Robert Fulton and the SubmarineParsons, William Barclay
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Robert Fulton and the Submarine
Parsons, William Barclay
Fulton, Robert, 1765-1815; Submarines (Ships)
Lord Grenville,
June the 19th 1806
Lord Howick
My Lord
As yet I can neither see nor heard from Lord Grenville nor Mr. King.
Inclosed Is a copy of a letter which I have written to his Lordship
degrading neglect, to a man in my situation, compels me to take the
measures which I have adopted;
I am My Lord your Lordships
Most Obedient [and]
R. FULTON
June the 19th 1806
These three letters not delivered for the present the following two
Substituted,
The two letters that he substituted were addressed one to Mr. King and
the other to Lord Howick.
The copy of the King letter, now in the possession of the writer, is
dated but not signed. In it he still gave vent to some of the bitterness
and threats contained in the letter to Lord Grenville, but in gentler
tone. As the censure is not now addressed to Lord Grenville but to his
secretary the irritating character is much softened.
Ibbotsons Hotel June the 20th 1806
Mr. King
Sir
Your Silence on my several letters Is a want of politeness and an
Injustice which I feel in the most sensible manner I have offered His
Majestys Ministers the Most rational and honorable terms, by proposing
to submit my whole plans to men of science and arbitrators if
Ministers have not time or doubt their own [power] ability to Judge of
the powers and consequences of new inventions how can they expect to
arrive at truth or get correct Ideas but through the medium of Men of
Sciences, of their own appointment, to refuse such a proposal and what
is worse to treat it with contempt is injustice to the nation and to
me and is [the] sufficient to sink any man or men in the opinion of
the [nation] public. I hope I Shall not be driven to the necessity of
appealing to the public opinion on this point but that I Shall have
prompt and reasonable attention immediately paid to my claims I hope
sir for your immediate answer
The letter to Lord Howick is a model of self-restraint as compared with
the violent outburst of the withheld epistle to Lord Grenville:
Ibbotsons Hotel June the 20th 1806
Lord Howick
My Lord
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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