your letters of the 19th July; and approve of the exertions to resume the station before Cadiz with the ships of your squadron, which, I have reason to believe, has been seasonably reinforced by the Généreux.

The Honourable Captain Dundas shall receive an appointment for the San Antonio, which, I have no doubt, the repeated meritorious conduct of that young officer will induce their lordships to confirm; and I shall have pleasure in paying attention to the other officers, to whom you have given acting orders, when a compliance with their lordships' commands, and an attention to prior engagements, shall enable me so to do.

I have the honour to be your obedient servant,

Keith.

To Rear-admiral Sir James Saumarez, Bart.
&c. &c. &c.

Sir James, at the same time, received the usual order, dated 3rd August, to place himself under the orders of Lord Keith; by which it was supposed that his lordship had no right to share, as commander-in-chief, for the prizes antecedently taken by the squadron. This question, however, was decided in favour of his lordship.

The Bellona, Penelope, and Mermaid successively joined the squadron; and the latter, having a convoy from Lisbon, was despatched with it to Malta. The Audacious and Bellona were sent to Gibraltar to refit; and subsequently the Penelope, to be hove down. Sir James received letters from Mr. Frere, at Lisbon, by the Phaeton, Captain Morris, informing him of the conclusion of peace between Portugal and France; and of a report that some of the enemy's ships had escaped from Brest, which was however contradicted by despatches of later date from the Channel fleet, and from England. The enemy's designs had been completely frustrated, and vessels employed in the commerce of Great Britain proceeded to their various destinations without molestation. The Phaeton was also despatched up the Mediterranean with a convoy, and with information of importance for Lord Keith, from Mr. Frere. By the return of the Thames, Sir James received from Sir John Warren, whose absence from Toulon had permitted Admiral Linois' squadron to escape, the following letter, dated,

Renown, Port Mahon, 18th August, 1801.

Sir,

I have the honour of informing you of my arrival here with the squadron under my command, being ordered by the commander-in-chief on this part of the station, and to assist and communicate with anything stationed without the Straits' mouth.

I received, with much satisfaction, the intelligence of your zealous and gallant efforts with the squadron under your orders in the several actions you have had with the enemy, the result of which has proved so successful and honourable to all who assisted in them.

I therefore beg leave, sincerely, to offer you my congratulations on this occasion; and trust you have received the stores sent from this dockyard, and the supernumeraries which were conveyed in the Mermaid.

I am sorry to add that the Swiftsure was captured by Gantheaume in her passage with some merchantmen, on the coast of Barbary; and that the enemy were fortunate enough to carry her into Toulon.

I have the honour to remain,
Your obedient humble servant,

J.B. Warren.

To Rear-admiral Sir James Saumarez, Bart.
&c. &c. &c.

The ports of Cadiz and St. Lucar were now declared to be in strict blockade, which was rigidly enforced, in order to prevent supplies being thrown in for the repairs of the damaged fleet; and serious disputes frequently took place between the French and Spaniards in these harbours.

Although the battles of the 6th and 12th of July were not in magnitude to be compared to those of the Nile and Valentine's day, they were to the nation actually of no less importance, by having put an end to the well-laid plan of Buonaparte for the destruction of our commerce and the reinforcement of his army in Egypt, which Gantheaume had unsuccessfully attempted.

Peace having been made between France and Spain, it was agreed that the fleet of the latter nation, partly manned with French crews and officers, should be joined by Linois' squadron from Toulon, and then proceed off Lisbon, which they were to sack, and destroy or capture the British merchant-ships lying there with rich cargoes; then, being reinforced by the Brest fleet, they were to pass the Straits of Gibraltar, and with an overwhelming force steer direct for Alexandria, where they were to land such a body of troops as would raise the siege, and drive the English out of Egypt. This would certainly have succeeded had the squadron under Linois not encountered that of Sir James, which led to the total defeat of their combined fleets, and to the abandonment of the grand plan: events which may be said to have brought about the conclusion of peace, first, with Portugal, and subsequently with Great Britain, as it was found impossible to relieve, or reinforce, the French army in Egypt before the capitulation of Alexandria, and the final expulsion of that army. But the reader will be surprised to find that the meritorious services of Sir James, although fully acknowledged, were not so fully rewarded.

CHAPTER II.

1801.

Since the signal defeat of the French and Spanish combined squadrons on the 12th of July, Sir James had passed seven most anxious weeks without having received any communication from England.[1] His sufferings on that account, and his impatience for letters, as well from his family as from the Admiralty, were, according to his own admission, more intolerable than he had ever experienced.

The enemy's force at Cadiz being now so inferior, even to the squadron he at first commanded, he was enabled to send the Audacious and Bellona to refit at Gibraltar; while he detached the Warrior and the Phœbe to cruise off Lisbon, and other smaller vessels in different directions. He never doubted that he should be continued in the chief command; and his hopes of the pleasing intelligence had been raised to the highest pitch, when the long-expected despatches arrived. His surprise and mortification, therefore, may be imagined, when, on opening the very first letter from the Admiralty, he found himself superseded by a senior officer, on a plea which had no just foundation, namely, the increase of the enemy's force at Cadiz! whereas, on the contrary, that force had not only been decreased by the loss of two of its largest ships, but all the rest had been so materially damaged in the late actions as to be rendered for the present unserviceable.

As might be expected, Sir James felt so indignant at this, to say the least of it, ill-timed arrangement, that he considered it a duty he owed to his character to express his feelings strongly in a respectful answer to this communication, both to the Board, and to Earl St. Vincent; which produced an explanation, in which it appeared that the Admiralty, having determined to make Cadiz a separate command from that of the Mediterranean, it became necessary to employ two flag-officers. Sir James being the last on the list, none could be found junior; and they were, therefore, under the necessity of appointing a senior officer.

As it could not be disputed that the Admiralty had a right to make the dispositions for which they alone were responsible, the correspondence in which Sir James's services were acknowledged, and wherein regret was expressed by their lordships at the necessity they had been under of appointing a senior officer, ended in a satisfactory manner; and Sir James was contented to remain as second in command under Vice-admiral Pole, who arrived on the 31st August, in the St. George, to assume the chief command of the squadron.

Two of the letters which Sir James received on this occasion have been given in the preceding chapter, in order to show the reception which the intelligence of his victory met with in England. The following are copies of the official letters alluded to, and also of some private letters, which express his feelings on the occasion.

Admiralty, 2nd August 1801.

Sir,

I received, yesterday, by Captain Ferris, and immediately communicated to my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, your letters of the 5th, 6th, 9th, and 10th instant, acquainting me, for their lordships' information, that, having received intelligence of three French line-of-battle ships and a frigate having anchored off Algeziras, you had proceeded through the Straits, with the squadron under your orders, for the purpose of attacking them, which you had accordingly done on the morning of the 6th; but that the Hannibal having unfortunately taken the ground, and all the endeavours you had exerted with the Cæsar and Audacious having proved ineffectual, you had been compelled to withdraw from the attack, and to leave the Hannibal in possession of the enemy; transmitting, at the same time, a list of the killed and wounded, with a copy of a letter you had received from Captain Ferris, giving an account of his proceedings: and, in answer thereto, I have received their lordships' commands to acquaint you that, although your endeavours to destroy the enemy's ships, above-mentioned, were unsuccessful, they cannot too much applaud the spirit and activity with which the attack was conducted; and that, however they may regret the loss of the Hannibal to his Majesty, their lordships have the satisfaction of knowing that you, and all the officers and men employed under your command, have faithfully and zealously discharged your duty, and although by unfortunate circumstances a ship has been lost, as well as the lives of many gallant officers and men, the national character has in no degree suffered from the disaster.

Their lordships have the fullest confidence that every exertion will be made for repairing the damage which the ships now with you have sustained; and have commanded me to inform you that you may rely on their taking measures immediately for reinforcing you, and for sending such supplies of stores as the squadron may be likely to require.

I am, sir, your most obedient humble servant,

Evan Nepean.

To Sir James Saumarez, Bart.

Admiralty Office, 4th August 1801.

Sir,

After I had closed my despatch of the 2nd instant, Lieutenant Dumaresq arrived, and delivered to me your letters of the 13th and 14th of last month: the former, giving information that the three French ships of the line and, a frigate, at Algeziras, having been joined by five Spanish and one French sail of the line, with other smaller vessels, had sailed on the morning of the 12th with his Majesty's late ship Hannibal, for Cadiz; that, by the great exertions of the officers and men of the squadron, you had been able to proceed to sea at the same time, with all the ships under your orders, except the Pompée, in pursuit of the enemy; and that, after a partial action, two Spanish ships of a hundred and twelve guns had been blown up, and one French ship of seventy-four guns had been taken by his Majesty's ship Superb: the latter transmitting a letter which you had received from Captain Keats, of the last-mentioned ship, containing an account of his proceedings on that occasion.

I lost no time in laying your said despatches before my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty; and I have received their lordships' commands to express to you their highest approbation of the gallantry and good conduct which were displayed by you, and the captains, officers, and men under your orders, in engaging and defeating so superior a force of the enemy; and to desire that you will signify to them, particularly to Captains Hood and Keats, in the strongest terms, the sense their lordships are pleased to entertain of their meritorious services on this important occasion.

Their lordships have commanded me further to inform you that, in consequence of the favourable mention you have made of the services of the Honourable Captain Dundas and Lieutenant Dumaresq, they have been pleased to promote the former to the rank of post-captain, and the latter to command the Calpé.

I am, sir, your obedient humble servant,

Evan Nepean.

To Rear-admiral Sir James Saumarez, Bart.
&c. &c. &c.

Admiralty Office, 14th August 1801.

Sir,

My Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty having judged it necessary, from the present circumstances of the war, and preparations now making by the enemy in Cadiz, to augment the squadron serving on the coasts of Portugal and Spain bordering on the Atlantic, and to place the ships and vessels on that station under the command of Vice-admiral Pole, I have received their commands to acquaint you of this arrangement, and to enclose their orders to you, to put yourself, and the ships with you, under the Vice-admiral's command.

So many objections occur to the allowing a force of the extent necessary to be so employed, with only one flag-officer, that their lordships have felt themselves reduced to the necessity, from your standing on the list, of sending a senior officer to you; which, on considering the proofs you have given of your zeal and ability, and the advantage which the public has so recently derived from your very distinguished services, they would, if possible, have avoided.

I am, sir, your most obedient humble servant,

Evan Nepean.

To Rear-admiral Sir James Saumarez, Bart.
&c. &c. &c.

The enclosures mentioned in the above letters being the usual official order for Sir James to put himself under command of Vice-admiral Charles Morice Pole, need not be inserted; nor the consequent order from that officer to Sir James. The squadron was now augmented by four sail of the line; namely, the St. George, 98 (flag-ship), Captain Nichols; Dreadnought, 98, Captain Vashon; Russell, 74, Captain Cuming; and Powerful, 74, Sir Francis Laforey: and on the 10th of September the St. Antoine, Audacious, Zealous, and Bellona joined; which, with the Cæsar, Superb, Venerable, Spencer, and Pompée, made twelve sail of the line.

The subjoined extract of a letter which Sir James wrote to his brother Richard, is sufficiently expressive of his feelings:

2nd September 1801.

Nothing can be more strongly penned than the letters, both public and private, which I have received. If I had destroyed thirty sail of line-of-battle ships, they could not have been in a higher strain of praise and admiration. But is it not surprising they should cease there? Not a syllable is said of the first lieutenant, or anything intended for myself. Your letter seemed to make certain of it, and you fully expect that a peerage will be conferred on me at the meeting of Parliament, with the grant of a suitable pension. I cannot but feel surprised that Phil. Dumaresq should have been detained so long in London, and not be charged with the smallest hint on the subject, which almost makes me fear my services will be disregarded in the same manner I experienced after the Nile.

I declare to you that on no service wherein I have been engaged have I found any situation equally arduous as that of Algeziras, nor have known any in the naval history of my country. Its consequences have been equal to the most complete victory; for, with seven sail, of which my squadron was composed, we have frustrated two important expeditions, the naval force of which consisted of sixteen sail of the line.

I have been encouraged to expect this mark of distinction by all on this station, and I cannot express my feelings should it not be conferred. I shall, however, follow my sister's advice of "patience and humility" in either instance, and I trust to my resignation should the injustice be done to me.

With regard to Mr. Pipon, he cannot do better than follow Captain Martin in a line-of-battle ship as first lieutenant; it will not prevent my exertions to serve him: but judge of the injustice to those officers who have shared in this and several other battles with me, to place a stranger over their heads.

The Cæsar will, I hope, in a short time, be ordered to England; and I have written to be permitted to proceed in her, which I trust will be complied with.

Is it not hard I should have been deprived of Lady Saumarez's letters? It is, however, a consolation to know that she was in good health so late as the 14th, by a letter to Captain Dumaresq.

The loss of Lady Saumarez's letters, which had been sent unfortunately to Plymouth, where the squadron which sailed from Portsmouth did not touch, as was expected, added greatly to Sir James's disappointment; as did also the information that Mr. Lamburn, who had been appointed to the Calpé, was to return to the Cæsar, being superseded by Captain Dumaresq; and that none of the appointments of the warrant-officers to the St. Antoine were confirmed. It was, from these facts, sufficiently evident that Sir James, in his honourable desire to benefit those under his command, particularly Captains Hood and Keats, had materially injured his own interest by permitting these officers to make their own reports of the action at which he was present commanding, and taking part. By thus omitting to give himself and his own ship the full share of credit due to both, he actually threw his officers and himself so completely into the back-ground, that people were led to believe the Cæsar and the Admiral had little or nothing to do with the battle. It is to this, and not to any disinclination of Earl St. Vincent to reward Sir James, that his services were on this occasion unrewarded,—the success being, by these documents, attributed entirely to the Superb and Venerable; in contemplation of which, the heavy responsibility, the ardent zeal, the determined resolution Sir James had evinced, and, above all, the important advantages gained to the nation by that victory which his bravery and perseverance had obtained, were entirely overlooked. We may justly ask, were the merits of the first lieutenant of the Superb, which, in conjunction with the Cæsar, made an easy capture of the San Antonio, and with a trifling loss,[2] greater than those of the first lieutenant of the flag-ship, which was engaged far more severely at Algeziras, who exerted himself most zealously in refitting the ship, besides assisting in the capture of the French ship? Yet the promotion was only given to the first lieutenants of the Venerable and Superb, although the former ship would probably have been taken had it not been for the Cæsar, and the latter was not in the action of Algeziras at all! These circumstances, and the fact that his appointments to the St. Antoine were not confirmed, seem to have given Sir James more concern than even the total neglect of his own meritorious services.

Taking into account every circumstance regarding the actions of the 6th and 12th July,—the severity of the former, the intermediate exertions, the professional skill, the daring and the tact displayed in the latter, and the complete discomfiture of the enemy's well-arranged plans for the destruction of our commerce at Lisbon and the subsequent relief of their army in Egypt,—this victory was equal to, if not greater in importance than, either the battles of St. Vincent or the Nile, for the former of which Jervis was created an earl, and Nelson a baron for the latter, immediately on the arrival of the news in England. Yet after a lapse of several months, after praises had been heaped upon Sir James, after the thanks of both houses of parliament had been voted to him for the fifth time, after his eminent services had been acknowledged by every large corporation, and generally throughout the kingdom—after the highest encomiums had been pronounced on him by Earl St. Vincent and Lord Nelson,—instead of a peerage, which he as richly deserved as either of the other two, he was decorated only with the red riband.

We shall close this subject for the present by giving an extract from a letter Sir James wrote to his friend Sir Thomas Troubridge, after his correspondence with the Admiralty on the subject of his being superseded had ended, and subsequently to his correspondence with the Navy Board on his having commissioned the St. Antoine to employ the crew of the Hannibal, which had been exchanged.

Cæsar, 7th October 1801.

I leave it to you to decide whether I had not just cause for additional disappointment to find no notice taken of the services of the squadron by the promotion of any of the officers; and what I must feel at this moment to find Mr. Lamburn sent back, and the lieutenants of the Superb and Venerable alone promoted. I cannot but view it as a great injustice done me, and I am sorry to say it mortifies me more than I can express.

With regard to the St. Antoine, allow me to bring to your recollection under what circumstances she was commissioned. At that time I was ignorant of any part of our force having been withdrawn from the Baltic, or that any ships could be spared from the North Sea or the Channel fleet, and consequently could not expect but that a very small, if any, reinforcement could be ordered to join me; and to have left an efficient ship, which, with the Hannibal's ship's company, could be brought forward for service in so short a time, I should have deemed myself very reprehensible, All the appointments were made in the most fair and impartial manner; and I solemnly declare that the sole view to the good of his Majesty's service was what actuated the whole of my proceedings, which I am certain Hood will also declare. I am truly grieved at the manner the warrant-officers I appointed to that ship are ordered to be superseded, and I shall feel it as long as I live.

Believe me, my good friend, my heart is incapable of harbouring so heinous a vice as ingratitude, and I shudder at the thought of being taxed with it: but when I consider the treatment I have received on this occasion, I feel it difficult to support myself; and what adds to my distress is, to find by your private note of the 19th that I am likely to remain longer in this country. Let me assure you that I shall ever retain a grateful sense of the many and uniform proofs of your friendship for me, which I can truly say are not misplaced; there being no one among your numerous friends who can have a more true regard and sincere esteem for you than myself.

J.S.

Sir James continued with the squadron under Sir Charles Pole, employed on the blockade of Cadiz, until the 14th November 1801, when he went in the Cæsar, in company with several other ships to Gibraltar.

The following letter from General O'Hara gave Sir James the first news of the capitulation of Cairo, and the death of Sir Ralph Abercrombie, on the 21st of August

Gibraltar, 30th August 1801.

If you have seen either the Hebe or Mendovia, you are acquainted with the success in Egypt; and, if you have not, the enclosed Gibraltar Chronicle will inform you of all those particulars: and when we consider the great disparity of numbers between English and French, particularly detailed in the Chronicle, we must conclude ourselves greatly indebted to good fortune for having got well through that very arduous enterprise.

As the French troops, who capitulated, are nearly double the number of our people employed on that service, I cannot help having apprehensions till they are fairly embarked, and we are quit of them; for it is impossible to trust that scoundrel race if they can reap any advantage by breaking their faith. I am sorry to find, from several reports, that our great men don't draw together very well; I mean the chiefs of our army. It should seem we have more reasons than one to lament the loss of Sir Ralph Abercrombie,—the cause of clashing parties between Scotch and Irish, which is too commonly the case in our service; and I am afraid something of that sort now and then arises in the navy. I send you, likewise, our Chronicle of last Friday, because you will there see the honours that have been paid to the French officers for the action at Algeziras, as well as the one of the 13th. You will there perceive that the French Formidable was attacked by four English ships of war! It is quite wonderful what improbable lies those rascals do propagate.

Sir James found at Gibraltar H.M.S. Renown, Sir John Borlase Warren, whose flag he saluted.

CHAPTER III.

1801.

The fleet, with the exception of a small squadron off Cadiz, had returned to Gibraltar on the news that preliminaries of peace were signed. This was the consequence of the surrender of Alexandria to his Majesty's arms, and the final expulsion of the French from Egypt; on which account general rejoicings had taken place. But that which most strongly excited feelings of joy and exultation in the garrison and inhabitants of Gibraltar was, the information that his Majesty had been graciously pleased to honour Sir James Saumarez with the red riband and star of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath,—a distinction which, at this time, was very limited, and conferred only on those who had highly distinguished themselves in battle. There was then only one class, designated by the letters K.B.; but, in 1815, the order was, under certain regulations, extended to three classes. The former Knights of the Bath (K.B.) were made Grand-Crosses, (G.C.B.); the second, Commanders of the Bath, (K.C.B.); and the third, Companions of the Bath, (C.B.); by which the value of the original order has been much depreciated. The honour of knighthood, however, of whatever description, depends greatly on the brilliancy of the deed which it is intended to commemorate; and, certainly, on no occasion has it been destined to perpetuate the memory of a victory more splendid or more important than that achieved by Sir James. As the ceremony, both on account of the peculiar circumstances under which it took place, and the intense interest which Sir James's late actions had created, was of the most imposing nature, we shall give the reader the fullest account of it which we have been able to collect.

Gibraltar, 16th November 1801.

The following is the purport of garrison orders issued this day.

The Governor having been honoured with a commission from his Majesty, empowering him to invest Rear-admiral Sir James Saumarez, Bart. with the Most Honourable Order of the Bath, the royal standard will be hoisted, at gun-firing to-morrow morning, on the flagstaffs at Waterport and Europa. None of the working parties are to be employed. The whole of the troops off guard in the garrison will be formed on the Great Parade, under arms, with their colours, and two deep, exactly at twelve o'clock. The troops will march by their right to the Convent, when they will line the streets from thence to the South Port, and from the Barrier to the Grand Parade. They will be formed in the street precisely at a quarter before one o'clock, and at one o'clock the procession will move from the Convent in the following order,—viz.

ORDER OF PROCESSION.

Ensign Bruce, town-adjutant.
Music,—5th regiment.
One hundred seamen, with warrant-officers.
A captain and two subalterns of the royal artillery,
with four field-pieces drawn by artillery soldiers.
Town-major and garrison quarter-master.
Judge-advocate and chaplain.
Mr. Ross, ord. store-keeper; and Mr. Pownall, N. officer;
Mr. Sweetland, commissary; and Mr. Cutforth, agent victualler.
Dr. Pym and Dr. Weir.
Rev. Mr. Frome and the chaplain of the Cæsar.
First division of Officers of the squadron,
youngest first.
First division of Captains in the royal navy, and
Field-officers—youngest first.
Major Bellew and Major Geraghty.
Lieut.-colonel Leyborne and Lieutenant-colonel Basset.
Lieutenant-colonel Ballingal and Captain Oliver.
Sir Francis Laforey, Bart. and Sir Thomas Williams.
Captain Taylor and Captain Vashon.
Music,—Banffshire band.
Mr. Raleigh.
The Commissioner's secretary,
bearing a crimson velvet cushion, with the commission.
The Governor's aides-de-camp.
The Governor as the King's commissioner.
The secretary to Sir James Saumarez, bearing on a velvet
cushion the insignia of the Order of the Bath.
Captain Linzee and Captain Brenton, esquires.
Sir James Saumarez, Bart. the knight elect, supported by
Major-generals Stewart and Barnett.
B. major and aides-de-camp to the Major-generals.
Second division of Captains in the royal navy, and
Field-officers,—eldest first.
Captain Darby and Captain Bertie.
Sir R. Barlow and Right Hon. Lord H. Paulet.
Captain Thompson and Captain Cartier.
Lieut.-colonel Grant, Lieut.-colonel Zouch, and Major Bury.
Music,—Cambrians.
Second division of Staff.
Captain Mouat and Mr. Wooden.
Mr. Consul Budd and Mr. F. Raleigh.
Lieutenant Crawford and Mr. Stones.
Dr. White and Dr. Vaughan.
Mr. Keys and Mr. J. Bolton.
Mr. Edward Bolton and Mr. Thomas Bolton.
Music,—Argyleshire.
One hundred marines commanded by a captain.
Second division of the Officers of the squadron,
eldest first.
Drums and fifes.
The grenadiers.

The regiments and corps will present arms, and the officers salute the King's commissioner as he comes on the right of each corps successively. The colours will also salute, and drums beat a march.

As soon as the grenadiers have passed the royal marine artificers, the latter will form in two lines or four deep, and march in column in their rear; the 5th regiment will likewise fall in and march in the rear of the royal marine artificers; and each other corps will in succession fall in and march to the Grand Parade, where they will form in a semicircle, the centre of which will be the throne. The diameter will be occupied by the seamen royal artillery, grenadiers, and marines.

When the procession has arrived opposite to the centre of the Parade, it will move down towards the Royal Pavilion; the seamen marching to the right flank of the diameter, the marines to the left, and the guns to the left and right of the seamen and marines, and the grenadiers on the right and left of the Pavilion.

The music will play "See, the conquering hero comes!" until the procession arrives opposite to the Royal Pavilion, when they will play "Rule Britannia." As soon as the knight is seated, the music will play "God save the King;" and immediately after the ceremony, the grenadiers will fire a volley, followed by a salute of one round from the four field-pieces, which will be the signal for a salute, from the Sea-line Walls, of sixty-three guns, viz. twenty-one guns from the Saluting Battery, twenty-one from the South Bastion, and twenty-one from Jumper's Battery and those to the southward. Whilst the salute is firing, the troops will file off from the Parade, and return to their former position in the streets; and, after the salute, the procession will move back to the Convent.

