SIR,

I had the honour to receive your letters of the 3rd, 4th, and
11th inst. and am glad to hear that the first divisions of your
squadron made so favourable a passage to their rendezvous in
Wingo Sound. The four ships with Linzee, which have been ready
for some days, have been detained by the strong easterly winds;
and though they sailed from St. Helen's the day before
yesterday, I should not wonder to hear that they have put back
again. Impetueux is getting forward, and we shall send her to
you as soon as we can spare her from the reserve. Fisguard
ought to be ready, but is to call at Deal for M. de Begenhas,
Minister from Portugal to Russia, whom you will have the
goodness to land as well as you can at Gothenburg, that he may
find his own way forward.

I think we ought not to listen for a moment to any Swedish
projects on Norway; my own opinion is that Bernadotte is
playing us false, and at any rate I, for one, should dread to
see a consolidation of the Swedish and Norwegian power, such as
it is, in his, or indeed in any hand.

Since the arrival of the accounts of the landing the cargoes at
Carlshamn, and the accompanying measures, considerable distrust
appears to prevail here about alternate views of the Swedish
Government. A little more time will develop their plans in all
probability; in the mean time it seems very desirable that the
bulk of your efficient force should remain where it is (in the
Sleeve) to be ready to receive the requisite orders. Admiral
Young has taken his station off West Cassel, and has fifteen
sail of the line. Enemy, eleven in the Scheldt, three in Texel,
and two at Helvoet. When the Impetueux joins, you will have
eighteen, which is as many as we shall be able to give you for
some time at least.

The public letters will have apprised you of the views of the
Board of Trade and of the Government in the several points on
which it was important that you should be informed. The Swedes
should be gently but steadily convinced that it is in our power
to resent this ill usage, and to turn the consequence of
perfidy on the inventors; but the evil day should be postponed
as long as possible and every practicable chance should be
given them of remaining in the right path.

Accounts have been receive