Answer
The Buoys to mark shoal water are held in the Same spot in all weathers yet Buoys are of a large Volume and exposed to the shock of the surface of the water which is much more violent than the action ten or fifteen feet deep, therefore if Buoys be held by sufficient anchor and cable, a bomb of not one fortieth of the Buoys Volume may be held also, but to decide on this doubt let a bomb without a lock be anchored in Dover Roads and if it be not found there next Spring I will give up this point.
Third objection of Capt. H.
A few vessels with cables stretched could sweep the channel and destroy the Bombs.
Answer,
What would be the situation of a commercial country like England were she obliged to lay an embargo on her trade and keep her Ships of war in port till 3,000 square miles of channel were swept once a month? for while sweeping the Channel in one part, the enemy could be laying down bombs in several places, Suppose for example that the Enemy had anchored 500 or 1000 bombs from the lands end to the humber they who were to sweep them not knowing where they were laid would be necessitated to sweep the whole channel to find them, and another difficulty occurs, for not Knowing the number which were put down who could tell when exactly every one was taken up?
Will Capt Hamilton have the goodness to point out to his Majesty’s ministers a certain mode of keeping the channel free from such engines so that the British commerce and fleets may move with all the security and confidence which they at present enjoy*?
*When a few hundred of such bombs are anchored it is impossible to clear the Channel of them nor give confidence to navigation till they destroy themselves in the given time for which they were set, That is from one to twelve months. This I know how to do, Therefore the danger may be laid down for any time from one to 12 months and the trade destroyed for any period which the french might think proper.