In this manner the procession moved on to the Grand Parade, where, in front of the Royal Pavilion, a chair of state was raised on three steps, covered with crimson velvet and rich gold lace. Over the chair a canopy richly embroidered with gold, and a floor-cloth of the same. Before this chair, but on the right and left sides, two other chairs were placed, covered also with crimson velvet and gold lace; over these were two banners, with the arms of the commissioner upon the right, and of the knight elect on the left chair. The first division of the procession having drawn up on the right, the King's commissioner, the knight elect, the general officers, and their suite facing to the King's state, and the rear division halting and drawing up on the left side of the front of the Pavilion, the whole made three reverences to the King's state, the music playing. Then the ensigns of the order, and the commission, were laid on the table before the sovereign's state; at which time General O'Hara and Sir James Saumarez sat down in their respective chairs, the music playing "God save the King." The general officers and suite divided, falling back on each side to leave the front open to the King's chair. After a short pause, General O'Hara standing up, Sir James Saumarez also rising from his chair, they both advanced before the table; turned about, and made three reverences to the King's state. General O'Hara then directed his secretary to read the King's commission. Sir James Saumarez's secretary attending with a riband, presented it to General O'Hara, who, as soon as the commission was read, received the riband, with which he invested Sir James Saumarez; making at the time the following short speech.

"It is most gratifying to me that, in obeying his Majesty's commands, I perform this highly honourable duty so near the scene of your heroic achievements, and before troops who were witnesses of your distinguished conduct and eminent valour."

To this, Sir James replied in a short complimentary speech suitable to the occasion.

After the salute, the commissioner and Sir James Saumarez stood up, and walked to the front of the Pavilion, made three reverences to the King's state, and the procession returned to the Convent.

The number and martial appearance of the troops; the multitude of spectators of both sexes, and of all nations and countries, who crowded the surrounding heights, and the lower part of the mountain that overlooks the sands; the roar of the cannon from our batteries, and from the shipping in the bay; the presence of those brave seamen and marines, so worthy of the gallant chief under whose command they fought; but, above all, the proximity of Algeziras and the Straits, and the train of ideas awakened by the sight of those places where the new knight, but a few months before, had entitled himself to the honourable tokens of gratitude now bestowed by his King and country; every circumstance contributed to render this scene one of the most solemn and most affecting that it may be the lot of men to behold.

Of the knight himself nothing needs be said in this garrison.

"Dans les murs, hors des murs; tout parle de sa gloire."

Corneille.

The following irregular stanzas on the occasion were written extempore by an officer of the royal navy.

Ye valiant martial bands, all hail!
Britannia's sons, renowned in arms;
Dreadful in war when foes assail,
Rejoiced when peace resumes her charms:

Salute th' auspicious day with warlike strains,
Which thus a King's munificence displays;
When Saumarez his just reward obtains,—
Unfading laurels, and unenvied praise!

And thou, oh vet'ran, not unknown to fame!
Thou chief, well chosen to confer the meed!
Be thine the honour of a spotless name,
And thine the conscience of each virtuous deed!
Long may'st thou live to share thy sov'reign's smiles,
Whom Heav'n preserve to bless his subject isles!

The salutes from the batteries being returned, the ceremonies ended and other festivities commenced.

Sir Charles Morice Pole being informed by the governor of Cadiz that the preliminary treaties of peace had been acceded to by Spain, and that hostilities had ceased between the two nations, proceeded to England on the 11th of November, leaving the chief command to Sir James Saumarez; who, pursuant to orders, proceeded to Gibraltar Bay with the following ships, Cæsar, Dreadnought, Spencer, Vanguard, Defence, Bellona, Zealous, Warrior, Trial, Powerful, and St. George; which, besides the four ships belonging to the squadron of Sir John Warren, were present on this occasion. This formidable squadron having been replenished with provisions, remained at Gibraltar for further orders.

On the 27th of November, Lieutenant Wooldridge, of the hired armed brig Pasley, arrived with her prize the Spanish privateer Rosario, which he captured, after a gallant action, on the 30th October, in which the former had four killed and six wounded, while the latter had twenty-one killed and thirteen wounded, in a crew of ninety-four men,—forty more than the Pasley. Lieutenant Wooldridge, who so gallantly concluded the hostilities on this station, was, at the recommendation of Sir James, promoted to the rank of commander.

The next arrival from England brought the gratifying intelligence that the thanks of both Houses of Parliament had been unanimously voted to Sir James, and the captains, officers, and crews of his squadron. The following account is rendered more interesting by the part taken on this occasion by his late Majesty, then Duke of Clarence, Earl St. Vincent, and Viscount Nelson, in the House of Lords, and by Mr. Pitt in the House of Commons.

30th October 1801.—House of Lords.

The First Lord of the Admiralty (Earl St. Vincent) rose to move the thanks of the House to Admiral Sir James Saumarez for his gallant and spirited conduct in his late actions with the united fleets of France and Spain, in which he had destroyed two Spanish men-of-war and taken a ship belonging to France. His lordship, with much feeling, stated the particulars of the engagement in the Bay of Algeziras, in which, notwithstanding the loss of one of his Majesty's ships, owing to a matter which Sir James could not prevent, that meritorious officer displayed the most dauntless courage and energy: that in the first engagement the fleet of Sir James was much crippled and disabled; but that, nevertheless, he made such wonderful exertions to repair his damages, that he was soon afterwards enabled to pursue the French and Spanish fleets, and to engage them with the most decisive success, although greatly his superiors in numbers and weight of metal. The gallant achievement, he declared, surpassed everything he had met with in his reading or service; and when the news of it arrived, the whole Board, at which he had the honour to preside, were struck with astonishment to find that Sir James Saumarez, in so very short a time after the affair of the Bay of Algeziras, had been able, with a few ships only, and one of them disabled, especially his own, to come up with the enemy, and, with unparalleled bravery, to attack them, and obtain a victory highly honourable to himself, and essentially conducive to the national glory.

His lordship said, the merit of the brave Admiral spoke so strongly for itself, that it would be unnecessary for him to take up more of their lordships' time respecting it. He should also move the thanks of the House to the captains who served under Sir James; but he could not forbear to give his highest applause to the captains whose conduct was so gallant and successful on that day. There was no invidious distinction in this. Every captain on that service, he was persuaded, would have done his duty in the same signal manner had he been fortunate enough to get into action. But it was not less his duty to notice the conduct of these gallant officers, on whom the fortune of the day fell, and who contributed to make the event so glorious by their conduct. Lord St. Vincent then formally moved the thanks of the House to Rear-admiral Sir James Saumarez.

Lord Viscount Nelson immediately rose to support the character and conduct of Sir James Saumarez, on which his noble friend had just expressed himself in such handsome terms. He said he was under particular obligations to that gallant officer, who had been second in command under him in one of his most important and successful engagements; that in the action in Algeziras Bay he was persuaded Sir James would have achieved his object, and carried the enemy's ships into Gibraltar, but for the failure of the wind; an accident which the Admiral could not prevent, and which enabled the enemy to haul their ships so close within the shore as to defeat his purpose. Nothing dismayed or dispirited, however, with the unfortunate event of that attempt, Sir James made wonderful exertions to put his few ships into a condition to sail after a fleet of the enemy and to attack them, though their fleet consisted of ten ships, and Sir James had but five, and his own ship greatly disabled. The glorious result their lordships well knew. But he was not surprised at the matchless intrepidity and skill of his gallant friend when he considered the professional school in which he had been bred, viz. the late Lord Howe, Lord Hood, Lord Bridport, and his noble friend the noble earl who sat next him. (Earl St. Vincent, feeling the full force of the compliment, made the noble and gallant lord a very low bow.) From such masters he could not but have learned everything that was courageous, spirited, and magnanimous. His lordship added some further panegyrics; and, after apologising to the House for having intruded on the time of their lordships, concluded by saying it was with the greatest satisfaction he voted for the thanks of the House to that meritorious officer.

Earl St. Vincent next moved the thanks of the House be given to Captains Hood and Keats, and such of the officers as principally distinguished themselves in the two engagements in the Bay of Algeziras and off Gibraltar. The Duke of Clarence rose, and said he should have given his testimony in an ample manner, both of the gallant officer Sir James Saumarez, and the captains who had the good fortune to be in the action, if the noble lord at the head of the Admiralty and the hero of the Nile had not been present to do them greater justice than his praise could afford. He could not, however, give a silent assent to the motion. He rose now, as a professional man, to express his entire concurrence with every syllable that had fallen from his two noble friends in commendation of the gallant Sir James Saumarez, and to declare the satisfaction he felt in the thanks of the House being voted, to those brave officers Captain Hood and Captain Keats, for their distinguished conduct in the two engagements. They were both as deserving officers as any in his Majesty's service; but he could speak more particularly to the merit of Captain Keats, having served under him for four years and a half during a former war as midshipman in the same watch. He was persuaded, whenever the country should be engaged in another war, Captain Keats would eminently distinguish himself.

The motion was agreed to, nemine dissentiente; as were likewise two other motions, made of course in applause of the men serving in the fleet of Sir James Saumarez, and to request that gallant Admiral to communicate the sense the House entertained of the other officers, seamen, and marines.

In the House of Commons Mr. Pitt said he would make a motion in which he was sure he was anticipated by the expectations of the House and of the public: it was for the thanks of the House to Rear-admiral Sir James Saumarez. On the merits of the gallant Admiral, and those who served under him, there could, he was sure, be no difference of opinion. He was equally sure that there was no difference of opinion respecting the merit of Sir James Saumarez in the attack which he made upon the French squadron in Algeziras Bay a few days previously to the signal advantage which he obtained over the combined squadrons of France and Spain, and for which he would now, he trusted, receive the thanks of the House. It was impossible for him, in making this motion, not to advert to the attack, in which the zeal and ability of the commander, and the spirit and intrepidity of the officers who served under him, were so eminently displayed. That attack failed; but the failure was owing, as Sir James Saumarez stated, to the failure of the wind and a sudden calm which came on. It was the misfortune of the gallant Admiral on that day to lose one of the ships under his command; but the officers and crew of that ship defended her until they had lost half their numbers. Sir James Saumarez was not disheartened, as must always be the case with men of true courage and vigour. He waited for an opportunity to make amends for his failure; that opportunity offered; and he availed himself in a manner worthy of him who had been the companion of, and sharer in the glory of, Lords St. Vincent and Nelson on the 14th of February and in the Bay of Aboukir. These events were still so fresh in the memory of every man that it would be unnecessary for him to enlarge on them. He should therefore conclude with moving

That the thanks of the House be given to Rear-admiral Sir James Saumarez, Bart. and Knight of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath, for his alacrity and zeal in pursuing, and for his able and gallant conduct in the successful attack on, the combined squadrons of the enemy in the Straits of Gibraltar on the 12th and 13th days of July last, by the squadron under his command.

In like manner the thanks of the House were voted to the captains, officers, seamen, and marines, nemine contradicente; as also that the Rear-admiral should communicate the same, and that the Speaker do send the resolutions to Sir James Saumarez.

The thanks of the House of Lords were conveyed to Sir James in the following letter from the Lord Chancellor, dated 30th October 1801:

Sir,

I have the honour to obey the commands of the House of Lords in transmitting the enclosed resolutions.

In communicating these resolutions, whilst I obey their lordships' orders, I cannot but feel most highly gratified by the opportunity which the discharge of this duty affords me of expressing to a person to whom the country is so deeply indebted the personal interest and veneration with which I have the honour to be, &c.

Eldon, C.

To which Sir James returned the following answer:

Cæsar, Gibraltar, 6th January 1802.

My Lord,

I yesterday had the honour of your lordship's letter, transmitting to me the resolutions of the House of Lords on the victory obtained by the squadron under my orders, on the 12th and 13th of July last, at the entrance of the Straits of Gibraltar.

Having on four occasions been honoured with the thanks of their lordships when commander of a line-of-battle ship in different general actions, this very high mark of distinction cannot but be more particularly gratifying to my feelings when entrusted with the command of his Majesty's squadron; and I am at a loss to express the deep sense I entertain of so flattering an instance of their lordships' approbation.

I shall have great satisfaction in conveying to the captains, officers, and men under my orders the vote of the august House, expressive of the sense their lordships are pleased to entertain of their general conduct.

In returning my most particular thanks for the very polite and obliging manner in which your lordship has been pleased to signify the resolutions of the House of Lords, I beg to assure you of the profound respect and veneration with which I have the honour to be, &c.

James Saumarez.

To the Right Honourable Lord Eldon,
&c. &c. &c.

From the Speaker of the House of Commons Sir James at the same time received the following letter:

Palace-yard, 31st October 1801.

Sir,

In obedience to the commands of the House of Commons, I have the honour of transmitting their vote of thanks for your alacrity and zeal in pursuing, and able and gallant conduct in the successful attack on, the combined squadron of the enemy in the Straits of Gibraltar, on the 12th and 13th days of July last, by the squadron under your orders; and also their thanks to the captains and officers of that squadron, and their acknowledgment and approbation of the services of the seamen and marines.

I feel the highest personal satisfaction in transmitting these resolutions to an officer who has on so many occasions done distinguished honour to his country, and to a service in which the nation feels the most important and anxious concern, and in the character of which I must individually be much interested.

I have the honour to be,
With the highest respect and esteem,
Sir, your most obedient humble servant,

John Mitford,Speaker.

Rear-admiral Sir James Saumarez,
&c. &c. &c.

The next flattering compliment which Sir James received was of a more substantial nature, and not less honourable, being the thanks of the lord mayor, aldermen, and commons of London with the freedom of the city, &c. accompanied by a sword, value one hundred guineas. The resolutions were conveyed to Sir James in the following letter from Sir John Eamer, then lord mayor:

Mansion House, 2nd December 1801.

Sir,

I feel a peculiar satisfaction in having the honour of transmitting to you the unanimous thanks of the lord mayor, aldermen, and commons of the city of London, in common council assembled, for the very important services you have rendered your country, as expressed in their resolutions; agreeable to which I have the honour to request you will have the goodness to communicate to the officers, seamen, and marines under your command the unanimous thanks of this court for their bravery and uncommon exertions displayed in those memorable engagements.

On your return, sir, to this country, I shall be proud in having the opportunity of presenting you with the sword so deservedly voted to you, with the freedom of this great city, in which we shall have the honour of having your name enrolled amongst us; and I trust you will permit me to nominate you as a brother-liveryman in the worshipful company of salters, of which I have the honour to be a member.

I have the honour to be,
With the highest esteem and respect,
Sir, your most obedient servant,

John Eamer, Mayor.

To Sir James Saumarez, Bart.
&c. &c. &c.

A Common Council holden in the chamber of the Guildhall of the city of London, on Friday the 27th day of November 1801;

John Eamer, Esq. Lord Mayor.

Resolved, unanimously, that the thanks of this court be given to Rear-admiral Sir James Saumarez, Bart. Knight of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath, for the very important and splendid victories obtained by the squadron under his command over a Spanish and French fleet of superior force, on the 6th, off Algeziras, and on the 13th July last, off Cape Trafalgar.

Resolved, unanimously, that the freedom of this city, with a sword of the value of one hundred guineas, be presented to Rear-admiral Sir James Saumarez, Bart. Knight of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath, as a testimony of the opinion this court entertain of the eminent services rendered by him to his country.

Resolved, unanimously, that the thanks of this court be given to the several captains, officers, seamen, and marines, for their brave exertions on the days of the above celebrated victories.

Resolved, unanimously, that the Right Honourable the Lord Mayor be requested to transmit the above resolutions to Sir James Saumarez, and to request him to communicate the same to the officers, seamen, and marines of his squadron.

Resolved, unanimously, that the Right Honourable the Lord Mayor be requested to provide the sword on this occasion.

Signed, by order of the Court,

Edwd. Boxley.

His Majesty's ship Cæsar, Gibraltar Bay,
6th January 1802.

My Lord,

I have received the letter your lordship has done me the honour to write to me, transmitting the unanimous thanks of the lord mayor, aldermen, and commons of the city of London, in common council assembled, for the successful attacks made by the squadron under my orders upon the superior forces of the enemy, on the 6th and 12th of July last, off Algeziras, and at the entrance of the Straits of Gibraltar.

I beg leave to return my most grateful acknowledgments for so flattering a mark of distinction; more particularly for the high honour conferred upon me in the freedom of the city of London, and permitting my name to be enrolled with its loyal and brave citizens.

I also beg to offer my sincere thanks for the present of a sword, which I shall ever consider it my greatest pride to have been found deserving of; and I trust to use it with every success in the service of my King and country on any future opportunity requiring its being unsheathed. I shall not fail to communicate to the captains, officers, and men under my orders the resolutions you have been pleased to enclose to me; and I beg to express how truly gratifying it is to me to have the honour of being nominated a brother liveryman in the worshipful company of salters, of which your lordship is a member.

I have the honour to be,
With sentiments of the most respectful regard and esteem,
Your lordship's most obedient
and most humble servant,

James Saumarez.

To Right Honourable the Lord Mayor,
&c. &c. &c.

The inhabitants of the channel islands, justly proud of their heroic countryman, were not behind in acknowledging the high sense they entertained of his services. The following is a copy of the resolution of the States of the island of Jersey:

Aux Etats de l'île de Jersey.

L'an Mil huit cent un, le vingt-deuxième jour d'Août, les Etats, à leur première tenue depuis la nouvelle de la victoire qu'a remportée l'Amiral Sir James Saumarez sur la flotte combinée de la France et de l'Espagne, dans les Passages de Gibraltar, ont un devoir de manifester la joie et la satisfaction que leur inspire cet heureux événement. Les divers exploits qui ont signalé les armes de sa Majesté ont toujours excité la plus vive allégresse dans le cœur des habitans de cette île. Mais ce qui relève infiniment à leurs yeux le prix de cette dernière victoire est la considération qu'elle est due à un natif de l'île de Guernesey, à laquelle ce pays se sent étroitement attaché par les liens d'une commune origine, de la proximité, de l'amitié. Cette assemblée n'a pu manquer de remarquer les actions éclatantes qui ont distingué la carrière navale de Sir James Saumarez dans sa qualité de capitaine. Elle voit enfin que, parvenu au premier rang, il a su y briller d'un nouveau lustre, et s'y acquérir de nouveaux droits à la reconnaissance de la patrie. On a surtout admiré l'étonnante célérité avec laquelle cet amiral a réparé les damages de son escadre après la sanglante journée d'Algeziras; l'intrépidité avec laquelle il a osé poursuivre une flotte doublement supérieure par le nombre, la grandeur, et l'équipement parfait des vaisseaux; la promptitude avec laquelle il a saisi le moment favorable de l'attaque dans l'obscurité d'une nuit orageuse; et finalement le succès décisif qui a couronné ces nobles efforts. Considérant tout ce qu'a d'honorable pour l'île de Guernesey d'avoir mis au jour un de ces grands hommes qui ont illustré leur nation en la défendant, et dont la Providence s'est servie pour réprimer l'insatiable ambition de l'ennemi, les Etats ont unanimement résolu d'offrir dans cette occasion aux habitans de la dite île leurs sincères et cordiales félicitations; et, afin de leur faire connaître la part que prend cette assemblée à cet événement mémorable, le greffier est chargé de transmettre le présent acte à Robert P. Le Marchant, écuyer, bailli de Guernesey, pour qu'il veuille bien le communiquer à ses compatriotes de la manière la plus convenable.

Jean de Veulle, Greff.

The address of the loyal inhabitants of the Channel islands was followed by a liberal subscription for the wounded, and the widows and orphans of those who fell in the actions. Large sums were also subscribed for the same purpose in Great Britain; while the island of Guernsey presented Sir James with a very handsome silver vase, being the second time the high sense entertained of his services had been thus expressed. The inscription on the first vase, which has not been before given, is as follows:

Presented to Sir James Saumarez, Knt.
of his Majesty's frigate the Crescent,
by the subscribers to the fund for encouraging
the capture of French privateers, in testimony
of their sense of his gallant conduct in the
action of the 20th October last with La Réunion,
French frigate, of considerable force, and the
protection thereby afforded to the
commerce of Great Britain.
London, 14th Nov. 1799.

On the second vase the following inscription:

The
Inhabitants
of Guernsey
to their gallant countryman,
Rear-admiral
Sir James Saumarez, Bart. and K.B.
whose suavity of manner and private virtues have long
engaged their esteem and affection,
and whose brilliant achievements have not only immortalized
his name, but will for ever reflect lustre on his native isle,
and add to the glory of the British empire.
June 1802.

CHAPTER IV.

1802.

Destined to remain with his squadron at Gibraltar, Sir James suffered a severe disappointment in being prevented from returning home. He occasionally visited Tetuan; and, after the preliminaries of peace were signed, he had communication with the Spanish authorities. On the 19th of January he was surprised by the appearance of four French line-of-battle ships in the eastward, which passed through the Straits of Gibraltar; on which he wrote a letter to his brother, whence the following is extracted:

Cæsar, Gibraltar, 20th January 1802.

I had the pleasure yesterday to receive your affectionate letter, by way of Malaga, which, although of an old date, was very acceptable. The letter it enclosed from our brother Sir Thomas was the first I have seen from Guernsey for several months. Our accounts from England extend to the 6th instant, by way of Lisbon. Although no public despatches have been received, we have reason to expect the next arrival will bring the news of the definitive treaty being signed; at the same time it is rather surprising to see the French detaching ships from all their ports. Yesterday, four sail of the line and a frigate appeared to the eastward, which unquestionably must be Gantheaume's squadron. I detached the Phaeton with the intelligence, and am preparing four ships to follow them to the West Indies, taking it for granted they are going to St. Domingo.

I enclose a letter for Nicholas, who I hope has arrived before this time. It is satisfactory to be informed that Ceylon is a healthy situation. I hope before many years we shall see him amongst us in the enjoyment of good health and a competent fortune, for few are more deserving than he is.

Nothing has joined from Lord Keith since my last; but I understand his lordship is expecting his orders of recall, which will leave me no chance of going to England for some months. I have no apprehensions of being ordered to Jamaica; but, if I should, I hope none of my friends will suffer uneasiness on my account. My chief dislike to the station would be its prolonging my absence from home, as, in other respects, I would as soon be there as in any other station whilst I remain employed.

I am well pleased with the motto ("In Deo spero") you have substituted. It is the one I had fixed upon before; but wishing to have reference to the action made me adopt the other, though not without much consideration, as I allow it appeared as if I no longer had thattrust which I hope will never forsake me in any event through life.

On the 21st of January Sir James detached the Warrior, Defence, Bellona, and Zealous, of 74 guns each, to follow the French squadron to the West Indies. These ships were placed under the command of Captain Tyler, of the Warrior, who was senior officer, and had directions to proceed to Jamaica and join Sir John Duckworth, the then commander-in-chief on that station: at the same time the Phaeton, Captain Morris, was despatched to England with the intelligence of the above circumstances. The Leda, Captain Hope, had been sent to Cadiz to receive for safety the specie belonging to the merchants, and to obtain information respecting the movements of the ships in that harbour. It was then ascertained that the French ship Duquesne, of 80 guns, had arrived there in distress, having parted from a convoy bound to St. Domingo. She was accompanied by a French frigate; and, both having troops on board, no doubt could be entertained of their destination, as well as that of the squadron under Rear-admiral Gantheaume. Several transports and troop-ships arrived from Malta and Egypt, having on board part of the army employed on the reduction of Alexandria, and were despatched to England.

An unexpected event now plunged the garrison of Gibraltar into deep affliction. The gallant and highly-respected governor was seized with a malignant illness, which terminated his life in five days. With this mournful intelligence Sir James despatched the Penelope frigate to England, and another frigate to Lord Keith, at Malta. The following is a copy of his letter to Mr. Nepean on that occasion:

Sir,

I request you will be pleased to inform my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty that I have thought it necessary to despatch the Penelope to England, in order that the King's ministers may be apprised as speedily as possible of the loss his Majesty's service has sustained in the death of Governor O'Hara, who departed this life early this morning. I cannot on this occasion refrain from expressing my deep concern at the loss of an officer from whom the naval service in particular has always experienced the utmost attention.

I am, sir,
Your obedient humble servant,

James Saumarez.

