Chapter IX: Further Correspondence

Demand for arbitrators. Further correspondence with Lords
Grenville and Howick.

London May the 5th 1806

To the Right Honorable
Lord Grenville
My Lord

Lord Howick will have a conversation with your Lordship on the mode of
finally setteling with me, As the papers which I have from time to
time written to Successive Ministers and to his Lordship may not be at
hand at the time of such conversation, And as a right understanding of
submarine Navigation with all its probable consequences Is I conceive
of much importance to this government I beg your Lordships attention
to the following observations which shall be as concise as possible,
And I hope it will be admitted by your Lordship that whatever may be
the effect of any Scientific discovery on the interest or politics of
this country, It is better his Majesty’s Ministers should be
acquainted with it than remain uninformed, And I conceive
Investigation the more necessary when it is considered that
discoveries in the Sciences have from age to age changed the whole art
of war and the politics of nations. That being slow in the operation
their consequences cannot be traced by ordinary men, who being
creatures of habit and Guided by existing things consider new
discoveries as Visionary or trivial Such were the Ideas of the
Inventions of printing, gunpowder and the Mariners Compass had their
authors Shown their consequences they would not have been believed by
their Contemporaries.

So my Lord when I say that I have discovered a mode of attacking Ships
of war which if prosicuted to its Ultimate powers and rendered
fameliar to all nations must from necessity destroy the existing
system of military marines and alter the whole politics of Europe I do
not expect to be believed by any but men of penitrating Judgement and
Sound Sense nor do I expect them to believe me untill they have see
the whole of the engines and had ample proof of the simple mode of
using them and their certain destructive effects Now my Lord if this
be a truth it is certainly important to know it, if it be false the
conviction that it is so will be equally important for then there will
be nothing to guard against, hence to place this Subject in its true
light I have proposed to Lord Howick to form a committee compossed of
Your Lordship Lord Moria Lord Sydmouth Lord Erskin Mr. Fox Mr. Windham
Sir george Shee and Alexander Davison Esqr. the members of this
committee are all friends to government to them I will exhibit all the
machinery and modes of using it and Reasoning from Experiments already
made endavour to Shew what may be done leaving to the committee to
Judge whether my preceding assertion is true. And for Such
communications I make no demand, but Should the committee find my
assertion supported by facts It will be acknowledged that I have a
high Interest in this produce of my own mind and that I have a right
to prosecute it to the acquirement of fortune or fame, I have
mentioned to Lord Howick my Views on fortune, the committee will Judge
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

My Lord when I was Invited to this country I was led to believe that
every reasonable attention would be paid to my demonstrations
propositions and claims. I was therefore disposed from the first to do
everything in the most liberal and open manner. I have uniformly acted
on this principle And I have hoped for equal attention and liberality
from each of His Majestys ministers with whome I may have to act. My
Lord mine is no common Case; Tis my Sincere wish and the real interest
of this government which I will hereafter explain that everything
relative to this business may be setteled in the most friendly manner
hoping to have the pleasure of arranging with your Lordship on this
principle

I have the honor to be your Lordships
most obedient and Very humble Servant

ROBT FULTON

The Right Honble
Lord Grenville

From the above it appears that his previous requests to Lords Howick and Grenville for the appointing of arbitrators had met with a generally favorable response. But sometimes diplomats agree “in principle” and then avoid arriving at a settlement of such inconvenient things as defined details.

There still remained much letter writing, threats and begging before the arbitrators were actually named, during which time Fulton came very near giving public proof that he had lost his temper.

More than three weeks after Lord Howick had informed Fulton that he had decided to submit the contract to arbitration, nothing had been done as shown by the following letter to Lord Grenville’s secretary:

London June the 6th
Ibbotsons Hotel Vere Street Oxford Road

Mr. King
Sir

Yesterday Lord Howick informed me that Lord Grenville had mentioned to
him two or three persons whome he thought fit arbitrators. I beg you
will speak to his Lordship to decide on two as soon as possible which
decision becomes urgent in consequence of my being under the necessity
of sailing for America About the 10th of July—

That this business may proceed with the least possible delay, and
trouble to Ministers I Conceive the best mode will be to name one
person first who with my friend Mr. Davison or Mr. McArthur will
[first] arrange the terms of the Arbitration bond: then they being
arbitrators [proceed] associated to two others [Can proceed] can
proceed to the examination of the Machinery the principles of
application and a decision on the contract.

I beg Sir to hear from you on this Subject as Soon as possible

I am etc
R FULTON

On June 17th he again writes to Mr. King:

Ibbotsons Hotel June the 17th 1806

Sir

Anxious to Know the progress of my affairs and [conceiving that]
conceiving that there can be no objection or obstacle to prevent the
immediate naming of Arbitrators on the part of government I will take
the liberty of waiting on you tomorrow between the hours of 11 and 12
to have a few minuets conversation on this subject.

I am Sir your most obedient &
Very humble Servant

King Esqr.

ROBT FULTON

No reply having been received within two days, his impatience and irritation overcame his control of his nerves and on June 19th, he takes pen in hand to begin the inditing of three letters. Considering that of these letters one is addressed to the chief of the most powerful government then existing, a government that controlled the affairs of the world, another to the member of the cabinet in charge of the Navy, and both written by a man who had been for two years and still was in the employ of the government, they leave unbroken few rules for the proper conduct of official correspondence. At this time Fulton’s feelings were like the actions of a series of his bombs—a state of prolonged and violent explosions.

