Swedish-Norwegian naval preparations according to the Dutch newspaper Leydse courant dated 8 May 1854

An item reported that Sweden was preparing herself for a potential war with Russia. The strength of the Russian troops along the Finnish seacoast was estimated to be already 50.000 men.(1) On the Finnish shipyards were at that moment sixty gunboats being built and which were nearly completed. These boats were to be used in case of a British-French landing. Further more was a telegraph line between Russia and Finland laid. The Swedish fleet (most ships already armed and the others were to be armed before the 10 June as the cabinet strictly ordered) was to consist of 6 ships of the line, 6 frigates, 4 sail- and 4 steam corvettes, 10 smaller war vessels and a large number of gunboats. The Norwegian squadron which was to join at Carlskrona the Swedish squadron commanded by admiral Krusenstern numbered 2 ships of the line, 4 frigates, 2 sail and 3 steam corvettes, 1 brig and 12 gunboats.

Note

1. Crimean war (4 October 1853-12 February 1856) between the Russian empire and the alliance of the British, French and Ottoman empires and the kingdom of Sardinia.