FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   74   75   76   77   78   79   80   81   82   83   84   85   86   87   88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   98  
99   100   101   102   103   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   >>   >|  
ania, 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 Sproe, 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
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   74   75   76   77   78   79   80   81   82   83   84   85   86   87   88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   98  
99   100   101   102   103   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

Sweden

 

Gothenburg

 
government
 

Victory

 

present

 

difficult

 

defence

 

country

 

England

 

hitherto


opinion

 
maintained
 
business
 

flagrant

 
outrage
 
doubtless
 

impossible

 

intercourse

 

grounds

 

uphold


honour

 

measure

 

scarcely

 

admitted

 

things

 

friendly

 

offered

 

strong

 

misunderstanding

 
manner

entrusted

 

measures

 
insult
 

officer

 

confidential

 
confer
 

ordered

 
command
 

transactions

 
adopted

putting

 

execution

 

conceive

 
Stockholm
 

detention

 

Majesty

 
received
 

orders

 

justify

 
transports