The Sun.
London, England, 1854-11-14 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OF THE TIMES.

SIR, —I respectfully and earnestly beg you will ins.srt
the following lines in your widely-extended journal.
On the 18th of May last, agreeably to previa us
permission granted me by the Government autho-
rities, which permission was accompanied with their
own printed memorandum and regulations bow t o act
in such matters, I went to Woolwich and laid before
the " Select Committee" certain plans of inven-
tions, one of which was for a proposed floating bat-
tery, with a wide-extended base, a flat botto in, to
be built with very strong wood, and externally co vered
with iron of sufficient thickness to withstand. and.
throw off any cannon shot, to act in the shallow
waters of the Baltic Sea and in rivers. I also laid be-
fore them at the same time the plan of a proposed
military carriage, or apparatus, to enable a regirssent
of soldier:, at quick march, to approach an enemy's for-
j tified position in defiance of, and held harmless :from,
cannon or grapeshot while so doing.
Both these plans were favourably received, aTsd de-
tained by the " Select Committee" of military officers,
with an assurance that they should be laid before
the Lieutenant-General of the Ordnance. On the self-
same day, and before I even left Woolwich to return
home, I was told by a gentleman who knew that I had
been before the select committee, and that they bad re-
ceived and kept my plans—" Whatever your plans or
inventions are, if they are not secured to you by patent,
they are sure to be rejected by the Government,
who will afterwards bring their military know-
ledge and scientific skill to improve them, and then
they will bring them out at some future time, in some
way or other—God knows under whose name." How-
ever, sir, as the welfare of my country was my first ob-
ject, I felt that I had done my duty, and left the result
to futurity. On the 29th of the same month (May) I
received a letter from the Ordnance-office, of which the
following is a copy : _

- -
"Ordnance-office, May 29.
" The Lieutenant-General of the Ordnance having re-
ceived the report of the select committee upon your plan
for a floating battery to be moved by steam power, I am
directed to acquaint you that the committee are of opinion
that the battery as well as the other plans you suggest for
the capture and destruction of the enemy's ships and forts
are quite inapplicable to the service.
" ROBERT BOYLE, Lieutenant-Colonel.

".To Mr. George Hale."
Thus matters stood until, about a fortnight ago, I
learnt from the public press that the Goveriument bad
ordered twenty floating batteries to be constructed
with all possible speed for the Baltic Sea. I wrote,
therefore, to the Ordnance Board, requesting to be
informed whether or not these batteries ware being
constructed upon the principles which I proposed to
them on the 18th of May ; and I also re quested
that my plans might be returned to me. To this letter
I have received no answer. I also wrote to Lieutenant-
Colonel Pickering, R.A., Woolwich, requesting that
my plans should be returned to me ; and I received them
back the next day with a letter, of which the fallowing
is a copy :

" Select Committee-office, Woolwich, Nov. 4.
"Sir,—ln reply to your letter of the 3d inst., I beg to
inform you th\at the Select Committee made a report of
your invention to the Lieutenant-General of the Ordnance
on the 10th of May, and I now enclose your drawin gs
cording to your request.
"I have the honour to be, Sir, your obedient earvanb,
. _ " W. H. PICKERING, R.A., Secretary.

"Dir. G. Hale." '—
How, therefore, can tho Government or any portion
of the public press assert that these batteries, which
are now being constructed for the Baltic Sea, are
of French origin or design ? Had I patented my
plans, I could have contested the question with
Government whether or not they had a legal right
to infringe upon the fundamental principles of
my invention, such as the broad flat bottom and
external covering of iron sufficiently thick to with-
stand and throw off cannon-shot. As the case
stands, I have no patent, and, therefore, no protec-
tion. But I am not only the author and inventor
of those floating batteries, but I could show the Go-
vernment hew they could all be destroyed and sunk ;
and how 20 sail-of=the•line could all bo destroyed and
sunk in less than one hour when brought into close
quarters, with a very inferior force. And I appeal
to you, sir, and to the British public, whether this
is a wise or an honourable policy on the part of the
Government towards an Englishman who unhesitat•
ingly, and without previous protection, 1 tys his plans
and inventions before them for the benefit of the coun-
try ?—I am, sir, your obedient servant,
GEORGE H.
13, Tavistock-street, Cogent-garden, Nov, Is.