was setting in, one of the cold spring nights of the north; and it was
discovered, soon after they left the ship, that in their haste they had
forgotten to provide him with a boat-cloak. He, however, forbade them
to return for one; and when one of his companions offered his own
great-coat, and urged him to make use of it, he replied, "I thank you
very much; but, to tell you the truth, my anxiety keeps me sufficiently
warm at present."
"Do you think," said he presently, "that our fleet has quitted Bornholm?
If it has, we must follow it to Carlscrona." About midnight he reached
it, and once more got on board the ELEPHANT. On the following morning
the Swedes were discovered; as soon, however, as they perceived the
English approaching, they retired, and took shelter in Carlscrona,
behind the batteries on the island, at the entrance of that port. Sir
Hyde sent in a flag of truce, stating that Denmark had concluded an
armistice, and requiring an explicit declaration from the court of
Sweden, whether it would adhere to or abandon the hostile measures which
it had taken against the rights and interests of Great Britain? The
commander, Vice-Admiral Cronstadt, replied, "That he could not answer
a question which did not come within the particular circle of his duty;
but that the king was then at Maloe, and would soon be at Carlscrona."
Gustavus shortly afterwards arrived, and an answer was then returned to
this effect: "That his Swedish majesty would not, for a moment, fail to
fulfil, with fidelity and sincerity, the engagements he had entered
into with his allies; but he would not refuse to listen to equitable
proposals made by deputies furnished with proper authority by the King
of Great Britain to the united northern powers." Satisfied with this
answer, and with the known disposition of the Swedish court, Sir Hyde
sailed for the Gulf of Finland; but he had not proceeded far before
a despatch boat from the Russian ambassador at Copenhagen arrived,
bringing intelligence of the death of the Emperor Paul, and that his
successor Alexander had accepted the offer made by England to his father
of terminating the dispute by a convention: the British admiral was,
therefore, required to desist from all further hostilities.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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