This paper I read to the Arbitrators on the morning of this date and it is deposited with the Government.
In the letter to Lord Grenville referred to above and given at length below, Fulton, it will be seen, states that he had deposited twelve drawings with descriptions of facts in the hands of Mr. King, secretary to Lord Grenville. This is undoubtedly what he means by the statement in his notes of the paper read to the arbitrators having been “deposited with the government.” As the drawings were intricate and the paper very long, it is hardly probable that Fulton made three copies including the copy of the paper and tracings of the drawings that he brought home. As neither Mr. King nor the arbitrators had any need for the drawings and paper, it is quite likely that they were returned to Fulton, who left them with Consul Lyman as described in his letter to Barlow and which are consequently the foundation of this book.
The letter to Lord Grenville to which Fulton refers is worthy of reproduction as it is a general summary of his case written immediately before his departure for America. It is his last appeal, and in it he uses every argument that occurs to him.
Ibbotsons Hotel, September the 3d 1806
To the Right Honorable
Lord Grenville
My Lord
As the subject of which this letter will treat is of the utmost importance in as much as it may render the power and independence of Great Britain doubtful and a wrong judgement of it may not only involve the country in complicated evils but attach eternal blame to his Majesty’s present ministers of whome your Lordship is one. I Shall hope for your calm perusal and deliberate contemplation of the following facts and observations on the means which science has developed for destroying military marines and in such case what would be the fate of England? There is one suit of thinking which gains easy access to an intelligent mind, and opens the way to a right Judgement on the progress of the arts and the possibility of effecting every thing which is within the limits of physics it is that all science is progressive every year exhibits new combinations and effects, Steam engines, Cotton Mills, Telegraphs, Baloons, and submarine navigation and attack have all appeared almost within our memory, and only Vulgar minds harbour the thought that a Physical possibility is impracticable because it has not already been done. It does not require much depth of thought to trace that science by the discovery of Gunpowder changed the whole art of war by land and sea and may by future combinations sweep military marines from the ocean My Lord I have discovered the means which may produce such an effect, and by ample experiments proved them true, that is I have proved them to a degree which should convince every reflecting and unprejudiced mind, Common minds which cling to the Ideas of forefathers, or established customs are only to be convinced by demonstrations which enter at the Eyes. But if in this case the marine of England must be destroyed to convince the Vulgar of the possibility it will then be too late to reason on the consequences. It is to avoid being driven to so dreadful a proof of the power of my engines that I now take the liberty of calling the attention of your Lordship to this Subject, Of the principles of the Engines I have deposited twelve drawings with descriptions of facts and reasonings on them in the hands of Mr. King who I believe has committed them to the care of Alexander Davison Esqr. In St. Jameses square which drawings and writings were made for arbitrators who had to decide on my claims under a contract made with Mr. Pitt and Lord Melville.
Of the Arbitrators two Mr. Davison and Dr. Cartwright are of opinion that all military marines may be destroyed by the means which I have Exhibited, how far Sir Charles Blagden and Capt. Hamilton may be of that opinion I cannot tell but resting on their own judgement they never heared evidence nor called for the opinion of nautical men, on the several modes of using the machines, hence Ministers are Still in the dark as to what may be the power Practicability and consequence of such engines.
Now my Lord his Majesty’s Ministers cannot do Justice to the public nor guard their own honor untill they enter into a full examination of my system and take the opinion of many nautical men on the means by which such engines may be used for out of the opinion of the many a right thinking may arise.