ships of the line and a frigate are arrived off Dalaroe,
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 Aland, 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