Captain Murray, having been relieved from his station, by a squadron under Rear-Admiral Totty, met Lord Nelson, with four sail of the line, off the north end of Gothland; and, on the 23d, at three in the morning, his lordship joined the rear-admiral off Gothland.  He left him, however, the same evening; and, having sent the Ganges, Defence, and Veteran, to water in Kioge Bay, anchored next day off Rostock.  His lordship had now not only received letters from the Russian government of an indisputably amicable tendency, but his Imperial Majesty, Alexander the First, with a wisdom and candour which do him the highest honour, absolutely sent Admiral Tchitchagoff for the purpose of holding a confidential communication with the British commander in chief.  His lordship, accordingly, in a conference with this brave and worthy Russian admiral, soon became satisfied that the emperor, like his own most gracious sovereign, was sincerely disposed to enter into an amicable arrangement, and they respectively exchanged written documents to that effect; thus proving, that two honest and wise seamen are by no means such bad pacific negociators as might be imagined.  Nor was this all; for, on the 26th, Lord Nelson received an invitation to visit the Emperor Alexander, in a letter from the Comte de Pahlen, which also apprised his lordship that the British merchant ships, unjustly detained by his imperial majesty’s late predecessor, were now ordered to be liberated.  To this pleasing communication, his lordship instantly returned the following answer, by the Russian lugger which brought his letter from the count.

     “St. George, Rostock Bay,
     10 o’clock at night, 26th May 1801.

     “SIR,

“I am this moment honoured with your excellency’s flattering letter of May 6, O.S. and I assure you, that his imperial majesty’s justice has filled the idea I had formed of his excellent heart and head; and, I am sure, the handsome manner in which the embargo has been taken off the British shipping, will give the greatest pleasure to my good and gracious sovereign.  I am truly sensible of the great honour done me, by the invitation of his imperial majesty; and, at a future time, I hope to have the pleasure of presenting my humble duty.  I have now only to pray that a permanent (which must be honourable) peace, may be re-established between our gracious sovereigns; and, that our august masters reigns may be blessed with every happiness which this world can afford:  and I beg that your excellency will believe, that I am, with the highest respect, your most obedient and very humble servant,

     Nelson and Bronte.

     His Excellency the Comte de Pahlen.”