General Burnet succeeded, pro tempore, to the command of the garrison; and Captain Gaskill, the late governor's aide-de-camp, was the bearer of the despatches to Government. It was about this time that the 54th regiment, commanded by Colonel Ross, arrived from Egypt to relieve the Cambrian Rangers, part of which went home in the Penelope, and the remainder in the Dido, troop-ship.

The colours were hoisted half-mast on board all the ships until the 3rd of March, when General O'Hara's funeral took place; on which occasion the boats of the squadron, joined by those of the foreign men-of-war, rowed in procession to the Ragged Staff, while minute-guns were fired by the flag-ship and the garrison. The solemnity of this scene could not but be rendered more impressive by the recollection of the investiture of Sir James with the Order of the Bath, in which the venerable and gallant general had performed so distinguished a part only a short time before.

This event was followed by one of the same mournful description, namely, the death of Admiral Brenton, father to the gallant captain of the Cæsar, a venerable and highly-respected officer. As family affairs required Captain Brenton's presence in England, he exchanged with Captain Downman, of the Dorothea, by mutual consent, and with permission from the Admiral. This exchange accordingly took place on the 17th March 1802, when Captain Downman joined the Cæsar.

On the 22nd of March Sir James received orders from Lord Keith to proceed with the Cæsar to Minorca, for the purpose of superintending the various duties that might become necessary on the evacuation of that island; but as the order was grounded on a report which had reached his lordship from Toulon and Marseilles that the definitive treaty of peace was signed, which proved to be premature, Sir James postponed his departure until more authentic information should arrive, and he acquainted the Lords of the Admiralty of this circumstance by a letter to the secretary, dated on the following day. Lord Keith himself, however, arrived in the Foudroyant, from Malta, on the 26th of March, and, being in expectation of orders to proceed to England, he did not interfere with the duty of the squadron.

On the 24th of April, there being no doubt that Minorca would soon be given up to Spain, Sir James received the following orders from Lord Keith, appointing him to conduct that service:

By the Right Hon. Lord Keith, &c.

Whereas orders may be immediately expected for the evacuation of the island of Minorca, and as I think it indispensable that that service should be conducted by an officer of rank, ability, and experience, you are hereby required and directed to proceed thither in his Majesty's ship the Cæsar, to be in readiness to take upon you the charge and execution of that duty, following such directions in that behalf as I have already forwarded to the senior officer there, copies of the most material of which are herewith enclosed, and such other instructions as you may hereafter receive from me; communicating with me or with Rear-admiral Sir Richard Bickerton, at Malta, on all occasions when the necessity of the service on which you are employed may so require.—Given on board the Foudroyant, Gibraltar, 24th April 1802.

The following is a copy of the orders alluded to:

In the event of orders being received by you over land, or the arrival of instructions by sea which may not have reached me, for the evacuation of the island of Minorca, you are hereby specially instructed to carry them into effect in the manner most consistent with the directions which you shall receive. You will enter into immediate communication with the officer commanding his Majesty's land forces, and co-operate with him on all necessary occasions for carrying the evacuation into effect; and you will furnish to him, and to other officers of rank and their families, the best accommodation of which the disposable room in the ships will admit. In such case it will be incumbent on you to obtain, without a moment's loss of time, an exact estimate of the tonnage that will be required as well for the embarkation of the troops as of the stores, &c.

The above will be sufficient to show the arduous duty Sir James had to perform. The number of troops to be embarked at Minorca was 5,247; at Malta, 6,529; at Elba, 418; and at Egypt, 4,631; in all, 16,845. These were destined partly to England, and partly to Ireland; to transport which, men-of-war and merchant-ships were collected from all quarters.

On the same day Sir James received from Lord Keith a copy of a letter from the secretary of the Admiralty, dated 1st April 1802:

I transmit to your lordship herewith, by command of my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, for your information, a Gazette Extraordinary, containing an account of the signature of the definitive treaty of peace at Amiens, on the 27th of last month, by the Plenipotentiary of his Majesty, and the Plenipotentiaries of France, and Spain, and the Batavian Republic. If no unforeseen event should happen, their lordships think it probable that the ratification will be exchanged in the course of three weeks from this time; but, whenever it shall take place, the earliest notice thereof shall be given to your lordship, &c.

The same despatch brought information that his Royal Highness the Duke of Kent (father of her present most excellent Majesty) had been appointed governor of Gibraltar; and, in consequence, the following orders were issued by Lord Keith:

Foudroyant, Gibraltar, 28th April 1802.

General Memorandum.

When his Royal Highness the Duke of Kent, who is expected at Gibraltar, arrives in this bay, the flag-officers and captains then at the anchorage are to attend in their boats with their flags and pendants hoisted, and to row in succession, the flag-officer or officers following the commander-in-chief, and the captains next, two by two, according to seniority; and, as soon as his Royal Highness shall have landed, the officers are at liberty to return to their ships.

When the royal standard is hoisted in the boat in which the Prince is to land, the ship he came in is to fire twenty-one guns; and, as the boat passes the flag-ship, twenty-one guns shall be fired from all the ships commanded by post-captains, beginning when the Foudroyant shall have fired her second gun; the guards to be turned out, and the drums to beat a march, but the ships' yards are not to be manned.—By order of the commander-in-chief.

We need scarcely add that his Royal Highness was received with every mark of respect due to his illustrious name, and to the high situation in which he had been placed.

The Cæsar sailed from Gibraltar about the 1st of May, and on the 6th arrived at Mahon. When Sir James entered upon his important mission, he communicated immediately with General Clephane on the subject of the evacuation of the island of Minorca; and measures were taken for the embarkation of the troops and stores as soon as the ratification of the treaty of peace arrived, which took place on the 17th of May. Sir James at the same time received the welcome information that he was, with the Cæsar, to carry the last division to England. It was determined to send the Dreadnought and Généreux with the first division of transports, consisting of ten sail, in which were the 79th regiment and ordnance-stores, under command of Captain Cornwall Berkeley, of the Généreux. These were to proceed to Gibraltar; but the Dreadnought, Captain Vashon, had orders to proceed direct to England with the second battalion of the 40th regiment, which was embarked in that ship at the same time the troops at Porto Ferrajo and Elba sailed on the 2nd of June. Some of the transports having returned from Gibraltar, the embarkation continued, and the island was finally given up on the 16th June. The orders given on this occasion, will be perused with interest.

Copy of articles agreed upon between Rear-admiral Sir James Saumarez and General Clephane, for the evacuation of the island of Minorca, and for delivering it to the authorities of his Catholic Majesty the King of Spain.

Rear-admiral Sir James Saumarez, Bart, and K.B., Commanding his Britannic Majesty's squadron in the port of Mahon, and Major-general William Douglas Maclean Clephane, commanding the troops upon the island of Minorca, being duly authorised on the part of his Britannic Majesty by his royal sign manual, and Don Juan Miguel de Nines y Felia, &c. having communicated his power and authority to receive the same, have agreed to the following arrangements, viz.

1st. Brigadier-general Moncreiffe is appointed to arrange with his Excellency the Captain-general, &c. &c. the speediest time for admitting his Catholic Majesty's troops by the gate at Ciudadela, and the troops of his Britannic Majesty will evacuate at the same time by the gate of Mahon.

2nd. On the following day Major-general Clephane will be ready to receive his Excellency the Captain-general upon the glacis of Fort George, and deliver the keys thereof in due form; immediately after which the British troops will embark.

3rd. The fort of Fornells, and the towers on the coast, will be given up in due time to the engineer, Don Raman.

4th. Captain Framingham, Royal Artillery, will deliver up the ordnance and the ammunition found on the island at the time of the capture thereof as nearly as possible, and now collected at the following places, viz. Fornells, Buffera, Adaya, and Fort George.

5th. The royal arsenal shall be given up in its present state. Two line-of-battle ships' lower-masts and bowsprits, British property, will be left in store until means be furnished by the British Government to remove them.

6th. The papers found in the secretary's office will be restored.

7th. The revenues of the island are to belong to his Catholic Majesty from the 23rd day of May last, that being the day appointed by the definitive treaty for the cession of the island. In consequence of the judge and other civil officers having been employed by the British Government, their salaries have been paid up to the 17th June.

Signed and sealed at Mahon, the 14th day of June
one thousand eight hundred and two.

James Saumarez.

Cæsar, off Port Mahon, 16th June 1802.

Sir,

I beg to acquaint you, for the information of my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, that the island of Minorca has been this day given up to the Spanish Government; and Major-general Clephane, with the last division of troops, embarked immediately after having put them in possession of Fort George. I shall proceed with all despatch to Gibraltar with his Majesty's ship Cæsar, and the Pomone, and Port Mahon brig; and have detached the Camelion to Barcelona, to land Major-general Clephane's and my despatches.

I have detached to the island of Malta 3,250 tonnage of transports not required for the services of this island; and I have given directions to Captain Bowen, of his Majesty's troop-ship Alligator, to remain in Mahon harbour ten days from the time of the embarkation, and then proceed for Malta, and follow the orders of Rear-admiral Sir Richard Bickerton.

I herewith have the honour to enclose, for their lordships' information, a copy of the articles agreed upon with his Excellency Don Juan Miguel de Nines y Felia, the Spanish Captain-general; and I have the satisfaction to observe that the utmost good order and harmony has prevailed between the forces of our respective nations.

I have the further satisfaction to inform their lordships that, during the arduous service of embarking the numerous stores from Minorca, in which the seamen of the ships of war and transports have borne a considerable share, there has not been the smallest cause of complaint of any irregularity whatever having been committed.

Enclosed is a return of troop-ships and transports destined for Ireland, which embarked the last division of troops.

Major-general Clephane takes his passage to England on board the Pomone. I have to express my acknowledgments to that officer for the alacrity with which the embarkation of the various stores from the different ports of the island has been effected.

I am, sir,
Your most obedient humble servant,

James Saumarez.

To Evan Nepean, Esq.

By the Right Honourable Lord Keith, K.B. Admiral of the Blue, and Commander-in-chief.

Whereas I have obtained permission from the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to return to England, and have been authorised by their lordships to leave such directions for the governance of the station till their further commands are ascertained as I shall judge fit and proper for the execution of the Board; you are hereby required and directed, after my departure, to regulate the service in this bay, and pay attention to the instructions that follow, viz.—You will, on all proper and necessary occasions, communicate with his Royal Highness the Duke of Kent, governor of this garrison, and in particular yield all the accommodation of which ships passing from Minorca or Elba can admit for the reception of parties of the 5th regiment of foot, which are ordered to return to Britain from hence.

When the Acasta returns from Malta, she is not to be detained, the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty having expressly directed her return; and, as she will be able to accommodate a considerable number of men, I recommend that she receive part of the 5th regiment; and also; the Diane and Carriere, if they arrive here, and that you forthwith direct them to proceed.

Captain Dundas, of the Solebay, has my orders to repair to Lisbon to receive for Britain part of the troops who are there; and the accompanying order, addressed to Captain Hope, directs him to proceed with the Leda on the same; service. Captain Beanes, of the Determinée, and Captain Provost, of the Bonne Citoyenne, are instructed to proceed to Britain forthwith.

You will order the Milbrook to Lisbon with the letters from hence by the next Levant wind, and from thence to Spithead. The Pigmy will return to you with the first English mail that arrives in the Tagus.

You will inform yourself, from the officers of the yard, of the quantity and species of stores that they may be desirous of sending home; and direct them to be embarked in his Majesty's ships and transports that are returning, in such proportions as can be conveniently received.

You will allow no ships to sail for Great Britain with more than six weeks' provision on board, till the agent victuallers shall be provided with a sufficient supply for the ships that remain here.

All transports, victuallers, and other vessels arriving here on the public account, are to be cleared with the greatest despatch; and, if any unnecessary delay appears on the master's part, you will cause protest to be made, and acquaint the transport board thereof.

As it is probable that Rear-admiral Sir Richard Bickerton may send down troop-ships to this place for the removal of the 5th regiment of foot, and as some part of the regiment is already embarked, and more of them may be forwarded by other opportunities, of which you may be able to avail yourself; it is my direction that such troop-ships, when they arrive, as they are not wanted for the conveyance of the 5th regiment, may be either returned to Malta or sent to Lisbon for the embarkation of troops under the command of Lieutenant-general Fraser, as existing circumstances may recommend as the most needful to be done. You will take care that no ships pass without having as many men as they can receive; and you will have the means of completing them by separate embarkations of the regiment above-mentioned, observing that the destination is the same; and, for your better guidance in this particular, I enclose herewith a state of the troop-ships, with the freights and the destinations appointed for them.

Till special orders are received from the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, the ships and vessels, as per list enclosed, are to remain upon the service of the station; and if any of them arrive with contrary instructions from Rear-admiral Sir Richard Bickerton, or Sir James Saumarez, before that was known, you are to retain them here accordingly.

You will open all public despatches which may be addressed to me, and carry them, as far as depends upon you, into effect at this place. Such as are addressed to Rear-admiral Sir Richard Bickerton you will forward to him at Malta. Maintain a correspondence with him, as the officer charged with the chief command on the station, by all convenient opportunities, and follow such orders and directions as you may receive from him.

Given on board the Foudroyant,
Gibraltar, 15th June, 1802,

Keith.

Sir Jas. Saumarez, Bart, and K.B.
Rear-admiral of the Blue;
and, in his absence,
To John Aylmes, Esq. Captain of H.M.S. Dragon.

List of ships to remain on the station till further orders:

Kent,	Hector,	Diana,	Greyhound,	Camelion,
Dragon,	Anson,	Narcissus,	Victorieuse,	Weazle,
Superb,	Medusa,	Thames,	Cynthia,	Delight,
Triumph,	Active,	Maidstone,	Port Mahon,	Vincego.

N.B. Such others as may arrive here with troops may be sent to the destinations of the regiments.

Keith.

No duty on which Sir James was ever employed was executed with more address, or more completely to the general satisfaction. The honour of the British flag was maintained in a manner which could not be questioned, being borne away mounted on a cannon, on which it was embarked without the necessity of striking it, when the keys of the fortress were delivered to the Spanish commander-in-chief, while the Spanish standard was hoisted at the flag-staff. The greatest decorum was preserved on both sides.

The Cæsar left Mahon on the 17th June, with the last division of the troops, and arrived at Gibraltar on the 24th, when Sir James found that Lord Keith had already sailed, leaving orders for him to follow to England with the last division, which consisted of three sail of the line and six troop-ships.

After exchanging complimentary letters with his Excellency the Captain-general and Governor of Andalusia, Sir James took leave of his Royal Highness the Governor of Gibraltar. He sailed on the 30th of June, anchored at Spithead on the 23rd of July 1802, and reported in the usual manner the arrival of the Cæsar to the Admiralty.

CHAPTER V.

1803.

Commencement of Hostilities with France.—Sir James hoists his Flag at Sheerness.—Proceeds to Guernsey.—Flag in the Grampus.—Anecdote of Captain Caulfield.—Sir James visits Jersey, &c.—Diomede arrives as Flag-ship.—The Admiral examines the Defence of the Island.—Loss of La Minerve.—Attack and Bombardment of Granville.—Cerberus gets aground.—Narrow Escape from a Shot.—Public and Private Letters.—Blockade of the Coast.—Loss of the Shannon and Grappler.—Conclusion of 1803.

Hostilities with France were about to be resumed early in the year 1803, and Sir James was called into active service. On the 11th of March he hoisted his flag at Sheerness, on board the Zealand, in order to expedite the preparations that were going on in the Medway. Soon after this, the Zealand went to the Nore. She was at that time commanded by Captain, afterwards Admiral, William Mitchell, an officer who had risen to the rank of Rear-admiral by his good conduct, after having been flogged through the fleet for desertion.

The great preparations now making at St. Maloes rendered it probable that the intention of Bonaparte was to attack the Channel Islands; Sir James was therefore appointed to the command at Guernsey, and, proceeding from the Nore in the Kite brig, he fell in with the Grampus, which was destined, pro tempore, for his flag. Both ships arrived at St. Pierre's roads on the 19th of May. Here the Admiral's squadron consisted of six frigates, and six brigs and cutters, which were chiefly employed in blockading the adjacent coast, and in preventing the concentration of the enemy's force at St. Maloes and Granville, the two principal places whence it appeared an attack would be made.

The Grampus was commanded by Captain Thomas Gordon Caulfield, who had notions of discipline peculiar to himself, with which Sir James, who lived on shore with his family, did not interfere. The following anecdote will serve to show that these deviations from the laws and customs of the navy are seldom attended with success.

It was Captain Caulfield's positive instructions that no boatswain's mate, or other petty officer, should carry a cane, the usual emblem of their authority; and that he would not punish any man unless convicted by the testimony of two witnesses, while the man himself might bring others to contradict the assertion of the officer making the complaint: in short, that the single testimony of an officer could not be taken without a majority of evidence in its support. The ship had just been manned by impressed seamen, and her complement was completed from the prisons: it may therefore be supposed, that these regulations were not calculated to bring the ship speedily into a state of discipline. It must be remembered that the captain had not the power of administering an oath, and, when a complaint was made, men were soon found who would come forward, and prove, according to this system, that the accusation was groundless; and thus the culprit always escaped. The ship accordingly fell into a complete state of insubordination.

On one occasion a man was brought up on the quarter-deck in a state of intoxication, when the captain, as if he could not believe his own eyes, thought it necessary to call two of the officers as witnesses. The man was put into confinement; and next morning, at eight, he was brought up to be punished at the gangway. The offender being tied up, and the article of war under which he had fallen being read, the captain took the opportunity of assuring his assembled crew, that when legally convicted they were sure of punishment; but that no man should be struck.

At this moment the sentinel on the forecastle called out that "a prize was driving towards the ship." The danger of collision was the more imminent, inasmuch as a heavy gale was blowing at the time. The master, who sprang forward, called aloud, "Veer away the small bower-cable, or she will be on board of us!" The pause which had been made in the captain's speech was broken by orders from him to veer away the cable quickly. "Down, my lads, veer away!" was repeated by every officer; but the men, not aware of the fatal consequence, and knowing that they could not, after what the captain said, be started, moved very leisurely to perform the duty, which, to save the ship, it was absolutely necessary should be done with the utmost alacrity. Meanwhile, Captain Caulfield, looking over the back of the culprit, and viewing the supineness of the men, who were totally regardless of his repeated injunctions to veer the cable quickly, began to be indignant; and when the master repeated, "If you do not veer away at once, we shall lose the bowsprit and all the masts," he called to the officers in the waist "to start the rascals down to the cable:" but, as it may be supposed, their unarmed endeavours would not have been successful, had he not, as the crisis approached, jumped down himself among the men, and, with the end of the thickest rope he could find, become the transgressor of his own laws, of the absurdity of which he was now so fully convinced, that he acknowledged he was wrong, and completely reversed his system.

No ship ever had a more narrow escape of being wrecked; the prize drifted so close to the Grampus as to carry away her spritsail yard, and, drifting on the rocks, about three cables' length astern, was totally lost, and every man perished, among whom were a midshipman and four of the Grampus's crew. Had the prize, which was a large Dutch ship, came athwart-hawse of the Grampus, both, instead of one, would have been wrecked. No alternative was therefore left to Captain Caulfield but the rope's end, which he employed in violation of his own rules of discipline.

Sir James was extremely averse to innovations of this kind, and he took occasion to point out the propriety of officers being supported in the execution of their duty, and the danger of interfering with the excellent laws enacted for the government of the navy.

In the Grampus, Sir James visited the island of Jersey, and, after cruising to examine the coast of France adjacent to the islands, he returned to Guernsey; soon after which, the Grampus, being a new ship, was selected to convoy the East India fleet, and was relieved by the Diomede of fifty guns, Captain Thomas Larcom, on board which ship the flag was shifted, on the 19th of June, 1803.

As the summer advanced, the preparations of the enemy became more formidable, and the island was minutely examined by Sir James. The following anecdote may serve to prove how much officers may be mistaken as to the natural defences of a sea-coast.

Some differences of opinion having arisen respecting the possibility of the enemy landing on the south side of Guernsey, where the land is high, it was proposed to put the question to the test by actual experiment. Sir James, and the Governor (Sir John Doyle), accordingly proceeded to the spot with the boats of the squadron. On arriving at the alleged inaccessible position, Sir James proposed that the seamen should be landed, and ordered to ascend what appeared to be a precipice; when, to the astonishment of the General, the whole body of men mounted to the top with apparent ease: it was consequently found advisable to fortify that, as well as other points which had been before deemed unnecessary.

About this time (3rd of July) the Minerve, Captain Brenton, one of Sir James's squadron, stationed off Cherbourgh, got aground in a fog, from a mistake of the pilot, and, after a gallant resistance, was taken by the enemy. The account of this unfortunate circumstance is so fully detailed in Captain E.P. Brenton's work, that it need only be mentioned here as having given great concern to the Admiral, who had the highest regard for his former companion in arms.

A considerable flotilla of armed vessels, destined for the invasion either of the Channel Islands or of England, had assembled at Granville; and Sir James, having shifted his flag from the Diomede to the Cerberus of thirty-two guns, Captain W. Selby, sailed with a small squadron, consisting of the Charwell, eighteen, Captain Phil. Dumaresq; the Kite, eighteen, Captain Philip Pipon; the Terror and Sulphur bombs, Captains M^cLeod and Hardinge; Esling, Lieutenant Archbold; and Carteret, Lieutenant Burgess.

On the 14th September, the frigate having anchored as near as the tide would admit, and the other ships taking their stations, the bombardment began on the harbour of Granville, and lasted from eleven till five in the afternoon. On the 15th another attack of the same kind was made with more effect, as will be seen by the following official letter to the Secretary of the Admiralty, dated

Cerberus, off Granville, 15th Sept. 1803.

I beg you will be pleased to inform my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, that, having been joined by the Terror bomb on the 8th instant, and the Sulphur on the 12th, I embarked on board the Cerberus, and sailed from Guernsey roads the following morning, with the Charwell and Carteret cutters in company.

It blowing a strong breeze from the eastward, it was not until Tuesday evening I was enabled to get off Granville; when, having had an opportunity to reconnoitre the enemy's gun-vessels and other craft within the pier, and the different batteries by which they were protected, I anchored the Cerberus as near the shore as the tide would admit, having only sixteen feet at low-water. At eleven, the Terror came up, but, having grounded, it was not until two o'clock that Captain Hardinge was able to place his ship in the position assigned; this he now did in a most judicious manner, and opened a brisk fire from his two mortars; which was returned from the mortar and gun-batteries on the heights near the town, and also from some guns on the pier, and the gun-vessels placed in the entrance.

From the number of well-directed shells thrown from the Terror into the pier and parts of the town, I am persuaded they must have done very considerable damage. The fire was kept up till after five o'clock, when I thought it advisable to recall the Terror, and anchored with this ship and the Charwell a short distance from the town. The Sulphur bomb, whose bad sailing prevented her from beating up, joined shortly after, and also anchored. The loss on this occasion was two men wounded by splinters on board the Terror.

A few shells were thrown in the evening, but the tide prevented the ship getting sufficiently near to be attended with much effect.

This morning the squadron was under sail before dawn of day, and all circumstances concurred to enable them to take their respective stations with the utmost precision. The two mortar-vessels opened a brisk and well-directed fire soon after five o'clock; which was unremittingly kept up till half-past ten, when the falling tide rendered it necessary to withdraw from the attack. Twenty-two gun-vessels, that had hauled out of the pier, drew up a regular line, and kept up a heavy fire, jointly with the batteries around the port, without doing much execution.

The Cerberus, after getting under sail, grounded on one of the sand-banks, and remained about three hours, before she floated: nine of the gun-boats, perceiving her situation, endeavoured to annoy her, and kept up a heavy fire upon her for some time; but were silenced by the Charwell and Kite, and also by the fire of the Sulphur and Terror bombs, and by the carronade launch of the Cerberus, under the orders of Lieutenant Mansell, assisted by the Eling and Carteret, which obliged them to take shelter in their port.

In the performance of this intricate service, I cannot too highly applaud the zeal and persevering exertions of all the officers and men under my orders; and I should not do justice to the merits of Captain Selby, were I not to acknowledge the able assistance I have received from him since I had the honour of being in his ship: the steadiness and good conduct of all the officers and men in the Cerberus, during the time the ship was aground, do them infinite credit. The various services in which Capt. M^cLeod of the Sulphur, and Hardinge of the Terror, have been employed this war, are already sufficiently known: but I will venture to assert, that in no instance can they have displayed greater zeal and gallantry than on the present occasion. Great praise is due to Lieutenants Macartney and Smith, and the parties of artillery embarked on board the respective bomb-vessels.

