ther hand the Swedes were satisfied with Sir James's disapproval of
the conduct of Captains Newman and Acklom, requesting that no further
notice might be taken of these officers. In like manner were adjusted
the differences occasioned by the legal capture of a vessel loaded
with drugs and medicines, and another with oil and tallow from St.
Petersburg; the former had been sent to England, but was released, the
latter was given up on security being pledged for her cargo, which was
eventually repurchased by the owners: on all these occasions the
author was employed confidentially.

Sir James now rendered a great service by prevailing on Government to
allow the trade of Sweden and Swedish Pomerania to remain unmolested,
on condition that French armed vessels should not be fitted out at
Stralsund and other ports on that coast; he also granted licences for
ships to import medicines and grain into Sweden, without which the
country must have been reduced to great misery.

The Russian fleet, which consisted of about eight sail of the line,
made no disposition of moving from Cronstadt; it was therefore
unnecessary for the fleet to proceed to the Gulf of Finland, and Sir
James directed the whole of his attention to the protection of the
commerce, in which he completely succeeded by the judicious
arrangements and the disposition of the naval force under his command.

Towards the close of the season, and in compliance with the wishes of
the Admiralty, he despatched three sail of the line to England, and
left Hano Bay in the Victory on the 10th of October, only two days
previously to the return of Admiral Krusenstjerna, a circumstance much
regretted by both.

On arriving in the Belt, with a convoy of no less than a thousand sail
homeward bound, it was intimated that the French Prince of Ponte
Corvo, the newly elected successor to the throne, was at Nyborg, and
permission to cross the Belt was demanded and obtained from the
Admiral for his yacht to pass unmolested, which he did on the 14th of
October at the time this immense fleet was at anchor off Sproe. A
scene so novel to a French general, and so interesting to his Royal
Highness under the present circumstances, could not but make a deep
impression, while it conveyed some idea of the wealth and power of the
British nation; and he has subsequently told the author that it was
the most beautiful and wonderful sight he had ever beheld, being one
of which he had never formed an idea