pectation of a satisfactory answer, he has the honor to assure his Excellency Lord Hawkesbury of his respectful consideration. (Signed) WEDel-Jarlsberg

Note of Baron Ehrensward to Lord Hawkesbury regarding the Embargo on Swedish Vessels, March 4, 18011

The undersigned, Minister Plenipotentiary of His Swedish Majesty, has the honor to transmit to his Excellency Lord Hawkesbury, first Secretary of State of His Britannic Majesty, a printed copy of the naval convention concluded on the 16th Dec. 1800, between His Swedish Majesty and His Majesty the Emperor of all the Russias, as well as a printed copy of the naval regulations which the King has recently ordered to be drawn up.

The undersigned, who, at the command of his Court, has the honor to make this communication to the Minister of His Britannic Majesty, has it likewise in commission expressly to declare, that Their Majesties, by the said naval convention, have reciprocally determined and settled those rights which, as neutral Powers, they believe themselves entitled to, and by the naval regulations have ascertained those duties, for the performance and observance of which, on the part of their subjects, they, as neutral Powers, make themselves answerable. The object of Their Majesties is to confirm and strengthen their rights of neutrality, and to promote the repose of their respective States, by the naval convention they have entered into; and nothing is farther from their intention than by such a step to provoke hostilities. The respect which is due to the rights of nations and to treaties, the consciousness that their own interests are inseparably united with the interests and the love of justice and peace, are the only motives by which Their Majes ties have been actuated: they have, therefore, learnt, with the greatest astonishment, that the first news of the conclusion of this convention in England, has been the occasion of so violent a measure as that of laying an embargo on the Swedish ships.

So far from desiring to introduce any innovations with respect to 1Collection of State Papers, vol. 11, p. 235.

the maritime State of Europe, by the assertion of their rights of neutrality, Their Majesties are sensible that it gives no power whatever where those rights were not acknowledged by former treaties. England has seen those treaties; England has seen those treaties executed; they were officially communicated to her, and she did not protest against them. In like manner it was, with regard to the convention of 1780 and 1781; and the Ministry, who now proceed with so much violence, know that the partial renewal of that convention between Sweden and Denmark in 1794, and the armament that followed, operated, during a period of three years, without ever being considered as grounds for hostilities; yet a similar convention is now deemed an hostile confederacy against England. A line of conduct so contradictory, proceeds not from the circumstance of the principles and claims of neutral rights having been now enforced; but it seems to have its foundation in that maritime system which England has established in the course of the present war. It appears also, that that Government, which Europe, from its pacific sentiments, has so often endeavored to convince of the injustice of its pretensions, has now determined to commence a war for the subjection of the sea, after it has rendered itself so renowned in the war undertaken for the freedom of Europe.

If the British Minister will refer to the conduct of England against Sweden, and the neutral Powers in general, during this war, he will find the real cause why His Swedish Majesty has been induced to believe that the formal alliance of several Powers, acting upon the same principles, would more effectually tend to convince the Court of London of the validity of those principles, than by any one Power renewing those reclamations which have hitherto been made in vain; at the same time His Majesty never supposed that such an alliance would be considered as an act of hostility. The British Minister complains that the Court of London was not before instructed of the intention of the respective Courts to renew the convention of 1780; but in the same note he states, that England had entered into engagements this war with its allies respecting neutrals; thus the avowal of the British. Minister is an answer to his own charge.

If His Majesty was not fully convinced of the innocence of his intentions, and if he was desirous of deviating from that line of moderation he has ever observed, he might make an invidious and censurable enumeration of the conduct of England; of the unpunished offenses of the commanders of English ships of war, even in Swedish

harbors; of the inquisitorial examinations which the captains and crews of the ships detained, as well in the West Indies as in England, have been subject; of the detention of the convoy in 1798; of the deceitful chicanery with which the proceedings of the courts of admiralty were accompanied; of the absolute denial of justice in many instances; and lastly, by the insult offered to the Swedish flag at Barcelona. His Swedish Majesty must, doubtless, state among the offenses of which he has cause to complain, that after one of his Ministers had been sent to the British Court, its aggressions, instead of being admitted and remedied, were justified. But he has sought no revenge; His Majesty wishes only to procure that security to his flag to which it is entitled. In consequence of this sentiment, the undersigned is empowered to declare, that the British Court shall acknowledge the rights of Sweden; that it shall do justice with regard to the convoys detained in 1798, as well as respecting the violence offered to the Swedish flag at Barcelona; and above all, that it shall take off the embargo which has been so unjustly laid on the Swedish ships. His Majesty will, with the greatest pleasure, see his ports again opened to the trade of England, and the ancient good understanding between the two Courts renewed. His Majesty, impressed with the dignity due to his empire. has, in consequence of the embargo laid upon the Swedish ships, placed a similar embargo on all English vessels in the harbors of Sweden.

