The Sun.
London, England, 1855-11-13 00:00:00

GENERAL CANROBERT'S MISSION.

STOCKHOLM, Nov. G.—Up to a late hour last
night numerous groups crowned the Holms, and
other elevated situations, from whence a view of
the channel, with the open sea in the distance,
could be obtained, in the hope of welcoming Gen.
Canrobert on his landing on Swedish soil. This
morning, at an early hour, the steamer Gauthiod,
from Lubeck, was signalised, and the news flow
from mouth to mouth with such celerity that a
very large crowd had assembled at the landing-
place by the time the steamer had come alongside,
who cheered the General vociferously on his step-
ping on shore.
It is not only to General Canrobert, ex-comman-
der-in-chief of the French army in the Crimea, that
this ovation is paid, the belief is general that he
comes the harbinger of war. It is thought that the
moment has at length arrived when Sweden *ill
gird on her armour in right earnest, and be ready
to take a gallant part in the good cause. I have
reason forasserting that great numbers of the Swedes
are in favour of takingan open and honourably active
part in the war against Russia. The excitement on
the subject appears now to have reached its climax.
Enthusiasm in favour of war is not only to be found
in the members of the army and navy of all grades,
but it swells the bosoms of the farmer, the artisan,
the manufacturer--in fact, civilians of all classes.
All eyes are, therefore, turned on the French
general who comes among us at this critical junc-
ture, and rumours of all sorts are in circulation.
In the military creles the plan of next year's cam-
paign is the general theme of conversation, and
those cfficers who have been in Finland and Rus-
sia are listened to at the mess table and in the club
rooms with the most profound attention. I have
been assured on good authority that a general
officer, who has access to royalty, has stated to his
military friends that General Canrobert has full
powers from the Emperor of the French to con-
clude a treaty of offensive and defensive alliance
with Sweden, and to settle the needful stipulations.
To show how far men's minds have become fami-
liar with the idea of hostilities with Russia, I will
give a plan of operations which is circulated very
extensively and discussed here. Of course, under
present circumstances, I do not claim for it any
authoritative origin. It is said, then, that Sweden
is to furnish an arm of 60,000 men, besides her
fleet and 200 gun-boats, which are, however, to
undertake operations in Finland under their own'
commanders and quite independently of the Allied
forces • that the Swedish contingent is to enter.
Finland in the spring at three different points si-
multaneously, and in corps of nearly equal strength,.
about 20,000 men in each. OA corps will be con-
centrated on our northern frontiers during the
winter ; it will march by land, entering Finland
by Tornea, whilst the other two corps will be sent
across the gulf by water, and landed under cover of
the fleet and the flotilla of gun-boats upon two
points which it would be unwise at the present
moment to further particularise.
The Swedish plan even goes further and em-
braces the operations of the allies in the Gulf of
Finland with a force of 50,000 men, land troops,
which will be quite sufficient to hold the Russians
in check, and enable the Swedes to overcome all
difficulties in Finland, and arrive without serious
opposition at the land gates of Sweaborg and Wy-
borg, where they would find the allied fleets ready
to co-operate with them from the sea-board.
Under these circumstances, it is not to be won-
dered at that not only the citizens of Stockholm,
but the inhabitants of Sweden generally, hail the
arrival of General Canrobert as an event of the
greatest possible importance, and await the result of
his mission with intense excitement.