Robert Fulton and the Submarine

by William Barclay Parsons

I have not as yet seen or heared from Lord Grenville nor Mr. King nor received any assurance that my business shall be speedily setteled In a thing so Just and Simple as the naming of two Arbitrators why should such unnecessary delays and injustice be [extended to me] exercised toward me? Will Ministers necessitate me to lay my Claims before the public, and force me to such demonstrations and disclosure of facts as must be disagreeable to all parties and of serious consequence to the nation; My Lord I look to your Lordship and Lord Grenville for prompt Justice I demand it as my right and will not Submit to ask it as a favor. I am Conscious of my own Strength and resources I convinced the late ministers of them, they felt them and treated me with Justice attention and civility, I have offered to convince your Lordship and His Majesty present Ministers, of the truth of these powers by submitting the whole to men of Science and Arbitrators Your Lordship has intimated that [you] you doubted your own [capacity] power to Judge of the [power or] effect and ultimate consequences of my Inventions, then how do you expect to arrive at truth but through the medium of men of Science

My Lord this is common sense and [the Nation] Men of sense and the Nation will not approve of any other line of conduct in this Business—

My Lord 3 months ago I informed you that my plans were laid for Sailing to America In July this is still my intention the time is fast approaching. And one of the gentlemen who [was] agreed to act As my arbitrater must shortly leave town for these reasons I must [Insist on] [beg Insist] [beg] hope for your immediate decision, and answer to this letter.

I am etc.

R. Fulton

As one reads these letters beginning with the moderate request to Lord Grenville on May 5th, the unwritten matter between the lines suggests that Fulton was not very hopeful of obtaining either a satisfactory financial award or the personal treatment that he felt he was entitled to receive.

Chapter X
THE FAILURE OF THE NEGOTIATIONS

Arbitrators appointed. Fulton’s presentation of his case (Aug., 1806). Arbitrators decide against Fulton. He makes a last appeal to Lord Grenville, reviewing whole case (Sept., 1806). No reply.

The arbitrators were finally appointed. By that time the increasingly fault-finding note of Fulton’s correspondence shows that his fears as to the outcome had become almost certainties in his mind, because he prepared a written brief for submission, the tone of which was far from hopeful. This brief is the “Descriptions” of this book.

When the arbitrators met, those representing the government put sundry questions particularly as to whether any one would risk being caught in the submarine vessel and expose himself to being hanged in consequence of using engines not permitted by the laws of war; the sweeping of the Channel to locate floating bombs; the effect of storms on such bombs, and on the chance of a submarine being driven on shore by a storm. These questions were all met by Fulton in a very logical manner. Both questions and answers are recorded as “Notes on Observations of the Arbitrators Particularly of Captⁿ. Hamilton and Sir Charles Blagden” attached to Fulton’s own copy of the “Descriptions.” These same notes show that Fulton made it clear that the plans he submitted to the British Government were so far in advance of anything he had proposed to the French that they constituted new plans. On this point he says: