eet the King of Sweden at Fredericksham, and is
expected here again next Friday. The object of this meeting is
doubtless such as I have mentioned in my letter of June 17th. The King
of Sweden has a well appointed army of more than ten thousand men near
his frontiers in Finland, and the Russian army, about their frontiers,
is said to be greater. The two Sovereigns have been putting their
possessions in that quarter into a better state of defence for some
time. Sweden has been engaged in completing the fortress of Sweaborg,
near Helsingfors, which is said to be an exceeding strong place.

These preparations do not indicate, certainly, hostile intentions on
either part. They are such as common prudence, with the most pacific
dispositions, might render indispensable in the present prospect of a
war with Turkey. Should this empire prove unsuccessful in that, there
is little reason to doubt that Sweden would seize upon such an
occasion, to recover the territories which have been conquered from
it. Or if the Emperor should take a part in the Turkish war, of which
there seems to be much doubt at present, and thereby engage Prussia,
France, and perhaps, Spain in it, it is highly probable in that case,
that Sweden would not long remain inactive. It cannot now be long
before the point will be decided, whether we shall have a general war
on the continent of Europe or not.

We shall have a great change in the course of the summer, in the
diplomatic corps here. The Minister of Spain has lately gone away,
leaving a _Charge d'Affaires_. The Ministers of France, Portugal, and
Denmark, are about doing the same. The Minister of England will be
succeeded by another of the same class, as also the Minister of
Naples. Besides these changes, a Minister is coming from the Republic
of Venice. France, Spain, Denmark, Portugal, and Sweden, will be
represented here by _Charges d'Affaires_, and, if I might offer my
opinion upon the matter, when the United States shall have made their
commercial treaty with this empire, a _Charge d'Affaires_ would answer
every useful purpose they can have in view at the Court. Every day's
experience convinces me, that they cannot decently maintain a Minister
of the second class at this Court, under an appointment of L3000
sterling per annum, and that it would be a very useless expense for
them, as a _Charge d'Affaires_ may be well supported upon half that
sum. I have not received any letter from you later than ----,