One of the letters is addressed to Mr. King, whose first name Fulton does not seem to know, the second to Lord Grenville, and the third a covering letter to Lord Howick. The corrections show that Fulton spent some time in composing these communications, a task of no small difficulty in view of Fulton’s position and the disturbed condition of his temper. The two dates on the Grenville letter indicate that Fulton slept on it for one night, while the lapse into his earlier degree of disregard of orthography is perhaps further evidence of his emotions. The delay of one day in transmittal saved him, as similar delays have saved others. Perhaps some kind friend came to his guidance on the morrow, or perhaps a night’s rest had calmed somewhat his troubled spirit; whatever the reason, according to the footnote to the Howick letter he refrained from forwarding any of the three.

It is not difficult to picture what Lord Grenville’s outburst would have been had he received Fulton’s letter of June 19th–20th. The man who had not feared to break with the all-powerful Pitt, and who had become premier of England, would hardly have taken kindly to Fulton’s ultimatum nor his threat to write a letter to The Times.

Mr. King
Sir

by your silence on my Several letters permit me to say that you have
treated me in a most ungentleman like manner; Inclosed is a letter for
Lord Grenville which you will please to read and present to his
Lordship, by it you will perceive the line I mean to pursue I have
more favours to bestow on this government than Ministers will ever
bestow on me and I am now about to put that, to the proof should they
drive me to such necessity.

I am Sir your most
Obedient R FULTON

King Esq Secretary to Lord Grenville
At the Treasury
June the 19th 1806, London

June the 20th 1806

My Lord

I wrote to your Lordship on the 5th 10th and 14th of May, And to Mr.
King on the 30th of May & 6th of June, to which letters I have not
received any answer nor assurance, that my [business] Claims on
government shall be speedily and honorably setteled. As, time presses
hard upon me for for three months past I informed Lord Howick and your
Lordship that I should Sail for america In July, I am driven from
necessity to urge in the strongest manner that my concerns with
governmt may be immediately and finally setteled, hence Should my
rights Continue to be treated with silent indifference, the letters
which I may hereafter have occasion to write to your Lordship must
from necessity be through the medium of the public prints, But I yet
hope that so disagreeable an alternative may be avoided And that your
Lordship will se the Justice and propriety of immediately naming your
Arbitrators and of their immediately proceeding to a discision on my
Claims,

My Lord Much [and Silent] experience has made me conscous of the
powers of the engines I possess. I am also sensible of my own
resources and means of Action I convinced the late Ministers of them
they felt them and treated me with that attention Justice and civility
which should satisfy a rational man. [And] Since the new Ministry has
been formed I have repeatedly offered to your Lordship and Lord Howick
to Submit the whole of my Assertions, demenstrations and claims to Men
of science and Arbitration by which means [government] Ministers may
become acquainted with scientific facts interesting to the nation, and
Justice may be done to me, more liberal and honorable terms cannot be
proposed, these terms I have a right to demand [them] and My Lord I
now do demand them, I look to your Lordship and Lord Howick for prompt
Justice I demand it as my right And I never will Submit to [receive]
plead for it as a favour

My Lord if I have not before monday next Satisfactory Assurance that
Arbitraters Shall be immediately Named on the part of Government And
my [Claims] Business [immediately] proceeded upon in a prompt and
liberal manner I will on the commencement of next week put this letter
in the public prints and proceed to publish such details and
demonstrations As will put it in the power of the nation to Judge if
my rights, the Justice of Ministers And the importance of a Subject
extremely interesting to [them] every Englishman.

I am my Lord your Lordships most
Obedient and Very humble Servant

ROBERT FULTON

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

I have not as yet seen or heared from Lord Grenville nor Mr. King nor
received any assurance that my business shall be speedily setteled In
a thing so Just and Simple as the naming of two Arbitrators why should
such unnecessary delays and injustice be [extended to me] exercised
toward me? Will Ministers necessitate me to lay my Claims before the
public, and force me to such demonstrations and disclosure of facts as
must be disagreeable to all parties and of serious consequence to the
nation; My Lord I look to your Lordship and Lord Grenville for prompt
Justice I demand it as my right and will not Submit to ask it as a
favor. I am Conscious of my own Strength and resources I convinced the
late ministers of them, they felt them and treated me with Justice
attention and civility, I have offered to convince your Lordship and
His Majesty present Ministers, of the truth of these powers by
submitting the whole to men of Science and Arbitrators Your Lordship
has intimated that [you] you doubted your own [capacity] power to
Judge of the [power or] effect and ultimate consequences of my
Inventions, then how do you expect to arrive at truth but through the
medium of men of Science

My Lord this is common sense and [the Nation] Men of sense and the
Nation will not approve of any other line of conduct in this Business—

My Lord 3 months ago I informed you that my plans were laid for
Sailing to America In July this is still my intention the time is fast
approaching. And one of the gentlemen who [was] agreed to act As my
arbitrater must shortly leave town for these reasons I must [Insist
on] [beg Insist] [beg] hope for your immediate decision, and answer to
this letter.

I am etc.
R. FULTON

As one reads these letters beginning with the moderate request to Lord Grenville on May 5th, the unwritten matter between the lines suggests that Fulton was not very hopeful of obtaining either a satisfactory financial award or the personal treatment that he felt he was entitled to receive.