No Man can in Justice Say that we have not a right to make every possible profit of these inventions; And we have a right to accept Mony, or to abandon mony for fame—or raise our demands in proportion as time and new Idas develop the importance of these discoveries; But I have the pleasure to say that the gentlemen with whom I act, have never troubled me with one ungenerous or illiberal wish to raise their demands, they conceived these inventions worth at least the Value of one first rate man of war or 100 thousand pounds; and they have never deviated from this first proposal—on my part I Saw that government could not grant any sum with propriety, unless there was reasonable security given, that the proprietors would never communicate the engines to any nation or persons to the injury of the British marine; and there Is but one mode of giving such security That is to bind these proprietors by their own interest to keep the secret, I therefore Voluntarily offered that should I be entitled to the 40 thousand pounds; to receive one moiety in cash, and an annuity equal to the full value of the other moiety; which annuity is to be forfeited Should I be the means of Introducing My inventions into practice against the British marine; perhaps this is the Strongest proof a man can give of his own sense of Justice and it Should be a convincing proof of my confidence in my own power over the fate of my inventions, and the good Opinion I have of the integrity of my friends; but whatever may be done in this business in capital or annuity; the annuity must depend on my life as their names cannot appear, having so far stated facts gentlemen will deliberately consider the engines the modes of using them their ultimate consequences, the Interest of the Nation, and a reasonable compensation to the proprietors; The first consideration will probably be the accounts, of which the following is a statement, Of the Accounts, The sums of money received and expended by me are as follows 1804 July 19 of Mr. Hammond 200 1804 [April] August 11th of Do 1500 ———— £ 1700