It is not possible to ascertain the damages the enemy has sustained; but, as a very few of the shells missed taking effect, they must have been very considerable.

Jas. Saumarez.

During the period the Cerberus was aground the tide fell six feet, and at one time she was in the greatest danger of upsetting; the topmasts were immediately struck, and the vessel shored up by the lower yards and spare spars. While heeling over more than forty-five degrees, the bottom of the ship was exposed to the shot of the enemy, and was struck in several places. Sir James himself had a very narrow escape from a shot, which grazed his legs as he was standing on the gangway with the purser and the secretary, whose dismay and quick retreat from so dangerous a situation only produced a smile from the Admiral, who would not listen to proposals subsequently made to him for quitting the Cerberus while in that situation. The coolness with which he gave his orders, and his presence of mind on this trying occasion, tended materially to save the ship, by exciting the officers and men to exert themselves; while the most perfect order was maintained under circumstances which often cause disorder and confusion.

The Cerberus received no material damage in the bottom from being aground: she was soon repaired, and returned with the squadron to Guernsey on the 17th, when the flag was again hoisted in the Diomede.

We subsequently learned that the flotilla at Granville was so much damaged as to delay its arrival at Boulogne, which was its ultimate destination, until a late period of the year; and that many of the vessels were lost in and near the Race of Alderney, on their passage, by a storm in which they were overtaken.

The following is extracted from a letter which Sir James wrote to his brother, describing this action:

Cerberus, off Granville, 15th Sept. 1803.

You will be glad to find that, thanks to Providence, the business of Granville has gone off as well as possible, although we have not succeeded in entirely destroying the enemy's gun-vessels. I have to regret that, in the execution of my orders, many of the harmless inhabitants of the town, and their dwellings, must have suffered very considerably; having bombarded it nearly four hours on Wednesday, and six hours this morning, with scarcely any intermission.[3] This ship (the Cerberus) was for three hours on shore, and the tide left her six feet less than she drew. She was at the same time assailed by some of the enemy's gun-boats, but without great mischief. A shot was very nearly taking off both Mr. Champion and myself: how our legs escaped is inconceivable, having come through the part of the quarter-deck close to which we were standing.

Our friends Dumaresq and Pipon were in company, the former having joined early this morning. I am quite exhausted with fatigue, having had no rest since I left the island. Lady S. was unapprised of what was going forward, as well as yourself; but you must approve of the motives which urged me to conceal it from you. I am on my return to the island, which I hope to reach to-morrow evening.

The blockade of the French coast between Havre-de-Grace and Ushant, which was intrusted to Sir James, was kept up with rigour; and the Channel islands put into such a state of defence, as to defy all the projects of the enemy. In the performance of this service, the Admiral had to regret the loss of the Shannon, which was wrecked on the 10th December in a gale, under the batteries of Cape La Hogue; and of the Grappler, which was lost on the 31st, at the Isles de Choisey: the crews of both these vessels were saved, but made prisoners.

The Diomede was sent to refit at Portsmouth; and, at the end of 1803, Sir James's flag was flying on board the Cerberus, while he lived at his own residence on shore with his family, carrying on the duty as a port-admiral.

CHAPTER VI.

1804 to 1806.

The year 1804 is remarkable in the annals of the empire for the extraordinary exertions made by the First Consul of France to collect a powerful flotilla at the ports between Flushing, Cherbourg, and Boulogne, with the avowed intention of invading England. The vessels so collected were intended to convey the "Army of England," as it was called by Bonaparte, across the channel. We have already mentioned the fate of the Granville flotilla, after the attack made on it by Sir James. Early in this year it was discovered that one of the vessels belonging to it, a brig of 200 tons, had been driven on shore in the Bay of Dillette, adjacent to Alderney; that the enemy had succeeded in drawing her up to repair, and that she was nearly ready for launching. The commander of the Carteret cutter, who first discovered this, having represented it to Captain Bennet of the Tribune, (senior officer of the detachment which Sir James had placed off Cherbourg,) proposed to take advantage of the first nocturnal spring-tide, either to launch her, if ready, or to destroy her. The Carteret was accordingly reinforced by two midshipmen and ten men from the Tribune; a landing was effected, and the guard defeated: but the brig was found to have a plank out on each side of the keel, and she was therefore destroyed. This service was performed with the loss of one of the Carteret's men, Mr. Parker (a midshipman), and two men of the Tribune; while the enemy's loss was five killed and ten prisoners, who were afterwards released.[4]

The Diomede, of fifty guns, having been refitted at Portsmouth, returned to take Sir James's flag. Her former commander, Captain Thomas Larcom, died at Portsmouth; and Captain Hugh Downman, who had succeeded Captain Brenton in the Cæsar, was, at Sir James's request, appointed his flag-captain. The Cerberus was sent to refit at Portsmouth, and on her way thither she captured a gun-boat.

During the years 1804 and 1805 the following vessels were taken and destroyed by the squadron:

31st January.—The Hydra and Tribune captured four gun-boats.

17th March.—The Loire captured the Brave of St. Maloes, of sixteen guns and 110 men.

18th March.—The Tartar lugger captured the Jeune Henri, twelve, and 64 men.

—— April.—The Sylph destroyed several gun-vessels in the Race of Alderney, in which she had one man killed and two wounded.

The Hydra captured a privateer off Cherbourg.

On the 9th October, the Albicore, Captain Henniker, destroyed five French gun-vessels near Grosnez de Flamanville, without any loss in men, although considerably damaged in the rigging and hull.

In the course of this eventful year, Sir James kept up a constant correspondence with his friend Lord Nelson, whose glorious career was now near its close. Availing himself of the opportunity of a vessel from Guernsey bound to Gibraltar, he sent his lordship a supply of wines and other good things which that fertile island produces, together with newspapers, &c. These reached the Victory only a few days before the memorable battle of Trafalgar; and Lord Nelson's answer, which we here transcribe, was dated only three days before the action, and is probably the last but one ever written by him.

Victory, off Cadiz, Oct. 18th, 1805.

My dear Sir James,

You may rely upon it that, when I can, I will remove Lieutenant Fisher of the R.M. into a frigate; at present, I fear the frigates are full, and the line-of-battle ships empty: but in whatever manner, my dear Sir James, I may be able to meet your wishes, I desire you will let me know. Our friends at Cadiz are ready to come forth, and I hope they will not again escape me: the career of the Rochfort squadron, I think, has been several days stopped by Sir Richard Strachan, but I wish his force had been more equal to the contest. I have to thank you for your great attention about my wine, and for recommending me some excellent champagne. I beg my most respectful compliments to Lady Saumarez; and, believe me ever, my dear Sir James, your most faithful and obliged friend,

Nelson & Bronte.

To Sir James Saumarez, Bart. & K.B.

Since writing my letter, I have to thank you for your packet of newspapers and your letter of October 1st; nothing could possibly be more acceptable. I hope we shall see Bonaparte humbled. The Guernsey vessel has made a very valuable recapture of a vessel loaded with cloths, bound to Lisbon.

Your's faithfully,

Nelson & Bronte.

The above was probably finished on the 19th, the day on which the Penelope frigate left the fleet with despatches for England,—the last his lordship ever sent.

During the year 1805 Sir James continued in the command at Guernsey, having his flag in the Diomede, and occasionally on board a frigate in her absence. The preparations of the French for invasion, which were continued with unremitting vigour, made this station of more importance than it would otherwise have been. Spain, having declared war early in January, joined Napoleon in the grand object of invading England; and it was calculated, including the Dutch fleet, that the united force, which could be ready in the month of April, would amount to seventy-five sail of the line, fifty frigates, and 2,300 smaller vessels; and that the invading army would consist of 200,000 men.

It was evident that, without a junction of all his naval forces in the British Channel, Napoleon had no chance of being able to make a descent on the adjacent coast; and, to effect this, it was necessary to draw off a part of our blockading fleets. With this view the Toulon fleet went to the West Indies, whither it was pursued by Nelson; and, after an action with the squadron under Sir Robert Calder, it entered the port of Cadiz. The effectual blockade of that port and of Brest, together with the interruptions his flotilla met with in its progress towards Boulogne, defeated Napoleon's plans; and the Channel islands, which were now in a complete state of defence, continued unmolested. The only losses on this station were the capture of two gun-brigs, after a very gallant defence, by a flotilla of very superior force, off Granville; and the Pigmy cutter, which was wrecked near Jersey.

The memorable battle of Trafalgar at once put an end to all the speculations of the ruler of France. The projected invasion was now impossible; and, consequently, the force which had been requisite for the station Sir James occupied, was no longer necessary. The Diomede, of fifty guns, and several other vessels, were withdrawn, and Sir James shifted his flag to the Inconstant. The year 1805 terminated without any other remarkable occurrence.

During the year 1806 the enemy's convoys were proceeding in a westerly direction; the victualling the French fleet at Brest, which had considerably increased, being the principal object, the squadron under Sir James was actively employed in intercepting these convoys. On the 9th of September the Constance, Captain Burrowes, fell in with Le Salamandre, French frigate store-ship, of twenty-six guns; and, assisted by the Strenuous and Sharpshooter, drove her on shore under a battery; and, believing her destroyed, returned to Jersey. It was, however, ascertained that she was floated off; and, returning to St. Maloes, repaired her damages. On the 12th of October, when again attempting to make her passage, she was attacked by the Constance, Sheldrake, and Strenuous, and having taken shelter under the fort of Equi, in the Bay of Brehat, the engagement, in which the gallant Captain Burrowes was killed, became severe. Le Salamandre, after running on shore, was compelled to strike, and was taken: but the wind began to blow hard directly on the land; the Constance parted her cables, which had been damaged by the shot from the batteries, and drove on shore. It became therefore necessary, after taking out the men, to burn both the Constance and the prize. In this affair ten men were killed, and twenty-three wounded, exclusive of thirty-six men made prisoners in the unsuccessful attempt to save the Constance. The captain (M. Saloman) of the Salamandre and twenty-nine men were killed; but of the wounded there is no account, excepting of nine, who were among the prisoners taken on board the Sheldrake. Captain Thicknesse, of that sloop, was made post-captain on this occasion.

Nothing else worthy remark, connected with the subject of this memoir, happened during the year 1806: and Sir James had now enjoyed the society of his family and friends at his native island for three years; during which time his mind was not only actively employed in the performance of his duty as commander-in-chief on this important station, and in rendering his native island more capable of defence, but also in the establishment and support of its charitable institutions.

CHAPTER VII.

1807.

Early in the year 1807 Sir James was called into more active service. The enemy's fleet at Brest had again become formidable. Earl St. Vincent was appointed to command the Channel fleet, and immediately applied for Sir James to be second in command. To make him eligible for this, he was promoted to the rank of Vice-admiral; and on the 7th of January he received orders to hoist his flag, blue at the fore, on board the San Josef, of 112 guns. As the noble Earl was unable from ill health to keep the sea in the Hibernia, his flag-ship, the whole responsibility fell on Sir James.

The San Josef, one of the finest ships in the navy, had been taken in the battle of the 14th of February 1797; and, having since that period been almost constantly employed, was in need of a thorough repair. In February she became so leaky, that Sir James was obliged to shift his flag into the Prince of Wales, Captain Bedford, and send the San Josef into Plymouth to be repaired; and, it being ascertained that it would take more than a year before she could be ready, the officers and men were turned over to the Ville de Paris, which was ordered to fit for his flag.

Sir James's activity in blockading the enemy was unremitting. The fleet consisted of twenty-seven sail of the line, nine of which were three-deckers. It was his custom, every day that the weather permitted, to stand towards the Black Rocks in a line of battle, and off in a line of bearing, always communicating with the in-shore squadron.

On one occasion, while the weather had been thick for several days, the signal was made from the Hibernia for the enemy's fleet to leeward. The English fleet bore up in chase; and, although the Prince of Wales was the worst-sailing ship in the fleet, by carrying a great press of sail she became the headmost. The wind was from the west, and the fleet was standing in for Brest, the French coast being a lee shore. Captain Bedford, who was not so well acquainted with the coast as Sir James, represented the danger that the fleet was running into, as it was blowing hard at the time; when Sir James replied, "There is good anchorage in Douvarnenez Bay," and continued his course: but it was soon after discovered that the strangers were the Plantagenet and in-shore squadron, and the fleet was still able to weather Ushant.

Captain Bedford, who, like other promoters of a religious feeling on board ship, was liable to be imposed upon by hypocrites, had on board the Prince of Wales a set of individuals among the seamen, who, taking advantage of his desire to encourage piety among the crew, ingratiated themselves so far by their outward manifestations as to induce him to appropriate a convenient berth in the ship, where they might sing psalms and perform other devotional exercises unmolested. This place virtually served as a depôt for the hypocrites, who had for a long time unsuspectedly committed divers acts of depredation. Just before the ship went into port, either to refit or replenish the water and provisions, the secretary's gold watch disappeared, as well as a considerable sum of money; and the complaint being made by him to the Admiral, the latter commanded the captain to call all hands on deck, and make a strict search for the stolen property.

The men being reported on deck by the officer who had charge of the lower decks, Captain Bedford said, "Where shall we begin to search?" to which the lieutenant replied, "My cabin, sir; then your's; and then the religious berth." This answer drew forth a rebuke for even suspecting these "good Christians," as the captain emphatically called them. The examination was however persisted in: the officers went to the berth, the keys were demanded, and could not be found; but an iron crow-bar was effectually substituted; and the whole of the missing property, besides many other stolen articles, were discovered in the chests of these miscreants, to the surprise and mortification of the worthy Captain Bedford, who did not fail immediately to make his report to the Admiral then on the quarter-deck.

Before punishment of criminals takes place in a flag-ship, it is usual for the captain to carry the particulars to the Admiral. It was the practice of Sir James Saumarez to examine these reports minutely, and convince himself of the necessity of the punishment before giving it his sanction; which was always done with that painful reluctance so natural to his humane disposition. In this instance, however, his feelings of indignation were more than usually roused: he emphatically said, "Captain Bedford, I desire that you will immediately give each of these wretches such a punishment as will effectually put a stop to this unparalleled wickedness."

We need scarcely add that his orders were implicitly obeyed; and such was the indignation of the crew, that there was no necessity for urging the boatswain's mates to do their duty, while Sir James, who never could witness punishment without extreme pain, retired to his cabin. He did not fail, however, to point out to every one how much the offence of theft had been aggravated by being committed under the cloak of religion, for which no punishment within the limited power of the captain could be too severe.

A change of ministry having taken place, Lord Gardner was appointed to command the Channel fleet; and, as his lordship chose the Ville de Paris for his flag, Captain Conn and the other officers were turned over to the Hibernia: three of Lord St. Vincent's officers were superseded; and Sir James joined his new flag-ship at sea. During the summer, when the wind came from the westward, and blew strong, the fleet bore up for Torbay. On one of these occasions Sir James showed much decision. The captains and officers of the fleet had sent their chronometers on shore to be cleaned and regulated, not expecting that there would be much occasion for them: it happened, however, that the fleet was blown off the coast by a strong north-east wind, which lasted more than a week. During this the ships, by chasing and performing various evolutions, had lost the reckoning, which differed from the true position by the chronometer of the Hibernia, which happened to be the only one in the fleet. After the easterly wind, a heavy westerly gale came on; and before Ushant could be made, the weather became thick, and the signal was made to bear up for Torbay, and at the same time for the longitude.

Sir James had now to decide: if the reckoning was right, the course by chronometer would have wrecked the fleet in Bigberry Bay; and if the chronometer was right, the course by reckoning would have carried the fleet on the Bill of Portland. Under these circumstances Sir James carefully examined both, and at once decided on following the course by chronometer; and the fleet safely anchored in Torbay in the middle of the night.

Lord Gardner took a house near Brixham, and Sir James continued for some time to carry on the duty as usual; till at length Lord Gardner apprised Sir James that he had applied for his old friend, Sir John Duckworth, to be his second in command: on which Sir James wrote to be superseded; and in August, the same year, he struck his flag, to rehoist it on board the Inconstant at Guernsey. His old flag-ship was during the winter prepared for him, and in February 1808 he proceeded to Guernsey.

During this period, war with Russia broke out. Affairs in the north wore a serious aspect, and it was evident that the Baltic must soon become the seat of war.

Sir James received the following letter from Lord Mulgrave, offering him the command in the East Indies, which was the most lucrative station; but prize-money was always a secondary consideration with the Admiral. He declined accepting the offer, as will be seen by his answer.

Admiralty, January 23rd, 1808.

My dear Sir,

Sir Edward Pellew having expressed a wish to be relieved from the command in the East Indies, I am desirous (before I think of another arrangement) to learn whether that station would be agreeable to you; in which case I should have great satisfaction in giving you that appointment.

I have the honour to be, with sincere regard and the highest esteem,

Dear sir,
Your most obedient and faithful servant,

Mulgrave.

To Vice-admiral Sir James Saumarez, K.B. &c.

Guernsey, 30th January 1808.

My dear Lord,

I am honoured with your lordship's private and confidential letter, and I cannot sufficiently express my grateful acknowledgements for the obliging manner in which your lordship has been pleased to propose to me the command in the East Indies, which I should be most happy to profit by, did the state of my health hold out any prospect of my fulfilling so important a trust with satisfaction to myself or to the benefit of my country. I am therefore, though reluctantly, compelled to decline this mark of your lordship's kindness.

I have the honour to be, &c. &c.

James Saumarez.

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,

I am in daily expectation of receiving accurate intelligence of the present state of the naval arsenal at Cronstadt. In the event of this information being as satisfactory as I have reason to hope, it is my intention to send a squadron into the Baltic, consisting of not less than twelve or thirteen sail of the line. If your health should be such as to admit of your taking the command of this fleet, I know of no arrangement which I can make that would be so satisfactory to myself, as to intrust the important service of attempting to destroy the Russian fleet, and of affording protection to his Majesty's firm and faithful ally, the King of Sweden, to your direction. It will not be necessary that you should come immediately to England, (in the event of your undertaking the command,) as all the necessary preparations may be forwarded beforehand; and your coming immediately over might tend to excite a premature suspicion of the object we have in view. I have not yet opened this project to any officer, but those on whom I have fixed my views to assist you, are Rear-admirals Sir Samuel Hood and Keats, who, besides their great professional merits, have the additional advantage of being well acquainted with the Baltic.

I have the honour to be,
With great truth and regard,
My dear sir,
Your very faithful and obedient servant,

Mulgrave.

Guernsey, 27th February 1808.

My Lord,

I have had the honour to receive your lordship's private and secret letter of the 20th instant, and I feel most deeply impressed with the very obliging manner in which your lordship has been pleased to offer me the command of the squadron proposed to be sent to the Baltic. Although it is with great diffidence that I undertake a trust of so high and great importance, having ever made it the principle of my life to go upon any service where my exertions for my king and country would be deemed most useful, I cannot for a moment hesitate to comply with the commands of your lordship, and I shall hold myself in readiness to proceed from this station whenever called upon; requesting your lordship will have the goodness to allow me sufficient time to make such arrangements as may be required in London, previous to my going upon the proposed service. The two officers selected to co-operate with me, are possessed of the highest merit; and, of all others, those I should have been happy to apply for, had they not been previously appointed. I shall be obliged to your lordship to mention the ship intended for my flag, as also such further information as may be judged necessary for me to know, with the probable time that I may be required to go to London; all which shall be held by me in the strictest confidence.

I have the honour to be,
With the highest regard,
My dear lord,
Your faithful and most obedient servant,

James Saumarez.

The ships composing this force proceeded to Gothenburg (the general rendezvous) as they were ready to sail. The Victory arrived in April, and was followed by an expedition consisting of 10,000 troops, commanded by the gallant Sir John Moore, who arrived on the 17th of May.

In the mean time, the body of French and Spanish troops, which, as part of the army of Marshal Bernadotte, had marched to the shores of the Belt, were obliged to halt, in consequence of the interposition of the English fleet; and the Danish 74, Prince Christian Frederick, was taken and destroyed, after a gallant resistance, by the Stately, 64, Captain George Parker, and the Nassau, 64, Captain R. Campbell. On the other hand, the Russians, who had laid siege to Sweaborg, in the Gulf of Finland, which was justly called the Gibraltar of the North, had induced the governor, Admiral Count Cronsted, to sign a capitulation, that, if not relieved by the 6th of May, which was next to an impossibility, the fortress was to be delivered up, and as a compensation he was to receive an estate of great value in Russia. The reason which has been assigned for this act of treachery was, that, having refused to meet the English fleet under Lord Nelson, he had been superseded in command of the fleet at Carlscrona, and removed to Sweaborg, as a kind of banishment.

This unfortunate event paralyzed the plans of the King of Sweden; and Sir John Moore was sent for to Stockholm. As the King of Sweden would not give permission to land any of the troops which were on board the transports at Gothenburg, excepting a part of the cavalry, their detention was irksome; and the Admiral waited with much anxiety for the return of the General, when he heard of his having been arrested, or, at least, detained by order of the king at Stockholm. In a few days, however, Sir John made his appearance on board the Victory; when it was found that his Swedish Majesty had made several absurd propositions to him, such as an attack on Copenhagen and upon Cronstadt, for which his force was inadequate, especially since the arrival at the former place of several regiments of French and Spanish troops, and at the latter of the flotilla taken at Sweaborg. As Sir John declined to undertake these expeditions, he was ordered to remain at Stockholm until he had received instructions from England respecting the disposition of his troops. Thus circumstanced, Sir John begged permission to send his aide-de-camp, Col. Graham, (now Lord Lynedoch,) to the Admiral with despatches; which being granted, he changed coats with the aide-de-camp, proceeded to Gothenburg himself, leaving the colonel in his stead, and arrived safely on board the Victory, to the great joy of Sir James, who was no less alarmed for Sir John's safety, than puzzled as to what measures would be most advisable to effect his release from unwarrantable confinement.

The following extract of a letter from Sir James to his brother, written from Gothenburg, will afford the best account that can be given of the state of affairs at the time he arrived there:

14th May 1808.

I fear you will be disappointed at the little information I can give you; it will, however, be satisfactory to know that none of the enemy's troops have, as yet, been enabled to cross the Sound, or get a footing on any part of Sweden. The Danes have about 30,000 troops in the island of Zealand; and at Funen and Holstein there are about 30,000 French, Spaniards, and Dutch: but the Sound and Belts are so closely watched, that it will be very difficult for any number of vessels to escape our different cruisers stationed to intercept them.

The Swedish troops on the frontiers of Norway, under the orders of General Armfeldt, have had several skirmishes with the Danes, which have in general proved very favourable to the former; but nothing of importance has yet taken place, owing to the roads being almost impassable from the depth of snow and ice, which, even at this advanced season, cover them. Last Wednesday, accounts were received from Stockholm, of the surrender of Sweaborg! It was the more unexpected from the garrison having withstood two assaults, in which the Russians are said to have lost a great number of men. This event decides the fate of Finland. Sweaborg was considered a fortress of great importance.

The following extract, on the subject of Sir John Moore's detention and escape, shows the state of affairs up to his departure from Gothenburg on the 1st of July:

Victory, 30th June 1808.

You will have been surprised at the length of time we have been detained here, and particularly so when I inform you that the troops are returning to England, owing principally to this government not choosing to accede to the terms upon which it was proposed they should be employed in this country. It is truly to be lamented that so much delay should have taken place, and so much time lost, when their services might have been so well employed elsewhere. Between ourselves, much irritability has been shown by the King of Sweden in the different conferences Sir John Moore has had with him. Finding Sir John earnest in his intentions to return to England, he sent one of his officers to signify to him, he was not to leave Stockholm till his pleasure, which, of course, was considered as putting him under an arrest, a most unprecedented measure, and an outrage certainly offered to a friendly nation. Sir John, however, took a favourable opportunity to get away from Stockholm, and arrived here last evening.

I trust and hope this will not lead to a rupture between the two countries; but so unwarrantable and violent a proceeding cannot easily be settled. I own to you, I never formed any expectation that the troops would be of essential service in this country. They were too few in number to act separately; and it would not have been right to commit them with the Swedish army, at the will and disposal of the monarch.

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.

