Robert Fulton and the Submarine

by William Barclay Parsons

At the Treasury

June the 19th 1806, London

June the 20th 1806

My Lord

I wrote to your Lordship on the 5th 10th and 14th of May, And to Mr. King on the 30th of May & 6th of June, to which letters I have not received any answer nor assurance, that my [business] Claims on government shall be speedily and honorably setteled. As, time presses hard upon me for for three months past I informed Lord Howick and your Lordship that I should Sail for america In July, I am driven from necessity to urge in the strongest manner that my concerns with governmt may be immediately and finally setteled, hence Should my rights Continue to be treated with silent indifference, the letters which I may hereafter have occasion to write to your Lordship must from necessity be through the medium of the public prints, But I yet hope that so disagreeable an alternative may be avoided And that your Lordship will se the Justice and propriety of immediately naming your Arbitrators and of their immediately proceeding to a discision on my Claims,

My Lord Much [and Silent] experience has made me conscous of the powers of the engines I possess. I am also sensible of my own resources and means of Action I convinced the late Ministers of them they felt them and treated me with that attention Justice and civility which should satisfy a rational man. [And] Since the new Ministry has been formed I have repeatedly offered to your Lordship and Lord Howick to Submit the whole of my Assertions, demenstrations and claims to Men of science and Arbitration by which means [government] Ministers may become acquainted with scientific facts interesting to the nation, and Justice may be done to me, more liberal and honorable terms cannot be proposed, these terms I have a right to demand [them] and My Lord I now do demand them, I look to your Lordship and Lord Howick for prompt Justice I demand it as my right And I never will Submit to [receive] plead for it as a favour

My Lord if I have not before monday next Satisfactory Assurance that Arbitraters Shall be immediately Named on the part of Government And my [Claims] Business [immediately] proceeded upon in a prompt and liberal manner I will on the commencement of next week put this letter in the public prints and proceed to publish such details and demonstrations As will put it in the power of the nation to Judge if my rights, the Justice of Ministers And the importance of a Subject extremely interesting to [them] every Englishman.

I am my Lord your Lordships most

Obedient and Very humble Servant

Robert Fulton