the Adjutant-General, with another officer, entered his chamber, and ordered that he 'should not leave Stockholm without the

Mr. Thornton was informed of this outrage in the morning, and he immediately wrote a remonstrance to Baron Ehrenheim, setting forth, that he wanted words to express his astonishment on learning that the Commander of his Britannic Majesty's forces had been arrested. He desired the immediate recall of that order, as the smallest delay cannot 'fail to be considered as an injury of so in'sulting a nature against his Majesty's person ' and government, and against the whole 'British nation, that it must unavoidably be 'followed by the most fatal consequences to 'the alliance and friendship which has ' hitherto subsisted between the countries.'

But the King's mind could no more be moved by dangers threatening his country, than by reason. The decrees to hinder the British troops from landing, and for arresting their General, having been issued, were immutable.

Sir John Moore judged, that as he had given no assent to the arrest, which was palpably illegal, the most fitting thing to do, was to escape to Gottenburgh, before he was detained by a guard. Mr. Thornton assisted in this scheme; the Secretary of Legation called in his curricle as if to take Sir John out for an airing. They drove beyond the first stage, and waited for a courier carrying despatches from Mr. Thornton: Sir John got into the calash with the courier, and reached Gottenburgh without interruption.

During the short time Sir John spent in Sweden, he formed a very favourable opinion of the people, and regretted being forced to leave the country, by the insane conduct of the King. This derangement unhappily augmented, and in less than a year, Sweden being brought to the brink of ruin, his subjects rose and deposed him; not a sword being drawn in his defence. He was, however, treated with great humanity, an ample provision was allowed him, and he was permitted to travel where he pleased.

As soon as Sir John arrived at Gottenburgh, he went on board Sir James Saumarez's ship, and found the Admiral and General Hope in great alarm, and undetermined what to do. The wind then proving favourable, he sailed with the transports to England, having written to his mother as follows.

'My dear Mother,

'Gottenburgh Roads, H.M.S. Victory, 2nd July, 1808.

This campaign in Sweden has proved 'the most painful to me I ever served; it is, ' however, now nearly over. I shall sail; 'wind and other things permitting, to

morrow, on my return with the troops to England. My conferences with the King of Sweden ended in his arresting me. He 'did not put me in confinement, nor put 'sentries at my room-door, but in the middle ' of the night he sent me an order by his Adjutant-General, not to quit Stockholm; ' and thus prevented the Commander of a 'British force from returning to the station in

' which he was placed by his own Sovereign. 'You will naturally conclude that I must

have done something very strange to force 'the King of Sweden to an act so insulting 'to the King of the British nation. I know nothing, however, that I did that could have given a reasonable Prince the slightest

offence, or that I was not justified and obliged to do, by the instructions of my 'Government. My proceedings have from 'time to time been fairly transmitted to England. It is by my own acts I must be 'judged. I wish to stand or fall by them. 'I have nothing either to palliate or conceal, ' and neither have, nor shall condescend to

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any justification.. If, when everything is 'laid before the King, he thinks me wrong, 'he will order me to be punished as I shall 'deserve. If he thinks me right, he will say 'so, and continue to me his countenance and

support. In the mean time, my own con'science tells me I have nothing to fear.

When I see you, which will, I hope, be

soon, I shall explain to you all that has

'passed. The original fault of government in sending me here without any knowledge ' of the state of things, and the folly of his 'Swedish Majesty, which surpasses every

thing I had before witnessed, has been the cause of all my trouble. As to his arrest, 'when I saw no hope of his retracting it, I ' determined to free myself from it. My con'tinuance in Sweden could answer no end; ' on the contrary, by withdrawing myself, I 'left England more at liberty to act as she thought best, without consideration for my 'safety.

'As I was exposed to, and probably would have met with personal insult, it was my duty to make an effort to return to the post

the King of England had placed me in. 'These considerations determined both Mr. "Thornton (the British Minister) and myself,

in the propriety of attempting to escape, 'which I did in the forenoon of the 27th 'June, and reached the Victory in the after'noon of the 29th. I have had no time to ' explain circumstances, or give any details