Baron Rayalin having, with this letter, transmitted his exposé of the situation of the Swedes since the capture of Sweaborg and the recapture of Gothland, states that the Russians and Swedes had each eleven sail of the line: it was agreed that the Swedish fleet should be reinforced by two ships, the Centaur of 74 guns, Rear-admiral Sir Samuel Hood, and the Implacable 74, Captain Byam Martin, and take a position at Hango-udde, a small, ill-fortified harbour at the north-west point of Finland, round which the Russian flotilla must pass to attack Åbo and Åland; and that the English commander-in-chief should employ the rest of his fleet in blockading the enemy's coast from the Gulf of Finland to Norway, including the coasts of Prussia, Pomerania, Denmark, the Belt, and Sound, for the protection of commerce and the defence of the kingdom of Sweden.

These matters being arranged, Sir James left Gothenburg on the 2nd of July, in the Victory; and, passing through the Great Belt, visited the different stations where ships were to be placed. Having taken possession of the small island of Spröe, he proceeded to Carlscrona, the principal naval arsenal of Sweden, and arrived there on the 10th July.

The ensuing extract of a letter from Sir James to a friend, on leaving Gothenburg, will be read with interest, as it will throw some light on the important and difficult line of conduct he had to pursue on this occasion.

Victory, off Gothenburg, 2nd July 1808.

You will, I am persuaded, feel much concern at the untoward circumstances that have occurred, and the impossibility that must now exist of the troops being of any service in this country. Every arrangement is made for their sailing the moment the wind will enable the transports to get out of the harbour; and I shall proceed at the same time for the entrance of the Sound, off Helsinburg, which is the station whence I can most easily communicate with the different detachments, and at the same time receive the despatches from England.

The only part for me to act in the present state of things, is to uphold the honour of the country, and, as far as lies in my power, keep up the friendly intercourse that has hitherto been maintained with our only ally.

In what light the business will be taken up at home it is impossible for me to say. It is certain that a most flagrant outrage has been offered by the King of Sweden in the detention of Sir John Moore; and how far his Majesty can justify himself in the eye of our government for so great an insult to an officer of Sir John's rank, entrusted with the command of an army, ordered from England for the defence of Sweden, and who went to Stockholm to confer in a confidential manner on the measures to be adopted for putting the orders he had received into execution, is at present difficult to conceive.

He had doubtless, in his own opinion, good grounds for having taken so strong a measure, but which scarcely can be admitted when the whole transactions that may have led to it are known to our government. This misunderstanding is the more to be lamented at this time, that unanimity with our ally was the only point on which we could form our expectations of success; besides the advantage that the enemy may take of it, and the ridicule they will of course throw upon it.

Sir John Moore has been embarked with me since his return, besides General Hope. The former takes his passage on board the Audacious, which convoys the transports to Yarmouth.

During the months of June and July, Sir James had much correspondence with the ex-King and Queen of France, the Duchess d'Angoulême, and his old friend the Duc d'Havre. Some difficulty attended their transport to England; the Euryalus only being allowed to proceed on that service, and the suite of his majesty, and the royal family amounting to above a hundred persons. The correspondence, however, does not possess sufficient interest to dwell further on it; suffice it to say, that Sir James gave them all the assistance and accommodation in his power, and that they had left Carlscrona before the Victory arrived.

About this time Admiral Cederström, who had vanquished the Russians at Gothland, was called to Stockholm, and Rear Admiral Nauckhoff was appointed in his stead, with whom Sir James exchanged letters of congratulation. The King had gone to Åland; and, as no more was said about the affair of Sir John Moore, things went on smoothly: Baron Rayalin accompanied the King, and Mons. Gullenstolpè acted as adjutant-general of the marine.

The Swedish fleet now consisted of eleven sail of the line and five frigates, which were reinforced by the Centaur and Implacable; and proceeded to the station before agreed on.

Towards the end of July, Sir James was aware of the refractory conduct of the Spanish troops, under the Marquis of Romana, in the island of Funen, where they had been arrested in their progress to Zealand by the appearance of the English fleet. Rear Admiral Keats was ordered to communicate, if possible, with Romana, who was known to be disaffected since the news had reached him of the revolution of affairs in Spain, and to offer every assistance to rescue the troops under his command. It was a great satisfaction to Sir James, that, on the arrival of the next packet, he found he had anticipated the desire of government, from whom he received instructions to the same intent, after Sir Richard had been detached.

The address and tact which Rear-admiral Keats displayed on this occasion is well known. As soon as he had succeeded in rescuing the Marquis of Romana, by seizing on the vessels at Nyborg, and transporting his troops to the defenceless island of Langeland, he despatched a vessel to Sir James, who immediately sailed from Carlscrona, leaving behind Captain Hope, who went home in consequence of the illness and subsequent demise of his wife, Lady Jemima, and made all sail for the Belt. On this occasion Sir James gave a proof of the decision of his character, which could not but make a deep impression on all who were present.

The Victory, about sun-set, had doubled Dars Head, forming with the opposite point in Zealand the entrance of the Great Belt from the eastward. The wind was fresh and directly adverse, when Mr. Squire, master of the fleet, acquainted the Admiral that the ship must anchor for the night, as he could no longer take charge as pilot. Sir James, who had examined the chart, and could see no great risk in working as far as Femeren, where the channel became narrow and the soundings more regular, demanded his reason; which being unsatisfactory, he sent for Mr. Nelson, the master, and Mr. Webb, the north-sea pilot, but neither would undertake the charge, or give any satisfactory reason. Sir James immediately ordered the one master into the starboard, and the other into the larboard main channels, to see that the lead was correctly hove; and having directed the Cruiser brig, then in company, to keep right a-head, he kept the ship under sail till midnight, when she had worked up tack by tack to Femeren, a distance of six leagues. He was thus enabled to reach Sir Richard Keats's division on the following day in time to concert measures for the removal of Romana's army to Gothenburg.

The conduct of these inferior officers could only arise from a desire to make themselves appear of importance, especially in the absence of the captain of the fleet; and their messmates could not but rejoice at their failure, as it brought them sooner to the scene of action.

On the 14th of August, when the Victory arrived off the battery near the centre of Langeland, an officer was despatched to the head-quarters of the Marquis, who embarked on board that ship on the following morning, and before night the whole of his troops were afloat; the Marquis was then removed to the Superb, and the convoy proceeded to Gothenburg, under the orders of Sir Richard Keats. It was much to be regretted that the fine regiment of Asturias could not be rescued; but, having reached Copenhagen, they were disarmed by the Danes and French the moment the intelligence of Romana's rescue was known.

The following extract of a letter from Sir James to his brother gives an interesting account of the rescue of Romana's army:

Victory, off Langeland, 21st August 1808.

I returned to the Belt from Carlscrona, in consequence of information from Admiral Keats, which reached me on the 6th, that an overture had been made by a Spanish officer for their troops to be withdrawn from these islands. The following day the Musquito joined me from the Admiralty, with directions upon that subject, and to make trial if any thing could be done; fortunately, duplicates were sent to Admiral Keats, which he received in the Belt.

On the 14th, having been detained by contrary winds, I received accounts from Admiral Keats, that they had been withdrawn from the island of Funen, and landed on Langeland. I joined last Thursday, and the same evening an express reached me by the Mosquito, with the information that the Russian fleet from Cronstadt had sailed, and had been seen off Hango Udde, the station occupied by the Swedish squadron; these last having gone within the small islands to complete with water. Judge of my anxiety, particularly having detached those ships to join them, under Sir S. Hood, who received the advice at Carlscrona, in the Centaur, and was on the point of sailing to join the other two ships, who had proceeded some days before. I trust they will find their way to join the Swedes in safety; but it is an anxious moment.

I am proceeding with this ship and the Mars to endeavour to fall in with them; all the other ships here have the Spanish troops embarked on board them, and on board several small vessels taken at Nyborg. It certainly is of the greatest importance to have succeeded in withdrawing so large a portion of the Spanish army, upwards of 9,000. About 4,000 are left in Zealand and Jutland.

I hope it will not have led to any disaster. I have guarded against any to the utmost of my power, but we cannot answer for events; and in the course of my service I have never experienced greater anxiety than since I have been on this station: first, with regard to the expedition and the business of Sir John Moore, which for a time paralysed all the naval operations, and certainly might have been attended with the worst consequences. We must however hope for the best, and trust all will turn to good.

Added to the despatches acknowledging this letter, was the following private note from Lord Mulgrave:

Admiralty, August 25th, 1808.

My dear Sir James,

I cannot let despatches go from the Admiralty without conveying to you my hearty congratulations on the important event of the deliverance of so large a body of the Spanish troops. Rear-admiral Keats has conducted this service with admirable talent, zeal, and judgment. We have a report here that the Russian fleet has put to sea; and are in anxious hope that they may have fallen in your way. The enemy's fate and the public interests cannot be in better hands than yours.

I am, dear Sir James, with great truth,
Yours very sincerely,

Mulgrave

This service being completed, Sir James hastened back to the Baltic, and, arriving off Carlscrona, received additional intelligence of the position of the Russian fleet. Taking along with him the Mars, Goliath, and Africa, Salsette, Rose, and Ariel, he proceeded to the northward; and, passing between Gothland and Sweden, made for the Gulf of Finland, expecting to fall in with the Centaur and Implacable at certain places of rendezvous. He was not a little disappointed at not finding them, even at Hango Udd. On the 30th of August he fell in with the Swedish frigate Camilla, Captain Troile, who came on board, and gave him the first information of the action which had taken place between the two fleets; it appeared that the Sewolod, a Russian seventy-four, which had been disabled by the Implacable, had been taken and burned by that ship and the Centaur, and that the Russian fleet had been pursued into Rogerwick, (or Port Baltic,) where they might be successfully attacked.

This joyful news was communicated to the squadron, and every ship was instantly cleared for action. The signals were successively made to bear up, let out reefs, and make more sail. The pilot at the same time informed the Admiral that he had been often in Rogerwick, which is a bay in the south side of the Gulf of Finland, formed by the islands of East and West Roge and the main, and that he could easily take the fleet in.

At two o'clock, the Swedish fleet,[5] consisting of ten sail of the line and three frigates, together with the Centaur and Implacable, were seen at anchor off Rogerwick; a plan of which is given, showing the position of both fleets. The general signal was made to prepare for battle; but the Centaur telegraphed that "you must anchor in thirty-five fathoms," in reply to the Admiral's signal to weigh: this having been repeated, the signals were made to anchor, furl sails, &c.

[View larger image]

Harbour of Rogerwick, showing the positions of the English, Swedish, and Russian fleets, 31st August 1808

Sir Samuel Hood, the Swedish Admiral and captain of the fleet, now came on board; what occurred at this consultation is only known to themselves. Subsequently, Sir James went on board the Rose; but it was then too late to reconnoitre the enemy. Next day (31st August) was spent also in consultation; and on the 1st of September the Victory and Goliath got under weigh, and stood in to the entrance of the harbour; and, having silenced a battery on the west side with one broadside, the Admiral had, for the first time, a good view of the position of the enemy's fleet, and was convinced that they might have been attacked. He immediately made known his determination to attack them on the following day, and orders were accordingly issued to that effect; the Author was sent on board the Swedish Admiral's ship, not only with these orders, but to remain on board to explain signals, and assist in bringing the Swedish fleet into action. Captain Martin, of the Implacable, was appointed acting captain of the fleet, and Captain Pipon succeeded him.

In the mean time, the Russians sent on board an officer with a flag of truce, on pretence of treating for exchange of prisoners: when he came on board the Victory, he addressed Capt. Dumaresq in the French language, saying that he did not understand English. Soon after which, the Author, happening to come on deck, recognised in this officer Mr. Skripeetzen, his old shipmate on board the Penelope; where he had been two years a signal midshipman; and, before that, as many on board the Leviathan. Of course he could speak and understand English perfectly, and he had actually his signal-book in his pocket.

This discovery afforded no small amusement. It was now evident that he came on board to make useful observations, and his object was completely obtained. The officers took him below, and showed him the ship clear for action, each deck having a thousand extra shot added to the usual number; on some of which the sailors had been exercising their wit by writing in chalk, "Post-paid"; "Free, George Canning";[6]—jokes which Mr. Skripeetzen did not seem to relish; and he quitted the ship evidently confused and mortified.

The hopes of the Admiral and his officers were now raised to the highest pitch; every preparation had been made, and the dawn of day of the 2nd September was waited for with anxious expectation. The wind, which in the evening had been favourable for the enterprise, unfortunately veered to the southward before day-break; and, as it was directly against going in, an attack was impossible. As this hard-hearted gale continued for eight days, all hopes of being able to attack the enemy vanished.

The enemy in the mean time moored his ships in a compact line, with booms moored outside; and, having marched six thousand troops from Revel, threw up strong batteries on each side, so that his position was soon rendered impregnable.

Sir James now sent, by a flag of truce, the following letter to the Emperor Alexander:

His Britannic Majesty's ship Victory, off Baltic Port,
17th September 1808.

Sire,

Your imperial Majesty is probably uninformed of the events that have recently taken place in the southern parts of Europe. Spain has succeeded in rescuing herself from the usurpation and tyranny of the ruler of France. Portugal has also extricated herself from the baneful hands of the enemy of all independent states; the whole of the French forces in that country having been compelled to surrender to the British army under Sir Arthur Wellesley. It is to be hoped that those events will induce the powers of the Continent to unite with Great Britain to restore that peace so highly to be desired for the welfare of mankind.

Knowing it to be the object most at heart of my gracious sovereign, and that of his Majesty's ally, the King of Sweden, should your imperial Majesty be impressed with the same sentiments, nothing will afford me greater happiness than to have the honour of imparting them to my government, and to desist from further hostile operations, upon condition that your Majesty will give orders to your forces to desist from hostilities against England and her ally, and to withdraw your forces from Swedish Finland.

I have the honour to be,
With the most profound respect,
Your imperial Majesty's
Most devoted and most obedient humble servant,

James Saumarez,
Vice-admiral and commander-in-chief of his
Britannic Majesty's ships in the Baltic.

To his imperial Majesty the Emperor of all the Russias.

This appeal to his imperial Majesty unfortunately did not reach St. Petersburg until the day after the Emperor Alexander had left it, on his journey to meet Buonaparte at Erfurth; and, in consequence, Sir James received the following answer from the Russian Admiral Tchitchagoff, the minister of the Marine:

St. Petersburg, 12/27 Sept. 1808.

Monsieur,

La lettre que votre excellence a adressé à sa Majesté l'Empereur m'est parvenu à mon retour à St. Petersburg conjointement à celle que m'a écrit Monsieur Thornton. Sa Majesté n'étant plus dans sa capitale depuis quelque jours, je me suis empressé de la lui expédier.

Pendant mon séjour au Port Baltique, ayant appris que votre excellence desiroit savoir si l'échange de nos équipages pris sur le vaisseau Le Sewolod, contre des sujets de sa Majesté Britannique ou Swedoise pourroit avoir lieu, je suis bien-aise de lui annoncer que des ordres ont été donnés au general en chef commandant en Finlande de rendre un nombre égal, et rang pour rang, des sujets de sa Majesté Swedoise contre les prisonniers Russes faits dans le dernier combat.

En priant votre excellence de vouloir bien transmettre la ci-jointe au ministre de sa Majesté Britannique, Monsieur Thornton, je dois la prévenir que je n'ai point reçu les gazettes que ce dernier m'avoit annoncés dans sa lettre.

Je saisis avec empressement cette occasion pour assurer votre excellence de la considération la plus distinguée avec laquelle j'ai l'honneur d'être, De votre excellence,

Très humble et très obéissant serviteur,

P. de Tchitchagoff.

A son Ex. Mon. le Vice-amiral Saumarez.

The letters addressed to Mr. Thornton, being to the same effect, need not be given. The exchange of prisoners took place at a subsequent period.

A negociation now ensued between the Russian and British commanders-in-chief, for permission that the blockaded fleet should return to St. Petersburg unmolested, on condition that a part should be given up by the former. In answer to this proposition, his Swedish Majesty requiring that the whole should be given up, and Sir James's demand being for both the three-deckers and half the remainder, the negociation was broken off, and fire-ships were fitted out as the only chance of destroying them.[7] In the mean time, the Thunder and another bomb-ship, covered by the Goliath and Salsette, continued to throw shells into the fortress, and on one occasion a magazine was blown up; but the fleet was too far within the harbour for the shells to reach them, or to prevent their extending a barricade of booms to prevent the approach of fire-ships. The Erebus and a brig having however been prepared, an attempt was made on the 20th September; but failed, owing to the rise of the moon before the vessels could approach.

The following is an extract from a letter written by Sir James to his brother:

Victory, off Port Baltic, 31st August 1808.

I have been disappointed in the expectations I so ardently formed when I wrote you last Monday. We arrived off Hango Udd, expecting all night to fall in with the Russian fleet; but at daylight a Swedish frigate joined, with the information that the Swedish squadron, with the Centaur and Implacable, had sailed on the 25th in pursuit of them, and chased them into this harbour; the Centaur and Implacable had cut off their rear ship, which was set on fire after her crew had been taken out.

I anchored at two yesterday afternoon, and had the satisfaction to find Sir S. Hood with the Swedish squadron at anchor, watching the enemy's squadron in the harbour, who have been occupied in fortifying themselves in the best manner; and I fear nothing can be attempted with any prospect of success, from what I am informed.

I most sincerely lament not to have been in time to join our ally, as most probably not a Russian would have escaped. My great consolation is, that not a moment has been lost; and, when it is considered that I was off here in only eight days from the time I left the Belt, it will appear almost surprising, particularly with the north winds we experienced.

Sir S. Hood and Captain Martin are beheld by the Swedes with adoration for their heroic attack on the enemy's ship; had the Swedes sailed as well as the Russians, not one would have escaped.

It was after this letter had been despatched that Sir James reconnoitred the enemy in the Victory; and, consequently, determined on an attack.

On the 23rd of September, Captain Bathurst, of the Salsette, and Captain Trolle, of the Camilla, being sent to ascertain the position of the Russian fleet, reported that they were so completely barricaded, that any further attempt with fire-ships would be fruitless; Sir James ordered the Erebus and Baltic to be restored to their former condition, the brig having been burnt in the attempt.

In addition to the scurvy, which made its appearance in the Swedish fleet early in the month of July, the crews were now attacked with a malignant epidemic, which daily became more fatal; those who had been affected by scurvy, being predisposed to catch the infection of the fever, were invariably carried off. A Swedish ship of the line and two frigates had been loaded with the sick from the different ships, and sent to Carlscrona. As the month of September advanced, it was evident that the Swedish fleet could not keep longer at sea; and that, if a reinforcement did not arrive from England, the blockade must soon be raised. Lemon-juice, sugar, &c. as well as medical assistance, was sent to the Swedes, but too late to have the desired effect.

Sir James, having anchored the Swedish ships farther out, persevered as long as it was possible, and the fleets rode out two heavy gales of wind in that exposed situation; while the Russian ships lay moored, with yards and topmasts struck, in the position given as second in the diagram (page 116).

The Swedish army in Finland had fought with great bravery, but were at length overpowered by numbers; Åbo, the capital of Finland, was in the end taken, and that valuable country for ever lost to Sweden. The King, and subsequently the remains of his army, retreated to Stockholm, and the campaign terminated decidedly in favour of Russia.

After what has been stated, it will not excite surprise that Sir James should have had some anxiety about the opinion of the public, as will be seen by the following short extract, dated 26th September, &c.

I am anxious to hear what will be said of the occurrences here, although I am conscious of having acted for the good of my country to the utmost in my power; and I trust the whole of my conduct since my first coming upon the station will be entirely approved of by government: it is very possible there may be those who will be disposed to find fault, however unjustly.

It will be seen hereafter, that this apprehension was not ill-founded.

Before the arrival of the Victory and squadron off Rogerwick, Sir Samuel Hood had despatched his first lieutenant with the intelligence of the capture and destruction of the Russian seventy-four, Sewolod, and of the position of the Russian fleet. This officer was, of course, the bearer of many letters, which described the enemy's ships to be in a situation easily to be attacked, when the commander-in-chief should arrive. The expectations of the nation, from the known prowess of Sir James Saumarez, were therefore raised to the highest pitch. When the information subsequently reached England that he had not attacked them, it is not to be wondered at that blame should be attached to him by the public, who could not be aware of the existence of those circumstances which frustrated his intentions; and so long did this impression last, that it was only in 1834 that the Author explained the causes to his late Majesty, who had always been impressed with the idea that it was Sir James, and not the Swedish Admiral and Sir Samuel Hood, that objected to the attack; though certainly the very reverse was the fact. There can be no doubt that, if Sir James had been authorised to take command of the Swedish fleet, he would, even against the opinion of Sir Samuel, have attacked the enemy's fleet on the 31st of August; and, as the wind changed on the following morning, he would have been able to carry off all his prizes without any difficulty. We have ever since lamented that the attempt, as planned by Sir James, was not promptly made.

The official description of the action with the Russian fleet will be found in the Appendix; as also Sir James's correspondence with his Swedish Majesty on the subject.

As it was hoped that some shift of wind would enable us to attack the enemy, we remained in a state of anxiety for three weeks. In the interim, intelligence was received of the success of the British arms in Spain, and of the expulsion of the French from Portugal. Sir James, in consequence of this information, and of the opinions before mentioned, and seeing that the enemy could neither be attacked nor blockaded any longer, weighed anchor on the 30th of September, and in company with the Swedes proceeded to Carlscrona, where he arrived on the 9th of October.

CHAPTER IX.

1808, 1809.

On Sir James's arrival at Carlscrona, he was received with every mark of attention and respect by Admiral Puké, the governor, and other authorities. The sick, amounting to 3,000, were landed from the Swedish fleet; and their hospitals were visited and supplied, as far as possible, with medicine from the English, while they on the other hand received fresh provisions, vegetables, and water.

Arrangements being made for the protection of the commerce, and convoys, which were to sail as long as the sea was open, Sir James, and the Swedes themselves, aware of the inefficiency of the Swedish ships of war compared with the English, and desirous that they should be in a better state to co-operate next season, complied with the request of Admiral Nauckhoff, to leave the Author with them during the winter, to assist in their operations of refitting, &c.

On his leaving Carlscrona, Sir James received the following farewell letter from that officer:

His Swedish Majesty's ship Gustaf IV. Adolf,
20th October 1808.

Sir,

I have the honour to acknowledge your excellency's letter of the 18th of this month, in which your excellency has been pleased, in the most polite and flattering terms, to mark your satisfaction with the co-operation of the Swedish squadron, and the conduct of the commanders of the ships under my orders.

It is impossible for me to express the sentiments of esteem and gratitude for the unremitting and zealous exertions with which your excellency on every occasion has been pleased to promote the interest of my sovereign and country. His Majesty, my royal master, will be duly informed of the valuable services rendered to him and to the Swedish nation by your excellency, and the gallant flag-officers, captains, and others under your command; and I shall certainly regard your excellency's appointment to the command of the British fleet in these seas, as a most convincing proof of the inviolable friendship which his only but most faithful and powerful ally the King of Great Britain entertains for him, and for the promotion of Swedish interests.

I beg your excellency will be pleased to convey my best thanks to every admiral, captain, and officer under your excellency's command, for all the attention and the very active zeal which they have on every occasion displayed. The care and attention which the worthy Dr. Jameson, and the surgeon Mr. Duke, have given to the sick, will ever be remembered with sentiments of sincere gratitude.

I have the honour to remain,
With the highest regard and consideration,
Your excellency's
Most obedient and very humble servant,

Nauckhoff, Rear-admiral.

Admiral Nauckhoff struck his flag on the 15th of November; at which time the mortality and sickness had been so great, that only three frigates could be manned to assist in the protection of the trade.

Sir James left Carlscrona on the 25th October, and, passing through the Great Belt, reached Gothenburg on the 29th of November. Here he remained in the Victory until the 3rd of December, during which interval he made the necessary arrangements for the protection of the trade in that quarter; and, leaving Rear-admiral Keats in the Superb, and, under his command, the Orion and two smaller vessels, he proceeded to the Downs, where he landed on the 8th, and appeared at the Admiralty on the 9th current. Their lordships were pleased to signify their high approbation of every part of his conduct, as far as the naval operations were concerned; but they considered his address to the Emperor of Russia a stretch of power. Of this the public will judge. Sir James did no more, in fact, than propose an armistice, which is undoubtedly the province of every commander-in-chief. It is indeed true that Buonaparte, who was at Erfurth when the Emperor Alexander received his letter, made this the basis of a deceitful overture for peace, in order to gain time, and thereby puzzle the ministers a little; but this circumstance can never be held out as a reason for preventing a commander-in-chief at a great distance from home concluding an armistice, when he is confident it would be beneficial to the cause on which he is engaged.

