[8] In Sweden the high officers of state carry a staff, which
is in fact their commission; therefore the staff of power was
that of the commander-in-chief of the army, which the King
always kept; but, when seized by another, he lost the power,
every person by the law of Sweden being obliged to obey whoever
is in actual possession of this staff.

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 h