whether it be the interest of government to acceed to my proposal and whether the terms Specified are the best security which I can give that this subject shall not be further prosicuted by me My Lord I beg you to be Assured that I have every disposition to act in the most liberal and honorable manner towards this government At the Same time I must Acknowledge that I never will abandon my private interest Till satisfied by specific Stipulations and I hope my Lord that this fair proposal to investigate all the principles and this undisguised mode of Acting will inspire your Lordship and Every member of the committee with a confidence that what I agree to Shall be scrupeleusly and honorably adheared to. Should your Lordship require any private conversations on this subject I shall be happy to wait on you at an appointed hour. I am my Lord your Lordships Most obedient and Very humble Servant ROBERT FULTON P. S. Just as I was finishing this letter I was informed by Mr. Tucker that Lord Howick and your Lordship had decided not to have any thing to do with the submarine boat My Lord I never wished this government to introduce such boats into practice. But it is Stipulated in my contract that if for any reason government do not think proper to practice my mode of war Arbitrators Shall be appointed and if it appears to the majority that enemies Vessels can be Destroyed by my means at less expence and Risque than by any method now in practice I shall receive 40,000 £ hence as the Submarine boat makes part of my System it must come under the consideration of the arbitrators. Previous publications dealing with this portion of Fulton’s career have inclined to the view that consideration of his plan for a submarine boat had been discarded soon after he came to England. From the postscript to the above letter it appears that Fulton was not informed that the submarine had been rejected until May, 1806, or two years after his arrival in England. Undoubtedly it was held under serious and secret consideration. Even if Fulton did not construct such a boat for the British Government, the latter reserved the right so to do until it was decided to drop all thought of adoption, or even of further investigation of any form, of under-water attack. On May 14, Fulton again writes to Lord Grenville: May the 14th 1806 My Lord: Since writing to your Lordship on the 10th Inst Lord Howick has agreed to decide on my Contract by arbitrators, I now beg you Lordship will have the goodness to give orders that my accounts which are with Mr. King may be immediately setteld. They have no connection with the final decision on my contract they have been 4 months moving from office to office and now wait your Lordships decision