In the mean time, the Russian fleet, with the exception of two ships, which were lost on the passage, succeeded in returning to Cronstadt. It was said that Admiral Henikoff, who commanded, was degraded in consequence of his conduct in not engaging the Swedish fleet.

The mortality continued at Carlscrona among the seamen until the cold weather set in about Christmas, when it was calculated that the Swedes had lost a number nearly equal to the original crews of their ships, including sixty-four officers; among whom were fourteen of the rank of captain (lieut.-col. in their service).

The Orion sailed with the first convoy in November, which she carried successfully through the Belt. The next ship was the Africa, which, after seeing her convoy through the Malinö channel, was attacked by Danish gun-boats in a calm, and suffered so severely as to oblige her to return to Carlscrona. The Mars, Orion, and two bombs, made an unsuccessful attack on Eartholms.; but the last convoy which left Carlscrona, under the Salsette, Magnet, and two Swedish sloops of war, was the most disastrous undertaking of all. They sailed on the 23rd December, after the winter set in with unusual severity. A storm coming on from the northward, brought the already-formed ice down on the convoy. The Magnet (Captain Morris) was wrecked, with several others; the rest, with the Salsette and two Swedish armed ships, were carried back into the Baltic; and, excepting the Salsette, none of them were ever heard of.

The gallant Captain Bathurst, who afterwards fell gloriously at Navarin, after suffering severe hardships by being frozen out the whole winter, during which his ship was drifted twice round the island of Bornholm, was able to approach Carlshamn in March, and was cut into that harbour by the Swedes, who afforded him every assistance. The Swedish armed ships were lost by being carried by the ice on a sandbank in sight of the Salsette, which had then only four feet water to spare; the former, immediately they struck, turned bottom up, and all hands perished, being instantly covered with the ice. The thermometer, in January 1809, sank to forty-five degrees below zero; the Sound and Belt were completely frozen over, and many passed between Sweden and Denmark on horseback over the ice.

The Author did not escape the infection at Carlscrona, but was one of the first who recovered, and was sent for by the King to Stockholm; it was, however, the middle of February before he could undertake the journey.

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.

The following is a continuation of the correspondence between Sir James and Mr. Foster:

Victory, in Wingo Sound, 11th May 1809.

Sir,

Having arrived at this anchorage on the 4th instant, and Rear-admiral Sir Samuel Hood being parted for England, in consequence of the ill state of his health, I opened your letter addressed to the Rear-admiral, dated 7th instant, informing him of your being appointed his Majesty's chargé d'affaires in the absence of Mr. Merry.

I have the honour to inform you that I shall feel highly gratified by any communication you may be pleased to make to me relating to his Majesty's service, and which may be interesting for my knowledge as commander-in-chief in these seas; and I shall be happy in conveying to you any information in my power, which may be connected with his Majesty's service.

His excellency Mr. Merry sailed yesterday for England, on board his Majesty's ship Alexandria. From him I received such information as he possessed to the period of his leaving Stockholm. I propose to detach Rear-admiral Dixon, who joined me the 9th instant in the Temeraire, to relieve Sir Richard G. Keats; and I propose to continue here for some time longer for the more speedy communication with England, as well as to receive what you may do me the honour to write to me; giving you due notice previously to my proceeding for the Baltic.

The accounts rumoured of the pretended defeat of the Austrians, I trust, will not prove correct; and we must not be surprised at the circulation of exaggerated accounts of the success of Buonaparte in the present state of affairs on the continent and in the northern parts of Europe.

I have the honour to be,
With great truth and respect,
Sir, &c. &c. &c.

James Saumarez.

To A. Foster, Esq. his Britannic Majesty's
chargé d'affaires, Stockholm.

Stockholm, 15th May 1809.

Sir,

Scarcely had the letter which I wrote to your excellency late last night been received by the person who set out with it this morning, when a note reached me from Baron de Lagerbjelke, minister for foreign affairs ad interim of this government, to inform me of his having important communications to make to me, and appointing an hour for a conference with me this forenoon.

The object of this conference was to expose to me the critical position in which Sweden is placed at this moment, from her desire to remain in amity and maintain her commercial intercourse with Great Britain, of which, as he was pleased to express himself, she was on the point of becoming the victim; and to ask of me to explain to you the full extent of her dangers, in the confidence that you would give her all the assistance in your power which her perilous situation requires, without waiting for instructions for the purpose from his Majesty's government; it not being the interest of England that this country should be conquered by Russia, although the same alliance no longer existed between his Majesty and the Swedish government. Buonaparte has evaded the repeated solicitations of Sweden to take into his own hands the management of the negociation for a peace, which this country is willing to enter into with all her enemies; and has referred her for the terms of such a peace entirely to the court of St. Petersburg. This court, meanwhile, has manifested the most marked discontent at the delays which have already taken place in the negociation; and has insisted, as a preliminary condition to the treating for peace, that this country should enter into the alliance against Great Britain. She has also declared the kind of armistice concluded by her generals at an end; and Baron Schwaren, who had been sent on a mission to St. Petersburg, which place he left the 24th ultimo, returned here on the 6th instant, bringing intelligence of very formidable preparations which are making in Finland for the immediate invasion of this country, while the Russian army at Torneo has been considerably reinforced.

Baron de Lagerbjelke gave me the assurances of the Duke of Sudermania, that every effort shall be made on the part of Sweden to repel the meditated attack of Russia, and that his Royal Highness is determined not to yield to the conditions of peace proposed by her, as long as he has the means of defending himself; but he proposes that your excellency should on your part aid him in his defence, by displaying first a part of the fleet under your command in the Sound and on the coast of Denmark, to deter the Danes from making an attack on the southern provinces of Sweden, while the troops and sailors necessary for the defence of this part of the kingdom shall be withdrawn from these shores. Secondly, that you should engage to send such a force into the Baltic sea as to render it dangerous for the Russians to make any attempt with ships of the line against the harbours, or to carry an invading force against the coast of Sweden. And thirdly, that by detaching sloops of war, brigs, and frigates in the direction from Norrköping and Stockholm, as far as Gefle, you should strew such a force in those seas as to intimidate the Russian General in Finland from embarking his troops on board the flotilla at Åbo, for the purpose of attacking at once the centre of this kingdom. Such are the paucity of means, and so few the troops which this government can assemble for the defence of Sweden against so powerful an enemy, that the invasion cannot in all probability but succeed, unless your excellency can send the aid the King desires.

On the supposition that you might act in consequence of the above-mentioned representation of this government, I observed to Baron de Lagerbjelke, that, from the remoteness of the seas in the neighbourhood of Åland and Gefle, it was very probable that many of your officers might be unacquainted with them, and thereby risk being thrown into situations of danger; on which he observed, that through the means of his father, the minister of marine, he should take care that pilots should be sent out to meet you whenever it was ascertained that any of the ships under your command were coming into these seas. The navigation of the Gulf of Bothnia promises now to be open in ten days or a fortnight; and therefore this government hopes, in case you should accede to their wishes, that as little time as possible may be lost in the execution of them.

Three Swedish frigates, as Baron de Lagerbjelke gave me to understand, have been ordered round from Carlscrona to cruise off these coasts; and 106 gun-boats, hemmemas, and other vessels, are at present in or near the water; but the want of men from the mortality of the last winter is severely felt, and can only be supplied from the south, in case you think fit to coincide with the views of this government.

I have, &c. &c. &c.

Augt. Foster.

Vice-admiral Sir James Saumarez, Bart, and K.B.
&c. &c. &c.

This was the first communication which had been made by the Swedish government since Gustaf IV. Adolf was deposed, and his uncle had accepted the regency with full powers. By this exposé it appears that their first act after the revolution was to try to make peace singly with Buonaparte, which was of course refused; because the Swedes could give him nothing in return, and shutting the ports against Great Britain was a preliminary that could not be dispensed with. There was no alternative therefore but to apply to England for protection against their inveterate enemies the Russians, who had already possessed themselves of all Finland, and were preparing for the invasion of Sweden. Mr. Foster added the following private opinion on the state of affairs, which now became so interesting:

Stockholm, 15th May 1809.

Sir,

I have written you a long public letter upon the wishes of this government for your co-operation in the defence of Sweden. My private opinion is, that the Swedes, in addition to their desire to maintain their commercial relations with us, (which of course they wish should be still carried on, though by secret understanding,) entertain the design of preventing the Russians from interfering in their interior concerns; they also hope the French may be ultimately victorious against Austria, as they suppose they will not be inclined to the confirming of Russia in her conquest of Finland; which considerations make this government so backward in accepting the terms proposed by Russia. In the mean time they are in a most deplorable state, and cannot, I believe, collect 10,000 men: without your assistance they must perish or yield; with your aid it will be but a respite, I dare say, but perhaps of use for the Swedes.

The news of to-day is rather better: on the Tagliamento it would appear the Austrians are victorious; and in Poland, where Colonel Marfeld is said to have cut off some Russians, marched on Warsaw, and to be about besieging Dantzic: these latter want confirmation. The French, I fear, have crossed the Inn, but with great loss.

I have, &c. &c. &c.

Augt. Foster.

Vice-admiral Sir James Saumarez, Bart. and K.B.
&c. &c. &c.

To the above letters Sir James returned the following satisfactory answer, which decided the plan of his operations for this year:

Victory, Wingo Sound, Gothenburg, 18th May 1809.

Sir,

I have just received the honour of your letter of the 15th instant, by the messenger Mears, acquainting me with the particulars of a conference you had with Baron de Lagerbjelke on the present critical state of Sweden, in consequence, as he was pleased to state to you, of her desire to remain in amity, and maintain her commercial relations, with Great Britain; and requesting you to explain to me the full extent of her danger, in the confidence that I should give all the assistance in my power which her perilous situation required, without waiting for instructions from his Majesty's government. Also informing me of the formidable preparations making in Finland for the immediate invasion of Sweden.

The assurances made to you through Baron de Lagerbjelke, on the part of the Duke of Sudermania, that every effort will be made to repel the meditated attack of Russia, and that his Royal Highness has determined not to yield to the conditions of peace proposed to him, as long as he has the means of defending himself, will decide me in employing the fleet under my command in the best manner in my power for the defence of Sweden; for which purpose an adequate force will be stationed in the Sound and on the coast of Denmark, to intimidate the Danes from making any attack on the southern provinces of Sweden; and a squadron of line of battle ships will be employed in the Baltic to watch the Russian fleet, and prevent any attempt on their part to carry an invading army against the coast of Sweden from the side of Finland.

As the attention of the Swedish marine will be principally confined to the defence of Stockholm, and the coast within the Gulf of Bothnia, it is to be presumed that, with proper exertion, they will be perfectly adequate to that service; and as three Swedish frigates have been ordered to cruise on that station, with other armed vessels, and one hundred and six gun-boats, no doubt can be entertained of their being for the present sufficient to repel the enemy; and I shall readily order such further part of the force under my command, as can be spared from other services, to co-operate in that quarter. The important transactions going on in the southern coast of the Baltic, in which the interest of Sweden is materially concerned, require a considerable part of the force under my orders for that particular service; but I have the honour to assure you, that every effort will be exerted for the protection and security of Sweden against any attack of the enemy.

You will be pleased to take the necessary measures that orders may be given for his Majesty's ships to be supplied with water, and such necessaries as they may stand in need of, at Carlscrona and other Swedish ports; and pilots when they require them.

I have the honour to be, &c.

Jas. Saumarez.

Augt. Foster, Esq.
&c. &c. &c.

Victory, in Wingo Sound, 18th May 1809.

Sir,

I have replied to your public letter as fully as I can consider myself warranted, without having received any special instructions on the subject from his Majesty's government; but, considering it to be the intention to maintain the terms of amity with Sweden so long as it can be done consistently, and prevent the country from falling a prey to the common enemy, I trust to be right in using my efforts for that purpose; and I hope to receive the sanction of ministers on the measure I am adopting. I shall proceed for the Baltic the moment it lies in my power; but the late prevailing calms and adverse winds have prevented the arrival of the ships on their way to join me, and no accounts later than the 5th from London have reached this place. I sent, three days since, a small detachment of ships to take possession of Anholt, where supplies of water could be obtained, and which would also be a proper place for convoys to resort to in the event of exclusion from the Swedish ports. Any information you can favour me with respecting the state of the Russian fleet at Cronstadt will be highly desirable, and also the probable time they may be enabled to put to sea from that port.

I have, &c. &c. &c.

James Saumarez.

To Augt. Foster, Esq.
&c. &c. &c.

As the next letter from Mr. Foster gives an account of the Russian forces and other interesting particulars, we have given it a place here, which makes any further account of the situation of Sweden unnecessary.

Stockholm 14th May 1809.

Sir,

I received this evening the letter which your excellency did me the honour to write to me, dated the 11th instant, in answer to one which I had written to Rear-admiral Sir Samuel Hood on the 7th.

I take the opportunity of a private conveyance to have this forwarded to you at Gottenburg; and I beg to assure you that no efforts shall be wanting on my part to procure information which may be interesting to you as commander-in-chief in these seas, and to convey it to you as speedily as possible.

Our relations with Sweden have not changed materially since Mr. Merry's departure. Indeed, this government has had no stated form hitherto; though now the Duke of Sudermania is empowered to treat for peace, or to continue war. The Russians have a disposable force of near 20,000 men in Finland, and 105 gun-boats, and are building more, which creates alarm here; and it has been strongly insinuated by several of the officers of government here to me, that nothing could be more grateful to them than such movements of the fleet under your command, sir, as would overawe the Danes, while they should deter the Russians from attempting invasion on the Bothnia coasts of this country; or which, by giving them security in Scania, would enable them to draw their forces this way.

Captain Tillard will sail on the 20th instant, with about eighteen or nineteen merchant-ships under his convoy.

I have, &c. &c. &c.

Augt. Foster.

Vice-admiral Sir Jas. Saumarez, Bart, and K.B.

Sir James soon after received a letter in the French language from R.A. Nauckhoff, containing the same exposé and request as Baron Lagerbjelke had made. He concludes with the following additional particulars:

Les états du Royaume de Swede ont déclaré par un acte formel, le 12 de ce mois, que le Roi ci-devant, aussi que son fils, a perdu tout le droit au trône ou à la couronne de Swede pour jamais: c'est la mauvaise conduite dans le gouvernement, dont tout le Royaume est mis en misère, qui a causé le malheur de ce Roi et sa famille. Le Duc Charles est, en attendant, Regent avec tout le pouvoir du Roi, et il sera fait et déclaré pour Roi de Swede aussitôt que les états ont eu le tems pour faire une autre forme de regence. Dans le moment on apporte la nouvelle que les Autrichiens ont totalement battu l'armée de Napoleon. Si cela se manifeste, je n'en doute pas que cela causerat des grands changemens chez les puissances du Nord.

The attack on the island of Anholt, for which Sir James had previously obtained the sanction of government, was completely successful. The detachment consisted of the Standard, sixty-four, Captain Hollies; the Owen Glendower, thirty-six; Avenger, Rose, Ranger, sloops; and Snipe, gun-boat: this was reinforced by the marines of the Victory, under Captain Peter Jones, who particularly distinguished himself.

The governor, having been summoned, refused to surrender; when the marines of the squadron were immediately landed, under Captain Nicolls, who was senior officer, and who soon stormed their batteries, and obliged the governor to surrender at discretion.[9]

The objects of this capture were to obtain a supply of water, a rendezvous for convoys, and the destruction of a retreat for privateers. Sir James appointed Captain Nicolls governor of Anholt, which was confirmed by the Admiralty. Rear-admiral Sir Samuel Hood returned to England on account of ill health, and was replaced by Rear-admiral Pickmore, who was stationed in the Belt under Rear-admirals Keats and Manly Dixon; while Rear-admiral Bertie was stationed at Helsingburg: the former three having the care and directions of convoying the fleets of merchant ships through the Belt; the latter through the Sound and Malmö channel. Sir James, in passing through the Great Belt, visited the station at the island of Spröe, and afforded protection to a numerous convoy of merchant ships passing at that time, and trading under neutral colours, under a licence from the English and the Swedish governments.

After touching at Ystad, Sir James arrived at Carlscrona on the 4th of June: from Ystad, he wrote the following letter to Mr. Foster:

Victory, Great Belt, 29th May 1809.

Sir,

I had the honour yesterday morning to receive your letter of the 19th, inclosing one from Admiral Nauckhoff addressed to me, and also the copy of General Wrede's report on the state of the north. I have been detained by adverse currents and calms since my departure from Gottenburg; but think myself fortunate in having been as early as Admiral Dixon, who sailed eight days before me, and with whom I fell in yesterday evening off Langeland.

The Danish force of gun-boats in the Belt has been considerably increased since last year. The Melpomene frigate was attacked by several in the night of the 23rd, and had four men killed besides about twenty wounded. Captain Warren, in having drawn their attention, succeeded in preserving a numerous convoy at anchor near Langeland, which seemed to have been the principal object for which they came out. The Ardent having very injudiciously landed a party of men on the island of Ramsoe, for the purpose of procuring a supply of wood and water, they suffered themselves to be surprised, and about eighty men were made prisoners.

I am hastening with all despatch towards Carlscrona, and I hope to have the honour of hearing from you in my way off Ystad. I think it right to mention, in confidence, that I shall not have more than six sail of the line of battleships with me, until I can be joined by those that may be on their way from England.

I have, &c. &c. &c.

James Saumarez.

Augt. Foster, Esq. his Majesty's chargé
d'affaires, Stockholm.

Victory, off Ystad, 30th May 1809.

Sir,

I have the honour to acquaint you with my arrival off Ystad this afternoon, and that I have received your letter of the 23rd instant, informing me of the satisfaction expressed by the Swedish minister, M. de Lagerbjelke, at my compliance with the request of the Swedish government in affording them all the assistance in my power; and that Vice-admiral Stedinck had promised to take the necessary steps for the fleet under my command being supplied with water and necessaries, as well as pilots; and also informing me of the exertions used by the Swedish marine for the defence and security of the country.

As it may be necessary for convoys to pass through the Malmö channel, I trust you have represented the expediency of the co-operation of the Swedish gun-boats stationed there; and I request you will please to signify to the Swedish government that all the protection in my power to afford the trade of Sweden, shall be granted to them.

I am proceeding with all despatch off Carlscrona, where I hope to have the honour of hearing further from you: as I shall probably proceed from Carlscrona off Dalarö, you will permit me to have such letters or despatches as may arrive for me at Gottenburg from England to be addressed to your care. I have, &c. &c. &c.

James Saumarez.

Augt. Foster, Esq. his Majesty's chargé
d'affaires, Stockholm.

P.S. A boat, spoken with this morning (30th May) from Stettin, reports that Colonel Schill had taken possession of Stralsund.

Sir James, while off Ystad, had the honour of receiving on board Prince William of Orange, who was the bearer of news which had great effect in deciding the Swedes in their choice of the line of policy to be pursued at this critical period. This account, which is detailed in Sir James's next letter to Mr. Foster, led to a correspondence which showed the nature of his opinion as to the integrity of the Swedes.

Victory, off Ystad, 3rd June 1809.

Sir,

I have the greatest satisfaction in transmitting to you the copy of a bulletin, detailing a statement of the important victory gained by the Archduke Charles over Buonaparte on the 21st and 22nd of May. It was delivered to me by his highness Prince William of Orange, who, with two attendants, arrived on board the Victory yesterday from Colberg, on his way to England. There is every reason to hope this victory will have been followed up by other important successes, which will decide the other states in uniting with Austria to extirpate the tyrant of the human race. I am proceeding to Carlscrona, where I trust to find letters from you; and, in the present critical state of affairs with this country, I hope to be forgiven for again repeating my anxious wish to have the honour of hearing from you as frequently as possible.

Admiral Bertie, who is stationed off Helsinburg, wrote to me that he has made repeated applications through Mr. Consul Fenwick for pilots, but has not been able to procure any: as this is an object of great importance, I request you will represent it to the Swedish government. He also mentions his suspicions that a better understanding exists with the Danes, from the frequent flags of truce, and also from some prisoners having been exchanged from Denmark, which he states as a circumstance very unusual.

Sir R.G. Keats also informs me, that two ships of the line and a frigate are fitting with expedition, intended, as is reported, to transfer troops to the eastward; but he adds that it was also rumoured that the ports of Sweden are expected to be shut against us even before the 14th. Although I feel the greatest confidence that there can exist no intention on the part of Sweden to deceive, we cannot be too much on our guard with that government, should they find it necessary to enter upon terms with either Russia or Denmark.

I have, &c. &c. &c.

James Saumarez.

Augt. Foster, Esq. his Majesty's chargé
d'affaires, Stockholm.

Confidential.

Stockholm, June 9th, 1809.

Sir,

I thank you for, and sincerely congratulate you on, the interesting news which you have been so obliging to send me from off Ystad. It is complete and glorious indeed, and will add to the other reasons I shall entertain for thinking that this government cannot mean to deceive us. Their situation is certainly a very delicate one; but, till now, I have no reason to complain of any insincerity on the part of the Swedes. Be assured that, if I had, I should instantly despatch notice of it to you. I do not like to venture writing general opinions by the common post, and therefore I have appeared perhaps to write to you too little at length hitherto. The post is also very tardy, or you must have received letters from me of the 23rd ultimo; one of the 30th must also be lying for you at Ystad. I shall now make a practice of writing to you by every post, as you very naturally will be glad to hear even negative news. Admiral Bertie's suspicions are very natural for him to entertain, but I really believe entirely unfounded.

The situation of Norway (which, I will confide to you, seems more critical for Denmark than for Sweden,) will account for so many couriers passing. The desire of peace, openly manifested by this country, accounts for their allowing such passage, which has for some time been permitted in return for the passage through Denmark being allowed to Swedish officers. As to a better understanding being supposed to exist with the Danes, I had occasion to inquire on this subject the day before yesterday of M. d'Engeström, who is the new minister for foreign affairs here, and who assured me that the Danish government was even so pettish as to prevent the passage of the Hamburgh Gazette for some time back. The Russian government has demanded the exclusion of our ships from Swedish ports, and on this and other conditions have agreed to receive Baron Stedinck as negotiator: this they have informed me of, and at the same time of their intention to negotiate upon this point, and to gain further time. Delay is what they covet in appearance, and what in reality appears to be their interest to desire until the campaign in Germany is decided; for on it depends most probably the portion they will lose of territory, and the question even of their independence as regards their conduct towards us.

In the character of the Duke of Sudermania, who was created King on Thursday the 6th, I confess also that I place much confidence, more perhaps than in that of his ministers. His conduct has been loyal and frank, nor does he seem to exhibit that pliability in principles too common among this nation.

I have not time to copy the enclosure which I send you on the subject of pilots, which Vice-admiral Stedinck has just written out before me, as the post goes in an hour and a half; nor shall I perhaps have time to write to Admiral Bertie as I could wish, this being post-day for England.

Two ships of the line and a frigate are arrived off Dalarö, with 2,000 some hundred troops, and 500 sailors; and twenty-four gun-boats set out the day before yesterday from here: fourteen more follow to-morrow or next day. A camp is to be formed at Upsala of 10,000 or 12,000 men; they mean to treat armed at least, which shows spirit. A Baron Taube has been sent to St. Petersburg to ask for passports for Baron Stedinck: he went the day before yesterday, and cannot be back under fifteen days.

The Russians are now said to have only about eighty-six gun-boats at Åland, but 11,000 men, and to be taking measures to defend themselves against you: one of the ships of the line is going back to Carlscrona; and a frigate, the Freya, I think. The report that the Swedish harbours would be shut against us on the 14th, must be attributed to the fears of the merchants, I suppose, who are nervous in such a precarious state of things as the present.

I have, &c. &c. &c.

Augt. Foster.

Vice-admiral Sir James Saumarez.

Victory, off Carlscrona, 15th June 1809.

Sir,

I yesterday had the honour to receive your letter of the 9th instant, and although I was before perfectly convinced of the good disposition of the present government of Sweden towards our country, and of the sincerity of the Duke of Sudermania's intentions, I could not do otherwise than make you acquainted with the surmises of the two officers next in rank to me in the fleet. Your letter has perfectly removed any doubts that would have existed upon the subject, and I should place the same dependence in the Swedes as at the time of our alliance with them: the longer they are enabled to protract the negotiation with the Russian government, the more favourable will be the conditions of peace they are likely to obtain, as Russia will lose much of her ascendancy should Buonaparte be defeated by the arms of Austria.

