England, a prey to official incapacity, joined the league, promised help in men and money, and did little or nothing except send fruitless expeditions to Alexandria and the Dardanelles with the aim of forcing the Turks to a peace with Russia.

In Sicily we held our own against Joseph's generals, but had no men to spare for a diversion against Marmont's forces in Dalmatia, which Alexander urged.
Still less could we send from our own shores any force for the effective aid of Prussia.

Though we had made peace with that Power, and ordinary prudence might have dictated the taking of steps to save the coast fortresses, Danzig and Colberg, from the French besiegers, yet our efforts were limited to the despatch of a few cruisers to the former stronghold.

Even more urgent was the need of rescuing Stralsund, the chief fortress of Swedish Pomerania.

Such an expedition clearly offered great possibilities with the minimum of risk.