118 FIRST LORD DE SAUMAREZ, ETC. 



ceding four years. He had conquered the strongest places 

 of Europe : little now separated him from the peace he 

 affected so ardently to desire. Austria and Prussia were 

 his subject allies. Russia he had led by the nose at the 

 treaty of Tilsit and would yoke more firmly to his chariot 

 when he had the leisure or the inclination. England alone 

 was the obstacle to the realisation of his schemes. In the 

 Berlin decrees he gave substantial form to what was hence- 

 forth to be his policy with regard to her. He would use his 

 power over all Europe to crush British commercial prosperity. 

 By the adherence of Russia he controlled the entire coast line 

 of Europe except Sweden. At last he could put in practice 

 his famous continental system. All intercourse was for- 

 bidden between Great Britain and every foreign power. The 

 British replied with a far more moderate prohibition. By the 

 Orders in Council of 1807, all trade by enemies or neutrals 

 from one enemy port to< another was prohibited. 



It is from this moment that the Baltic assumes a vital 

 importance in the history of the War. Napoleon had the 

 control of France and Central Europe. On those coasts the 

 continental system could not be broken. In Spain and Por- 

 tugal, particularly after the revolt of the Juntas, a little more 

 direct trade might be undertaken. But those countries were 

 poor, and Spain was overrun by the French armies under 

 Soult. The really weak spot in the system w T as the Baltic. 

 Here was Russia, never more than a half-hearted adherent 

 of a blockade which deprived her of British goods to the 

 sole advantage of her ally, France. Here also was Sweden, 

 who still defied Napoleon and traded freely with his enemy. 

 The Baltic became for Napoleon the keystone of success. 

 Could he close it to British trade his system would be com- 

 plete : if he failed, there would be a gap in his prohibitive 

 organisation all the more precious to his enemies from the 

 firmness of his grasp in other quarters. 



Apart from the necessities of the economic situation, 

 another cause contributed to the emphasis on the importance 

 of Naval power in the Baltic. Sweden was the only ally 

 of Great Britain in her active opposition to Napoleon. 



Napoleon tried to win her alliance by the cynical offer 

 of Norway which then formed part of the kingdom of Den- 

 mark. The King of Sweden chivalrously communicated this 

 kindly offer to Denmark but without stirring up in that 

 country the faintest sign of opposition to Napoleon. Sweden 

 refused the proposal. To conquer her Napoleon would have 

 to close the Baltic to the possibility of British aid. This 

 could probably be done by the Danish fleet on whose com- 

 pliance Napoleon could rely. The gains to Napoleon from 