The different accounts I receive from the Continent state that the French army has been very considerably reduced by the late actions, and that it is considered to be in a most critical situation. A messenger, who arrived yesterday on board the Victory, charged with despatches from Mr. Bathurst, informed me that, subsequently to the brilliant victory of the 23rd, there had been several actions, though of less importance; they had all terminated in favour of the Austrian troops. The messenger left Baden on the 4th instant; and described in the strongest terms the high spirits of the whole army, and the hopes formed that the next action would prove decisive, and annihilate the French.

I shall have great pleasure in transmitting to you any accounts I may receive of importance; and I return you my sincere thanks for the Gazette you did me the favour to enclose to me in your letter of the 6th. I beg leave to congratulate you on the splendid success that has attended the army in Portugal.

I have, &c. &c. &c.

Jas. Saumarez.

Augt. Foster, Esq. chargé d'affaires, &c.
Stockholm.

On the approach of the Victory off the harbour of Carlscrona, the Admiral wrote the following complimentary letter to Admiral Puké, who was then commander-in-chief and senior admiral in the Swedish service:

His Majesty's ship Victory, off Carlscrona,
4th June 1809.

Sir,

It is with the highest satisfaction that I have the honour to inform your excellency of my arrival off Carlscrona, being in my way up the Baltic, with part of the fleet under my command, for the defence of Sweden against the attack of the Russian fleet, and that I shall use every possible effort to preserve the good understanding that has for so many years subsisted between our respective nations.

I shall be thankful to your excellency for any information you will be pleased to honour me with that can tend to the advancement of the great and good cause in which we are engaged; and I am happy in profiting by the present opportunity to transmit an official bulletin which I received last Friday, giving an account of a most important victory over the French army, commanded by Buonaparte in person. This glorious event, it is to be hoped, will unite the powers in the northern parts of the Continent totally to extirpate the atrocious tyrant, who has been so long the scourge of the human race.

I have the honour to be,
With sentiments of the highest regard and consideration,
Sir,
&c. &c. &c.

James Saumarez.

Vice-admiral Puké, &c. &c. &c.
Carlscrona.

To which Admiral Puké returned the following answer:

Carlscrona, 7th June 1809.

Sir,

I felicitate myself very much on being so happy as to have occasion of renewing with your excellency the acquaintance I was favoured with the last year. Your excellency's flattering letter of the 4th instant gave me a very agreeable remembrance of it; and I may give my hearty acknowledgments therefore, as also for the news your excellency was pleased to annex.

The post arrived a short time ago from Stockholm, and did not contain any thing of importance, but that matters stand well. The German mail has not come, and, in general, the news was so contradictory that nobody knew what to believe.

All our forces on the southern coast being in the necessity to be drawn up to the northern parts of the country for repelling the attack of the Russians, the coasts on this side will be without sufficient defence. It is only in your excellency I may fix my confidence, convinced as I am by the good intelligence that subsists between both nations, and his Britannic Majesty's benevolence towards Sweden, your excellency will not omit to protect, as far as possible, the trade from Gothenburg and through the Baltic, and prevent all hostile enterprises.

I should wish to have some of such gun-brigs as your excellency can allow, and other small vessels, to send up to the Finnish Gulf, where they would be of no little service.

I include myself in your excellency's friendship, which I shall be very proud to possess; and wish no better than that your excellency, with all your brave officers and men, with their usual success, may frustrate the enemy's projects against us. It is with these sincere sentiments,

I have the honour to remain, &c.

Johan af Puké.

At Carlscrona Sir James received intelligence of the fate of the unfortunate Major Schill, who had taken possession of Stralsund; but whose corps of 6,000, as well as himself, were surprised by a large body of Danish and Dutch troops and cut to pieces. These accounts, and a demand for bomb vessels to assist the Swedish flotilla, were sent to the Admiralty.

In consequence of a solicitation from Baron Stedinck, the Swedish Minister of Marine expressed the high satisfaction of the Duke Regent at the arrangement Sir James had made, not only for the protection of the coasts of Sweden on the south, east, and west, but for his undertaking to proceed up the Gulf of Finland, to prevent the sailing of the Russian fleet, with his own powerful squadron.

On the 6th of June, the Duke of Sudermania was elected King by the States, and took the title of Charles XIII, on which occasion due notice was given to the Admiral both by Mr. Foster and the Swedish Minister for Foreign Affairs, Baron Engeström. At this time everything seemed to go well on the Continent, and the period of the new King's accession to the throne was thought a proper epoch to sue for peace with Russia. This, however, was not done without the knowledge of Mr. Foster, to whom assurances were given that the alliance with England should not be broken; and in this the King subsequently showed great firmness. An officer was sent to demand passports for Baron Stedinck, who was to be the negotiator, and who actually proceeded to the Gulf of Finland. But the Emperor of Russia, acting under the influence or fear of Buonaparte, made the shutting of their ports against the English a preliminary concession before he would either grant a passport to the negotiator, or a cessation of hostilities. The attempt, which was indeed intended to gain time until the war between Austria and France was decided, totally failed, and nothing was left but to prosecute the war.

An attack on Åland, which had been meditated, was abandoned; and the plan now was to cut off a division of the Russian army, which had advanced to Urneo, in West Bothnia, for which extraordinary exertions were made. In the meantime the Russians, amounting to 11,000, with 84 gun-boats, had, in dread of the approach of the Admiral's fleet, fortified themselves strongly in Åland, which could not safely be approached by ships of the line.

Prince William of Orange, who had brought the intelligence from Colberg of the fate of Major Schill, and been hospitably received on board the Victory, wrote the following letter, which Sir James received off Carlscrona:

Monsieur,—Arrivé à Gothenburg, je m'empresse de remercier votre excellence de toutes ses bontés pour nous, et des facilités qu'elle nous a procurées pour continuer notre voyage. Je prends la liberté de joindre ici une lettre à M. Schroeder qui en renferme une autre à ma mere à Berlin; priant votre excellence de la faire parvenir à Colberg si elle en a occasion, je lui en aurai une grande obligation. Je suis avec une parfaite consideration,

De votre excellence, le très devoué Serviteur,

Guillaume, Prince d'Orange.

Gothenburg, 6 Mai 1809.
Monsieur le Vice-amiral Saumarez.

The Victory left Carlscrona on the 20th June, having ten sail of the line in company, and proceeded to the Gulf of Finland, in order to blockade the Russian fleet at Cronstadt. Sir James chose a position at the small island of Nargue, near Revel, as the most convenient place: on passing Landsort, at the entrance of Stockholm, he sent the Rose with letters, and to receive any which Mr. Foster might have for him.

The coronation of the new King was to take place on the 29th June. It was the intention of his Majesty to invite Sir James to assist at that ceremony, had he anchored at Dalerö, the anchorage for ships of the line near the entrance of the river of Stockholm; but the Admiral had proceeded without anchoring, and on that day was off Hang Udd.

On arriving at Nargue Island, which had a Russian governor, but no fortification, Sir James found a large quantity of wood prepared for transportation to Revel, which was very acceptable to the fleet; but the water was not plentiful. The inhabitants of this island, who are fishermen and speak the Swedish language, are inoffensive people; and the Admiral, on his arrival, signified that it was not his intention to molest them.

A correspondence was established between Mr. Foster and Sir James by means of small vessels; and he was informed from time to time of the progress of the negotiation with Russia, which was now going on, but which, as we have already stated, entirely failed. It was proposed that Baron Platen, one of the most talented men in Sweden, should proceed to the Victory to confer with Sir James, and decide on some plan of co-operation against the common enemy. Having received this proposal from Mr. Foster, Sir James sent the Rose to convey the Baron to the Victory.

Captain Mansell, of the Rose, was the bearer of the following letter:

Victory, off Nargue Island, 11th July 1809.

Sir,

By the Mary cutter, which arrived yesterday, I received your letters of the 2nd and 4th inst. marked private and confidential; and I return you thanks for the important communication you have been pleased to make to me of the rejection by Russia of the proposed armistice with Sweden, and of the intended plan of the latter to transport a force to Wasa to co-operate with General Wrede, and endeavour to force the Russian troops in West Bothnia to capitulate, which I sincerely hope will be attended with the desired success.

I have not seen Baron Platen yet; but, should he put in execution his intention of running to the squadron, I shall readily attend to any proposal he makes to me respecting a small part of the force under my orders being stationed off the Åland Haf, although the services in the Gulf of Finland occupy all the forces I can muster.

I remember to have had the honour of making the Baron's acquaintance, who appeared to me to be a clever and well-informed man. Be pleased to convey to him the information that, should he honour me with a visit, Captain Mansell has my directions to receive him on board, and that I shall be happy to concert with him any measures he may suggest for the defence of Sweden.

You will be happy to hear of the success that has attended a detachment of this fleet under the command of Captain Martin, of the Implacable, in an attack on the Russian flotilla, by the boats of that ship, the Bellerophon, Melpomene, and Prometheus, under the orders of Lieutenant Hawkey, who succeeded in boarding and carrying off six gun-boats, besides one sunk, and a convoy of vessels, fourteen in number, which were also captured, laden with stores and provisions for the Russian troops. It is with concern I have now to state the loss of Lieutenant Hawkey, who conducted that attack; and Lieutenant Stirling of the Prometheus, Mr. Mountenay, a midshipman, besides ten men killed and thirty-seven wounded.

The Implacable and Melpomene had, previously to this, nearly captured a large Russian frigate off Högland; but she escaped to Aspö, and, with four other ships of war, proceeded between the rocks to Frederickshamn. On the following day they captured nine vessels laden with naval stores belonging to the Emperor, which they fell in with in Narva Bay.

I anchored here last Sunday in expectation of procuring a supply of wood and water; of the former I found an abundance, which had been ready prepared for the Emperor's troops at Revel, but was disappointed in being able to obtain but a small supply of water.

I am in anxious expectation of receiving favourable accounts from the armies. If Napoleon can but be defeated, the cause of Sweden will be materially benefited, and the Emperor of Russia kept within proper bounds.

I am, &c.

James Saumarez.

One of the first acts of his Swedish Majesty after his coronation was to put into execution the intention of the former sovereign, by conferring on Sir James the Grand Cross of the honourable military order of the Sword for his past meritorious service. This was communicated to him in the handsomest manner; but the honour could not of course be accepted without the permission of his own sovereign, which, on application, was most graciously accorded.

The news of the triumph of the British squadron over the Russian flotilla occasioned great rejoicing in Sweden, and inspired the nation with new spirit and courage: congratulations were sent from all quarters. Baron Platen sailed in the Rose from Dalerö on the 20th, and came on board the Victory on the morning of the 23rd under a salute of seven guns.

In a letter to Mr. Foster, Sir James says:

"Since the attack upon the gun-boats, not a vessel has been seen upon the coast; and I hope effectually to prevent any supplies getting to the Russian troops in Finland excepting over land, which must tend to retard all their operations exceedingly.

"I have had this day (23rd July) a great deal of conversation with Baron Platen upon the actual state of affairs, and I feel perfectly disposed to give every assistance which the too limited means (owing to the various services required for my whole force) will admit. He informs me that the service is not likely to be of any continuance.

"I have ordered the Tribune, with the Rose and a gun-brig, to cruise in Åland Haf. The Tribune is a frigate of the largest class, which I can ill spare at present. Captain Reynolds will be directed to communicate with you, and I request you will furnish him with all such information as he may occasionally profit from.

"Baron Platen has brought me the decorations of Commander of the Grand Cross of the order of the Sword, a mark of distinction I by no means considered my services to have merited; and I feel sensibly this instance of attention from the King of Sweden. The choice fixed upon for successor to the throne is likely to lead to important events, as it is probable the Prince of Holstein will have influence enough in Norway to attach that country to Sweden, which would make up for the loss of Finland."

CHAPTER X.

1809.

Blockade of the Russian fleet.—Swedes' expedition, under Admiral Puké and General Wachtmeister, sails,—is unsuccessful.—Private correspondence with Mr. Foster.—Armistice and Peace with Russia.—Peace with Denmark.—Proceedings of the Fleet.—State of affairs in Sweden.—Fleet returns to Carlscrona, and subsequently to England.

The part of the campaign which depended on Sir James Saumarez, namely, the blockade of the Russian fleet, which consisted of thirteen sail of the line,—the protection of the coast of Sweden and of the trade of both nations,—was completely successful. Not so, however, the efforts of the Swedes: they indeed fought most bravely; and, if any fault could be found with their general, it was that he was too courageous. The force of the Russians was too great for their Swedish opponents; and every attempt made by the latter was in vain, notwithstanding Baron Platen's wishes were acceded to. Admiral Puké, on receiving his appointment, left Carlscrona in a ship of the line, and, arriving off Dalerö, wrote the following letter to Sir James:

His Majesty's ship Adolf Frederick,
off Dalerö, 2d Aug. 1809.

Sir,

I do myself the honour to inform your excellency that his Swedish Majesty has most graciously been pleased to intrust to me the command of his sea and land forces, who are to act on the coasts and in the Gulf of Bothnia against the common enemy of our respective nations; and I beg to assure your excellency that nothing could afford me more pleasure than receiving your commands, if ever I can be of the smallest use to your excellency. I submit to your excellency's own judgment if it should not be useful to the common service to have respective officers, who are acquainted with the languages, placed aside of the commanders-in-chief. For my part, I should find it very agreeable if Lieutenant John Ross, who served last year on board the Swedish Admiral's ship, would be permitted to resume the same employment on board of this. He is so well acquainted with the Swedish language and customs, that I flatter myself he would have no objection to this proposition.

If winds permit, I intend to depart to-morrow with two ships, one frigate, six galleys, fifty gun-boats, and some transports, carrying 7,000 troops, and proceed up the Gulf in order to debark this army on a proper place, so that they might fall in the back and destroy the enemy's troops, who at present occupy the province of West Bothnia. Vice-admiral Baron Cederstrom will remain with one hundred gun-boats and some galleys to protect the Swedish coasts opposite Åland. The Camilla frigate is left cruising in the Åland Haf, to act in conjunction with the British force stationed there by the orders of your excellency.

I should think it very useful for the service we are upon if a British frigate and some sloops of war could be stationed at Revel, in order to prevent the enemy from sending any reinforcement to Åland; and also if your excellency should proceed further up in the Gulf of Finland with the British squadron, and make such demonstrations as would contribute to keep the enemy in uncertainty of an attack on either of the coasts in the Gulf. He would thereby be obliged to disperse his forces, which in the present case would be of the greatest utility for the service.

I submit all this to your excellency's invaluable judgment, and have the honour to remain, with the highest esteem and consideration,

Sir,
Your excellency's
Most obedient and most humble servant,

John af Puké, Admiral.

His Excellency Vice-admiral Saumarez,
Commander-in-chief, &c.

The Swedish councillor of state, Baron Platen, who had been sent to communicate with Sir James, remained only a few days on board the Victory, when it was agreed that the Swedish flotilla should be reinforced, so that there could be no doubt left of its superiority to that of the Russians. The following correspondence will demonstrate the amicable feeling produced by the interview.

Stockholm, 2d August 1809.

Sir,

It is with great pleasure I have the honour to return my best thanks for all the numberless civilities bestowed on me during my last visit. I should be vain were I to consider these as paid to me personally; they were given in honour of my King and country, so powerfully protected by your excellency, for which his Majesty has ordered me to express his highest gratitude. In reference to the operations in the common cause, as well as to some other matters, I have written to Captain Hope, to whom I sent several charts and drawings. I hope he will make out what I mean, though I cannot express my ideas as I wish in a foreign language.

Part of the expedition to the north is already under way, and the rest will to-morrow set off under the command of Admiral Puké. May the Almighty crown the undertaking with success, and soon send them back again! Perhaps something might be effected, before bad weather puts a stop to operations, with the small fleet. Till now, every event seems favourable to the expedition; and the knowledge of the chief makes me confident that what is possible will be done. How much will Sweden be indebted to your excellency for having so powerfully promoted the business by combined measures.

I rejoice in the opportunity this gives me to assure your excellency of the high esteem wherewith I am for ever,

Sir, &c. &c. &c.

B.V. Platen.

P.S.—It is by the order of his Majesty that I have the honour to announce to your excellency that Lieutenant Ross has been created a Knight of the order of the Sword, on the particular request of the Admiral Puké.

Victory, Gulf of Finland, 12th August 1809.

Sir,

With the greatest pleasure I have received the letter your excellency has done me the honour to write, and I have to express my sincerest regret at not having been able to enjoy for a longer time your valuable company on board the Victory; but when I considered how precious every hour must be to your excellency at this important epoch, I could not prevail upon myself to offer the least delay to your departure, however happy it would have made me to postpone it for some days longer.

I hope soon to have the satisfaction to be informed that the expedition has been crowned with the most complete success; and should the proposed enterprise against Åland be adopted, I trust to be able to reinforce the detachment under the orders of Captain Reynolds, and contribute, as far as my means will admit, to an expedition that has the security of Sweden for its object.

I return you my sincere thanks for the charts you have been pleased to send to Captain Hope, and for the attention your excellency has bestowed on the welfare of the squadron in directing that the ships may be supplied with fresh provisions from the island of Gothland, should they require it.

The unremitted marks of friendship and regard shown to the fleet under my command in the different ports in Sweden have excited my highest gratitude, and I have not failed to express the same to my government.

I shall take the earliest opportunity to signify to Mr. Ross, who is at this time absent from the squadron on a particular service, the distinguished mark of favour his Majesty the King of Sweden has been pleased to confer upon him for his services.

I have the honour to be, &c. &c.

James Saumarez.[10]

His Excellency Baron de Platen, Stockholm.

The following letters from Sir James to Mr. Foster are given to show the progress of affairs at that time, and how dependent the Swedes were on the issue of undertakings in other quarters.

Victory, Gulf of Finland, 19th August 1809.

Sir,

I received by the Mary your letter of the 10th, with the papers to the 1st instant from London. I hope the next accounts will convey the pleasing information of the complete success of the expedition under Lord Chatham, and that so powerful a blow in favour of the common cause will induce Austria to renew hostilities against Bonaparte. I shall also be happy to hear that the expedition to the Gulf of Bothnia has been terminated by the expulsion of the whole of the Russian force from Sweden. Nothing has transpired in these quarters since my last letter. From what I am informed, great discontent prevails in Russia at the conduct of Bonaparte with respect to Poland.

In my last letter from England, orders have been given for the vessels that conveyed the Spanish troops from the Danish islands to Gottenburg to be restored. This looks as if peace was about to take place between Sweden and Denmark; and I am informed by Mr. Merry it was a condition demanded by Denmark previously to preliminaries being entered into.

I have, &c. &c. &c.

James Saumarez.

Augt. Foster, Esq.
&c. &c. &c.

Victory, Gulf of Finland, 22nd August 1809.

Sir,

I return you many thanks for the letters and despatches you have been pleased to forward to me, and which, with your letter of the 19th, reached me yesterday evening. It becomes of so great importance that I should receive my several communications as speedily as possible, that I lose no time in hastening the cutter back to Dalarö, and I shall be obliged to you to transmit my letters for England that I send by her.

I have this morning received a letter from Berlin, dated the 30th ultimo, from a person who had recently left the Austrian head-quarters. It was expected that hostilities would be renewed at the expiration of the armistice, and measures were ordered to be in readiness for that purpose. I also understand that information of this being the intention of the Emperor has been transmitted to government, and also to Lord Chatham, commanding the expedition. I therefore hope we may yet see a favourable termination of the campaign.

With respect to Sweden, I am really anxious to be informed what are the intentions of ministers relative to that country, as also if there exists any probability of their concluding peace with Russia and the other powers.

On receiving the account of the insurrection on the Earthholmes, I sent immediate orders to his Majesty's ships that might be at Carlscrona to use their endeavours to take possession of them, and I have detached a ship of the line upon that service. It is an island of great importance, and I sincerely hope it will fall into our hands. I also hope to receive accounts of the expedition from Sweden having succeeded to its fullest extent, and request you will be pleased to transmit to me the earliest accounts that may arrive. I am rather surprised at not having heard from the detachment under Captain Reynolds.

I have, &c. &c. &c.

James Saumarez.

Augt. Foster, Esq.
&c. &c. &c.

Admiral Puké, having been reinforced by the Tribune, Rose, Hearty, and some gun-boats, proceeded safely to his destination at West Bothnia. In every attack on the Russian flotilla he had the advantage, and he eventually landed General Count Wachtmeister with 7,000 troops near Umeö. It appears that this general did not take up the best position for preventing the escape of the Russian general Kaminski, who, notwithstanding the bravery of the Swedish troops in the battle of Umeö, succeeded in effecting a retreat on a reinforcement, and at length compelled the Swedish general to propose an armistice on the terms dictated by Russia. This led to a peace, by which Russia obtained the whole of Finland and West Bothnia as far as Umeö.

The terms would no doubt have been still worse had not the English fleet remained in the Gulf, for there was nothing else to prevent the Russians from taking possession of Stockholm. It will be manifest, from the following correspondence, that, under circumstances of heavy responsibility, Sir James remained to a very late period for the defence of Sweden and the protection of the commerce of that country and England.

Stockholm, 2d Sept. 1809.

Sir,

I had the honour to receive yesterday your excellency's letter, dated 28th ultimo. Despatches and letters have been lying here for you some days: in those which came yesterday you will find the official account of the surrender of Flushing. I am sorry not to be able to give you such satisfactory intelligence as I could wish of the operations of the Swedes, who have failed to cut off the retreat of the enemy, although they have gained considerable advantages. I enclose to you the Swedish Gazette, as I think you have an officer on board who can read it.

I delivered to Baron Platen your message. He is, however, quite despondent as to the possibility now of an attack upon Åland. Count ——, it really appears, might have taken a stronger position, so as to prevent the escape of Kaminski. The time that will now be lost in his pursuit being fatal, renders future operations equally so.

The Baron means to write to you, and I shall detain the King's messenger Meares; whom, not having anybody else to send, I am obliged to despatch to Dalerö until this letter is ready.

The negotiation at Frederickshamn, as far as I can understand, is proceeding slowly. The demands of Russia continue peremptory, as before, upon the cessions required. On the article respecting us, some propositions of a modifying nature have been offered by the Russians; such as though the general preliminary for excluding from Swedish ports is still insisted on, that colonial goods, salt, and raw produce of various kinds, amounting to almost every thing that is not actually prohibited by the Swedish laws, shall be considered as exceptions. But on the question of the ships, and particularly of the ships of war of Great Britain, I am afraid, in the present state of things, that Sweden will not obtain a peace without a stipulation for their exclusion.

Under this conviction I have addressed myself to Baron Engerstrom, representing to him the danger that his Majesty's ships might be exposed to in keeping the seas at the perilous season of the year if no ports were open to them; and I requested of him to give me early intelligence if Sweden were disposed to consent to this article, and as to when it might be put into execution. The Swedish minister gave me the most solemn assurances that he would not fail to communicate to me full time enough if this country should be obliged to enter into such stipulations; and observed that, although necessity might oblige them to act against their wishes, yet that they would always be honest. He likewise remarked that preliminary conditions were not at any rate to be put in force until the peace was ratified; and that, before that event should take place, arrangements were to be entered into relative to the ceded provinces, which would necessarily cause a very considerable delay; so that he would not look upon a final arrangement with Russia as being likely to ensue before the winter should set in, and render navigation impracticable.

The Swedish minister has frequently remarked to me, that, even if a treaty should be signed by which Sweden should bind herself to exclude us from her ports, such an obligation could only extend to those that were capable of defence; but that there were innumerable inlets and harbours which were not commanded by cannon, and which of course could not be included. One of the propositions to be put forward will, I have reason to think, be grounded upon this state of the coasts; and it will be offered to close the large harbours, mentioning them by name, leaving the rest open. I should be glad to know what you think of these speculations of the Swedish cabinet on so interesting a point. If the Earthholmes are taken, I suppose you will not be very anxious about them. I forward to you two German papers from Mr. Fenwick, and two of Pelletier's papers, which you may like to see, and have an occasion to forward to Mr. Drusina. The Hamburg Gazette says the armistice is broken in Germany, and there are reports of two battles.

I have, &c. &c. &c.

Augt. Foster.

Vice-admiral Sir James Saumarez.

Victory, Gulf of Finland, 8th Sept. 1809.