As the pacific tendency of the present convention has been proved to a demonstration, His Majesty therefore hopes that no consideration, respecting any accidental occurrence which may have taken place between the ally of His Majesty the Emperor of Russia and the Court of London, will be introduced. The act of the convention itself proves. that its bases are the rights of neutrality, and that it is in its nature unconnected with every other subject of dispute.

While the undersigned Minister Plenipotentiary of His Swedish Majesty recommends the contents of this present note to the earnest consideration of the Minister of His Britannic Majesty, he has the honor to entreat that his Excellency Lord Hawkesbury will transmit him an answer, which he hopes will speak the sentiments of the King his master.

His Majesty has commanded the undersigned to present this to his Excellency. Should the conciliatory views with which it was dictated prove fruitless, it is His Majesty's opinion, that the presence of the undersigned at the Court of London will no longer be of any advantage.

The undersigned has the honor to assure his Excellency Lord Hawkesbury of his highest esteem.

LONDON, March 4, 1801.

(Signed) THE BARON VON EHRENSWARD

Reply of Lord Hawkesbury to Baron Ehrensward, March 7, 18011 The undersigned, His Majesty's principal Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, has the honor to acknowledge the receipt of the note of Baron Ehrensward, His Swedish Majesty's Minister Plenipotentiary, of the date of the 4th instant; His Majesty has already repeatedly communicated his fixed unalterable determination to maintain those established principles of maritime law which have been found, by the experience of ages, best calculated to afford equal security to the just rights and interests, as well of neutral as of belligerent powers.

The explanations attempted to be given to the present convention, have in no degree weakened the impression which the first perusal of it produced, that the views and motives of the contracting Powers were hostile to His Majesty's dominions; and this impression is most fully confirmed by the consideration, that the northern Courts have recurred to the principles of the convention of 1780 at a moment when the circumstances of the war and the relative state of the navies of the belligerent Powers, convert that which was pretended to be a measure of common equity to all countries, into an instrument of exclusive injury to Great Britain.

Under these circumstances, the embargo on Swedish vessels can be considered in no other view than as an act of just and necessary precaution, which will not be revoked so long as the Court of Stockholm continues to form a part of a confederacy which has for its object to impose by force on His Majesty a new system of maritime law, inconsistent with the dignity and independence of his Crown, and the rights and interests of his people.

The undersigned requests Baron Ehrensward will accept the assurance of his high consideration.

DOWNING STREET, March 7, 1801.

1Collection of State Papers, vol. 11, p. 238

(Signed) HAWKESBURY

Manifesto of His Highness Prince Charles, March 28, 1801, regarding the Danish Occupation of the City of Hamburg1

By the express command of His Majesty the King of Denmark and Norway, it is hereby declared:

The attacks made by the English Government, in opposition to all the principles of the laws of nations, against the navigation and trade of those Powers that have confederated together for the purpose of securing and maintaining the rights of neutral flags; and the arbitrary and powerful measures adopted by that Government, notwithstanding the most pressing and continued remonstrances; have imposed on these Powers the disagreeable necessity of taking every previous step that may serve to bring the said Government to a more just way of thinking. As the exclusion of the English navigation and trade from the Elbe, must be an effectual means of promoting this object; and as the possession, for a time, of the Imperial city of Hamburg has been considered as unavoidably necessary for that purpose; His Danish Majesty, unwilling as he is to adopt a measure of this kind, has been obliged to give way to a crowd of imperious circumstances: and consequently has charged me to carry the measure into execution with the troops under my command.

Conformably to the positive orders enjoined me, I will most vigilantly take care, that the strictest discipline shall be observed by the troops that enter the city, while they remain there; and that the tranquillity, the property, and municipal rights of the inhabitants shall not only be undisturbed and unmolested, but that the same shall be most carefully preserved and guarded for them. I expect, therefore, that all persons shall conduct themselves peaceably and friendly towards the royal troops commanded by me; and that nobody shall find fault with that necessary severity which must be put in force in case of a contrary behavior.

PINNEBERG, March 28, 1801.

CHARLES, PRINCE OF HESSE

1Collection of State Papers, vol. 11, p. 242.