Sir,

I had the honour to receive yesterday your letter of the 2nd inst., and I am truly concerned to find the success of the Swedish expedition has been so very inadequate to what was reasonably to have been expected, and that the delay in endeavouring to cut off the retreat of the Russian troops will render it too late to make the intended attack upon Åland. The terms persisted in by Russia appear to be very severe; but I apprehend Sweden will be obliged to make the most of them, from the slender means she has of defending herself during the winter months, when the country will be exposed to danger of an invasion. It is a fortunate circumstance that the navigation has been so long protracted as to enable the trade to proceed hitherto out of the Baltic, and as considerable delay must still take place before the peace can be ratified, it will afford sufficient time for the ships that are loading in the Russian ports to assemble at Carlscrona before the exclusion can be enforced. The period agreed upon for the last convoy to sail from Carlscrona was fixed to the 15th Nov., till which time, at least, we must hope the ports will be open, both to ships of war and the trade. Should you think it advisable, it might be mentioned to the Swedish minister (Baron Engerstrom) that if the stipulation of exclusion is absolutely insisted upon, that it is hoped that it will not be put in force till the winter is too far advanced to admit any ships sailing from the ports of Russia.

It will be proper to know from Baron Engerstrom if the notice that was signified in the spring, of not allowing more than five or six pendants at a time at Carlscrona or other ports in Sweden, is insisted upon at present, in order that I may regulate myself accordingly. At the same time, as tempestuous weather in going down the Baltic, or other circumstances, may render it advisable for the whole squadron to enter Carlscrona, I would wish orders to be given for that purpose, and that the pilots may be directed to go out to ships making the signal. I shall be obliged to you to let me know by the return of this vessel the determination of the Swedish government upon this point.

It is my wish to remain in the Gulf of Finland as long as is possible, consistent with the safety of his Majesty's ships; but as the equinoctial gales may soon be expected, and as it will become indispensable to withdraw the ships, particularly those stationed in Makelato Bay, I could wish to be informed whether it becomes of importance to Sweden for the squadron to remain in this sea any longer, and which I also request you will let me know, by the return of the vessel that conveys this, with as little delay as possible. I forward some papers I yesterday received from Pillau; you will find the armistice has been prolonged for a fortnight with fourteen days' warning, but it was expected hostilities would re-commence the middle of the present month.

I sincerely congratulate you upon the surrender of Flushing. I hope we shall soon hear that the other objects of the expedition have been accomplished, particularly as far as regards the capture or destruction of the enemy's ships in the Scheldt. I delivered to Captain Ross the Cross of the Order of the Sword, which was enclosed to me by Count de Mörner. He will be happy to avail himself of this signal mark of distinction, on receiving his Majesty's gracious permission. Permit me to request your having the goodness to forward the enclosed to Count Mörner.

I have, &c. &c. &c.

James Saumarez.

Augt. Foster, Esq.
&c. &c. &c.

Stockholm, Sept. 7th, 1809.

Sir,

Your private letter of the 5th inst. has reached me with extraordinary despatch. By this time you will, I trust, have had mine of the 2nd: I have nothing to add to the statement I then made to you of the appearance of affairs in Sweden, except that an armistice has been offered by General Kaminski, which will probably be accepted. Platen is in great despondency, and says he never will be sanguine about anything again. The generals have certainly not done as they might. As far as the council and the navy were concerned, all was well combined, but the army was ill posted, and Wachtmeister has shown that he has but a very poor head. Unless the Russians are disposed to change sides, the negotiation at Frederickshamn is not likely to be benefited by these events. You must calculate on this country yielding, if the ministers are pressed strongly, to the terms demanded. I see no means they have of resisting. It is a mutilated land, and the resources that remain are ill managed, while the debt is rapidly increasing.

Baron de Platen desires me to say he will send you the plan you demanded of St. Petersburg by the next opportunity; it is copying, and not quite ready. I have the honour to send to you a couple of the last French papers. Lieut. Allen delivered to me your letter, and I shall endeavour to get him a seat in the messengers' carriage to-morrow night.

I should be glad to know when you think of quitting the Gulf with the fleet, and how soon the navigation becomes dangerous. If an armistice between the hostile armies in West Bothnia takes place, in all probability the squadron in Åland's Haf will be no longer necessary there.

I have, &c. &c. &c.

Augt. Foster.

To Vice-admiral Sir James Saumarez.

P.S.—I send you a paper of the 26th, a day later than any here, which I have got from the packets having been detained a day in Harwich. I hope you will be able to send the French papers to Mr. Drusina. I beg to submit the suggestion of the advantage of as frequent a return of the despatch vessel to Dalero, at this period, as is convenient to you.

The armistice between France and Austria appears to have been prolonged, some say twenty-eight days, some eighteen: it is said proposals have been made to us. I can think of none that would be palatable.

Stockholm, 15th Sept. 1809.

Sir,

On the day before yesterday Mr. Reynolds delivered to me your letters of the 8th and 9th inst, as also a despatch containing three letters addressed to me from Pillau, for which I beg to return you my best thanks. I had already taken occasion, some days back, to prepare Baron d'Engeström for the moment, when, in consequence of the lateness of the season, a formal notification might be made to him, on your part, of the impossibility of your much longer keeping the seas you are in; and I lost no time in soliciting an interview of the Swedish Minister for the purpose of obtaining from him the information which you desire in your letter above mentioned.

I stated to his excellency that you were anxious to know whether it became of importance to Sweden that the squadron under your orders should remain in the sea in which it is any time longer. I laid stress upon the circumstance that the only object which you now had in remaining in the Gulf of Finland was the defence of Sweden, and to cover the expedition in West Bothnia; and I did not fail to remark upon the season being advanced, and the dangers to which his Majesty's ships might be exposed by a longer stay in the Gulf of Finland, though at the same time I thought it advisable to dwell upon the sincere wish which I was sure you had to do everything in your power, short of endangering the safety of the fleet, that might be judged desirable by the Swedish Government for the further defence of this country.

Baron d'Engeström asked to consult his sovereign upon the answer to be made, and yesterday he appointed an hour in the evening for me to wait upon him. I had previously written to him in the morning a letter of which the enclosed is a copy, from the warmth with which he assured me that at all events, and under whatever stipulations, peace might be made between Sweden and her enemies. His Majesty's ships under your command, to whose efforts Sweden was so much indebted, should have no reason to dread the result, or your excellency have cause to be anxious, lest an article for the exclusion of British ships from the Swedish ports should be suddenly enforced, even if Sweden were finally to be under the necessity of agreeing to a treaty containing it. I was afraid that the Swedish Minister might labour under the mistake of imagining that a suspicion of such a state of things being likely to take place, might possibly be connected with your desire to withdraw from the Gulf of Finland at the present moment, and I therefore judged it advisable, without making an official note of it, to write the letter, a copy of which I enclose, and which I hope will meet with your approbation.

On seeing the minister I found he was fully sensible of the motives by which you were guided; he thanked you for the assistance you had given to Sweden on the part of his sovereign, who, he said, was penetrated with the delicacy of your conduct to this country. If you could not keep your station in the narrow Gulf of Finland, he hoped that you might be able to remain at least in the Baltic, until the accounts from Fredericksham should become more decided; and as to the squadron in Åland Haf, he observed, that Admiral Puké was soon expected, when the service of that squadron would no longer be wanted; he wished it to remain till then, which would be a few days longer.

As I had demanded, in conformity with your desire, if the regulation of last spring, which limited the number of his Majesty's pendants that might be in Carlscrona or other ports of Sweden, was still to be considered in force, he answered me, that with respect to the ships under your orders, any number of them, or all, might enter into Carlscrona or any other port, and procure what they stood in need of; and he offered to give me a written engagement to that effect, which I expressed a desire to have, and it is for that I wait in order to despatch the Hero.

I have, &c. &c. &c.

Augt. Foster.

To Vice-admiral Sir James Saumarez,
&c. &c. &c.

Stockholm, Sept. 16th, 1809.

Sir,

Lieut. Reynolds having been so long detained, without entering into particulars, I shall only mention that peace is on the point of being signed between Sweden and Russia; an officer arrived yesterday from Fredericksham, and on the 18th or 20th the signature is expected. The exclusion of British ships and merchandise is one of the articles; but those under your command, and the merchant ships now in the Baltic or at Gottenburg, M. d'Engeström has assured me, are to be excepted from its operations.

I have the honour to enclose to you a copy of the note which I have this moment received from the Swedish minister, in answer to the propositions you had made. The minister remarked to me, that though he should not mention it in the note, yet that he trusted you, in using the ports of Sweden, would be cautious of committing the government of Sweden. Both he and Baron Platen are desirous that you should still keep the sea near the Gulf of Finland, in order to influence their negotiation; certain British goods are still to be admitted. I shall despatch a messenger to Captain Reynolds the moment Admiral Puké arrives.

I have, &c. &c. &c.

Augt. Foster.

To Vice-admiral Sir James Saumarez,
&c. &c. &c.

Victory, off Nargen, 19th Sept. 1809.

Sir,

I had the honour yesterday evening to receive your letters of the 15th and 16th inst., enclosing the copy of one you had written to Baron d'Engeström, and of that minister's answer to your letter. It affords me great satisfaction to find that the Swedish government have so readily acquiesced in the representation you were pleased to make to them of the expediency of the squadron leaving the Gulf of Finland, in consequence of the present advanced state of the season, and also of the ready concurrence with the proposal that all the squadron, if required, should be admitted into the ports of Sweden, without adverting to the number that had been previously limited.

I request you will do me the honour to assure Baron d'Engeström, that I shall not withdraw the squadron from this station until the weather renders it indispensable for the safety of his Majesty's ships, and that, on my leaving the Gulf, I shall order a detachment to cruise between Daggerort and the Swedish coast, should it be further required. It is a fortunate circumstance that the preliminaries of peace were so far advanced as not to give a pretext for their being hastened by the squadron having been withdrawn from the station, and it affords me singular satisfaction to find that the government appears so strongly impressed with the measures that have been pursued for the welfare of Sweden.

I shall detach vessels as frequently as possible to maintain the correspondence, and I beg to express my sincere acknowledgments for the punctuality you have shown in permitting me to hear from you by all opportunities that have offered.

I have, &c. &c. &c.

James Saumarez.

To Augt. Foster, Esq.
&c. &c. &c.

Stockholm, 1st Oct. 1809.

Sir,

According to your desire I shall not detain Lieut. Reynolds. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt from him of your letters of the 24th, 25th, 26th, and 28th ult., with their enclosures, which I have delivered as directed. I have given in charge to him your letters which came by the last two mails, bringing our accounts from London to the 19th ult. Another may be expected to-morrow or next day, as the wind was fair at Gottenburg; and according to your wish I shall forward whatever may come to your address by express to Carlscrona. I return you my best thanks for the newspapers and letter from Koningsburg and Pillau, which you were so good as to forward to me.

I have now received the assurances of the Swedish government that British ships of every kind will be received into the Swedish ports until after the 12th of November, the time fixed by them for putting into execution the stipulations contained in the 3rd article of their treaty of peace with Russia. This article does not at all refer to the departure from Swedish ports of British ships, and therefore I conclude, as I am indeed warranted by the declarations of the ministry here, that the sailing of convoys from Sweden may continue up to any period of the year, but the English flag may not enter any port of the country after the 12th of November; you will, of course, be best able to judge how this will agree with your arrangements.

I had several days ago spoken to Admiral Stedinck about orders to the pilots to be ready at Carlscrona in case you should want any number of them, and I received his assurances that every necessary direction should be instantly given to that effect. The Mercurius has sailed with the Duke of Brunswick's chests. I understand a Swedish brig is off Dalerö to give convoy. The Hearty is not, owing to contrary winds. I shall inquire about the periods when convoys will be required, and let you know the results.

I have, &c. &c. &c.

Augt. Foster.

To Vice-admiral Sir James Saumarez.

Stockholm, 1st October 1809.

Sir,

I think it right you should be informed that the opposition here have raised some outcry on the invitation made to you to enter Carlscrona. I can perceive even that some of the members of the government do not wish your stay there to be long, for fear of their being committed, and I really believe, that provisions were collected for you in Gothland, in order to diminish the necessity of it: finding such to be the case, I intimated to Baron Platen, whose frankness and openness on all occasions I have the greatest cause to commend, that I would write to you, and that I was sure you would find means to avoid entering Carlscrona at all, if you heard that any ill-founded and unjust suspicions were entertained of your intentions, on which he conjured me not to do so; that on the contrary he wished you would come in, and that it would have the happiest effect if you were to stay there with a fleet a few days, and prove to the ill-minded that British honour was to be trusted.

I cannot but think so too, and therefore I was very glad to find that it was your intention to take at least some ships into Carlscrona. The fleet, of transports coming from England with the Russian seamen, described in the German papers as a formidable fleet, has also created some alarm among the ill-informed. Harassed and torn as this country has been, it is perhaps excusable that the people should be fearful and nervous to excess, as to the situation of the small remaining resources which they possess.

I hope to have the honour to hear from you from Carlscrona, and that your excellency has had everything you wished there.

I have, &c. &c. &c.

Augt. Foster.

To Vice-admiral Sir James Saumarez, Bart. K.B.

During the time the fleet lay at Nargen roads the ships were not molested by the Russians, who had marched 15,000 men to defend Revel. The poor inhabitants on the island were liberally paid for everything that was supplied to the fleet; some valuable trees were cut down, and the empty transports which had brought out stores and provisions were partly loaded with them.

On the 28th of September it became no longer necessary to blockade the Russians, who had now concluded an armistice; Denmark had done the same. Sir James, therefore, proceeded to Carlscrona with three sail of the line only, the remaining ships being distributed in other places where anchorage could be found.

During the summer, Rear-admirals Bertie and Manley Dixon had been stationed to protect convoys, the former in the Sound, and the latter in the Belt. Nothing of any consequence happened except the capture of eighty men, who were surprised by a powerful body of Danes on the small island of Romsöe, where they had been to procure wood and water. The Minx gun-brig was taken off the coast of Norway. Anholt was placed in a state of defence, and garrisoned by a detachment of marines from England.

Having entered the harbour on the 5th October, Sir James wrote the following letter to Mr. Foster, which states a circumstance of rather a delicate nature, wherein he displayed both tact and prudence.

Victory, at Carlscrona, 7th October 1809.

Sir,

I have the honour to acquaint you of my arrival at Carlscrona on Wednesday evening, with three sail of the line only, having thought it most advisable to order the others to the Belt and off Gottenburg. The permission to admit any number of ships was received by Vice-admiral Baron Palmquist as I was coming into the harbour, and every possible attention has been manifested by the Vice-admiral and all the other Swedish officers towards the squadron, which I cannot represent in too strong terms. A circumstance of rather an untoward nature has occurred, with which I think right to make you acquainted, in case any explanation should be required. I was informed that with the order to admit any number of his Majesty's ships, Admiral Palmquist was also directed to invite me and the captains of the squadron to dinner on this day, being the anniversary of the King's birth-day. Knowing that government have not as yet acknowledged the present sovereign, it would have been improper for me to appear on so public an occasion: I accepted the invitation, intending to excuse myself as I might find necessary. On Baron Palmquist returning my visit yesterday he noticed it was the anniversary of his sovereign's birth-day. I have this morning sent him a note to excuse myself the honour of dining with him, on the footing that my official duties would not permit it.

Admiral Pickmore, Captain Hope, and all the captains dine with the Baron. I did not think it proper to prevent this, after the great attention paid upon every occasion to the officers of the squadron. The motive I have before mentioned must prevent the salutes that usually take place on similar occasions.

I enclose to you a despatch which I received from Pillau yesterday, and a German paper I received by the same opportunity. It was generally believed that hostilities would be renewed on the 5th inst.

The period of my remaining here is not yet fixed, but I shall have the pleasure of informing you the moment I can decide.

I have, &c. &c. &c.

James Saumarez.

To Augt. Foster, Esq.
&c. &c. &c.

Nothing could surpass the kindness of the Swedes at Carlscrona, and Sir James left them after a stay of a few weeks with sincere regret. He proceeded through the Belt, affording protection to a large convoy, and visiting the different stations. The order not to admit any British ships of war or merchantmen after the 15th of November, was dated on the 25th October; but it was considered on both sides as a matter of form, it being notorious that the Swedes could not prevent English men-of-war from entering any of their ports if they chose; but out of delicacy to them, and that there should be no cause of complaint for not fulfilling the treaty, Sir James did not occupy any of their fortified harbours, and as little as he could the others. He touched at Gottenburg to give his final directions about the convoys, and at Christmas arrived and struck his flag in the Downs. Having received the high approbation of the Lords of the Admiralty for his judicious conduct under such extraordinary circumstances, and for the protection so successfully afforded to the trade, he returned to his native island, to enjoy for a few months the society of his family and friends.

CHAPTER XI.

1809-1810.

Sir James's third year in the command of the Baltic Fleet.—Proceeds to Gothenburg and Havre.—Correspondence with Mr. Foster, Admiral Krusenstjerna, and others.—Swedes shut their ports.—Death of the Crown Prince.—Murder of Count Fersen.—Restrictions of the Swedish commerce.—Sir James's judicious conduct in that and in several disputes.—Election of Bernadotte, and his entry into Sweden.—Correspondence on the subject.—Sir James returns to England, and receives the approbation of the government and the nation.

We must now revert to the state of affairs in the central continent of Europe, on which the fate of Sweden so materially depended. Buonaparte, having withdrawn the greatest part of his troops from Spain, had planted his eagles at Vienna, and, after the battles of Aspern and Wagram, had obliged the Emperor of Austria to sue for peace, which was concluded on the 14th October 1809; by this the whole sea-coast had been ceded to France, and Prussia was recompensed for her neutrality by the cession of a part of Galicia; while Joseph Buonaparte was declared King of Spain, and acknowledged as such by the Emperor of Austria, who consented to the union of his daughter, the Arch-duchess Maria Louisa, with Buonaparte, as soon as he had divorced his wife Josephine, an event which took place in December.

Meanwhile, the ruler of France had proclaimed himself mediator of Switzerland, and declared that every port in Europe should be shut against British commerce. Early in 1810 he began to unfold his designs upon Holland, which, he gradually occupied and annexed to France, obliging his brother Louis to resign his throne. He subsequently took possession of the mouths of the Scheldt, the Meuse, the Rhine, the Weser, and the Elbe. Rome, Holland, Valais, and the Hanse Towns, with a population of thirty-eight millions, were added to France; while Hanover was given to the kingdom of Westphalia.

That the politics of Sweden should have undergone a change in consequence of the extraordinary success of Buonaparte, can hardly excite surprise; but another untoward circumstance took place, which seemed to militate against a continuation of an alliance with Great Britain, namely, the untimely death of the Danish prince, who had been unanimously elected to succeed Charles XIII, and who, having acted in Sweden as Crown Prince since the 21st of January 1810, had endeared himself to the nation as well by his amiable disposition and the admirable regulations he had made, as by his conduct in Norway, while opposed to the Swedes, particularly in forbearing to attack them from Norway, where he commanded a Danish army during the revolution. It had been falsely and unfortunately circulated that he had been poisoned by Count Fersen, then Riks-Marskall (prime minister) of Sweden. On the arrival of the remains of the deceased prince at Stockholm, the Count fell a victim to the indignation of the lawless and infuriated populace. The following is an authentic account of that lamentable event.

21st June 1810.

All Stockholm was in an uproar! At noon, the corpse of the lamented Crown Prince entered the city by Horngatan, escorted by only a company of dragoons, and preceded by several members of the court, and finally by Riks-Marskall Fersen, Fabian Fersen, and Doctor Rossi. On entering the street, the mob began to insult the Riks-Marskall, and soon after to throw stones and other missiles. When the windows of his carriage were broken, the mob gave a loud hurrah. The people now followed the carriage into Nygatan, opposite the inn called Bergstratska Husset, into which Count Fersen jumped, already covered with blood, but followed by the infuriated mob, who first tore off his order riband and threw it into the street; then, having stripped him naked, they threw him out of the window into the street. Here the mob proceeded to beat him with clubs, and trample on him, until death put an end to his sufferings. In the mean time, General-adjutant Silversparre and Aldercreuts rode through the street, and in vain talked to the people; they had no troops, and the assistance came too late, being only in time to preserve the lifeless body being torn to pieces.

The fury of the mob being now satiated, and the soldiers having fired a few shots among them, they began to disperse, but not before many were killed and wounded, and it is believed that the remainder of the suite which attended the lamented Prince at his death would have shared the same fate as Count Fersen, had the military not arrived in time to save them. The body of Count Fersen was with difficulty carried off on a sledge. In the night the windows of Count Ugglas and several others were broken, and it was not until some days that tranquillity was restored.

Buonaparte had now sent peremptory orders to enforce his commands that the port of Sweden should be shut against British commerce, but it was evident that these orders could never be carried into effect, unless they had a superiority by sea. The principal ports might, indeed, be nominally shut, but Sweden could neither prevent the British navy from entering her numerous unfortified harbours by her own army, or support troops sufficient for the purpose of defending them. It was therefore only necessary to make a show of compliance, in order to satisfy the despotic ruler of France, who had absurdly declared Great Britain to be in a state of blockade.

It was under these delicate circumstances that Sir James resumed the command of his Majesty's fleet in the Baltic, and having rehoisted his flag on board the Victory on the 11th March 1810, he proceeded to Hawke Roads, which is the outer roadstead to Gottenburg, and was followed by Rear-admirals Reynolds, Dixon, and Morris. Before leaving England, Sir James had communicated with Lord Mulgrave, then first Lord of the Admiralty, on the relative situation of the two countries; and as it was the wish of his Majesty's ministers to avoid, as long as possible, committing any hostile act against Sweden, they confided in the tact of Sir James to pursue the course which he judged most advantageous to the interests of commerce, and at the same time to uphold the honour and naval superiority of the nation. The Swedes had already a sufficient knowledge of the British Admiral's high character, and our government could not have afforded them a more decisive assurance of their desire to remain on amicable terms with them than by sending Sir James with extraordinary powers to act according to circumstances. On the one hand, they knew that in all matters of a delicate nature they could place the utmost reliance on his word, and that they were treating with a person quite incapable of deception or intrigue; on the other, they were aware that if coercion became necessary, he would act with decision, and baffle every evasive manœuvre.

The following correspondence with Mr. Foster and others, with some occasional remarks, will convey to the reader some idea of the important and difficult situation in which Sir James was placed.

Victory, Hawke Road, 21st May 1810.

Sir,

I have the honour to acquaint your excellency of my arrival here with part of the squadron under my command, and of my intention to proceed into the Baltic as soon as the wind will permit. It will afford me the highest satisfaction to renew a correspondence from whence I derived such great benefit during the time I was employed upon this station last year; and although the unfortunate exclusion of British ships from the ports of Sweden will render it more difficult at this time, I hope it will not be the means of entirely depriving me of the honour of hearing from your excellency. As I propose calling off Ystad, on my getting into the Baltic, I shall detach a vessel to that place for any letters you may have done me the honour to write.

I have, &c.

James Saumarez.

The Victory arrived off Ystad on the 6th June, when Sir James received the following letter from Mr. Foster:

Stockholm, 25th May 1810.

Sir,

MEMOIRSAND CORRESPONDENCE

OF

ADMIRALLORD DE SAUMAREZ.

FROM

ORIGINAL PAPERS IN POSSESSION OF THE FAMILY.

BY SIR JOHN ROSS, C.B. K.S.A. K.C.S. F.R.A.S.

CAPTAIN IN THE ROYAL NAVY.

IN TWO VOLUMES.

VOL. II.

LONDON:RICHARD BENTLEY, NEW BURLINGTON STREET,

1838.

LONDON:PRINTED BY SAMUEL BENTLEY,Dorset Street, Fleet Street.

CONTENTSOF THE SECOND VOLUME.

LIST OF PLATES

THE LIFEOFLORD DE SAUMAREZ.

CHAPTER I.

1801.

CHAPTER II.

1801.

CHAPTER III.

1801.

CHAPTER IV.

1802.

CHAPTER V.

1803.

CHAPTER VI.

1804 to 1806.

CHAPTER VII.

1807.

CHAPTER VIII.

1808.

CHAPTER IX.

1808, 1809.

CHAPTER X.

1809.

CHAPTER XI.

1809-1810.

MEMOIRS
AND CORRESPONDENCE

ADMIRAL
LORD DE SAUMAREZ.

LONDON:
RICHARD BENTLEY, NEW BURLINGTON STREET,

LONDON:
PRINTED BY SAMUEL BENTLEY,
Dorset Street, Fleet Street.

CONTENTS
OF THE SECOND VOLUME.

THE LIFE
OF
LORD DE SAUMAREZ.