The Sun.
London, England, 1803-08-10 00:00:00

bEftNtk o:fr rftE

WE have seep
.with great satin anion the various
means employed for the Defence of the Country,
and particularly those adopted on the Coast, but
there yet remains one measure which was resorted
to last War, 'and which we are oniy surprised has
not yet been revived 'in the present.
Upon the suggestion of Captain ScHANK of the
NaVY, a.proposal was made to the Masters and
Owners of Merchantmen, in ever) Port in the
Kingdom, to fit their Long-boats with a Gun upon
a sliding Carriage and inclined plane, the latter of
which improvements in Gunnery had recently been
made by Capt. SCHANR. It was readily adopted,
for its simplicity rendered it of small expence, and
thus the whole Coast was lined with Gun.boats in
the Course of a month. Upon a rough calculation-
there can be no.doubt that from 29,000 to 39,600(
Gun-boats might be now immediate"y equipped,
each tarrying a Gun proportiono to its size.;
/ We think that this plan cannot be more efficaci-
ouslyrevived. than by laying before the Public the
mtans.yby which Capt. ScHANK's most ingenious
and useful suggestions were at the period abOve al.
infect to-carried into effed.- The scheme was con.
Sidered of so much impoitance at that time, that it
was conveyed- through the medium of the Secretary
of State for. the War Department, the Right Hon.
HENRY. DoNDAs, now Lord MELVILLE. If it
was ronsidered, and we think most justly sn, a great
National oti'd then, it may surely be asked why
the.present Nliniaters;.have lint availed themselves
of it, as..ev idently .contributing In a most essential
degree to the General Defence ? •
The following is Me Circular Letter of the Secre-
tary.. of State to . the Chief Magistrate of Sea.port
Towns, &c. inclosing and recommending the Plant
'" st R, Niliamertt.strea, April t7gB.

•
" intelligence having been received that the Enemy have,
for some, time past, been making considerable preparations
on dittercnt parts of the Coasts of trance and the United Pm-
vinceS, for the declared purpose of Invading. this Country ;
and it having been represented to His Majesty,. that, in ad-
dition to the measures winch are now pursuing by the Naval
and Mil,iary Departments, it will be adviseaolc that all the
Launches and Long:boars belonging to Merchant Ships in
the different Ports, capable ofcarrying Cannon or Carronades,
should. forthwith.be armed, for the purpose ,of being em-
ployed as Gun-b Oats at the mouths of Rivers, and in the
Cteeks, Ports, or Pays of our Coasts, where a iorce-of this
,lescraption might be of material service, in case the Enemy:
~iiould attempt to carry their hostile designs into execution:.
I have mewed His Majesty's COmmatida to transmit to you'
Six Plans, describing the manner in which it is proposed the
Launches and Long-boats should be fitted, with a paper ex-
planatory thereof; and' to desire you will please to distribute
them,among the merchants and shiptoWners at
nut doubting that they will adopt, without delay, the. Plan I
have herein pointed out, and exert every endeavour in their
po: o
power
thisfotd Country
eteatirgthe projects of the enemy, and' for se-
curing the enjuytnents of its happy Consti-
tution, Religion, and Laws.-
on an examination of tite Plan, you will perceive that
the Boats in question can be armed in the Manner I have de-
scribed without difficulty, and at-a very trail.% Expence ;
anti that they will not thereby 'be rendered in the least de-
gree useless,
,in case they 'smith' at any time be. v&ntect for
any Dufies,or the Ships to whiCh they May belong.
I shall be glad to hear front you as soon as convenient on
this stibjeei; and I shall, at the • ' • .11 • • wine nine, wish to receive
from you a list of the Boats which may he ordered to be fitted
at. your Port, describing their Burthen and Force, and in
what Time they may be likely' to be ready:'
Tice following is 'a Letter from.a most respea4ble.
Individual highly approving of ir.
f{

SIR, North Shield:, April 18, 1798.
HAvisc been favoured with a Copy of your Letter,
dated the 13th
. inst. to the Mayor of Newcastle-upon-'Tyne,
on the tinkled of Merchant Ships' Long Boats being adapted
to carry one Cannon, and made capable of being used as Gun
Boats, in case of the Enemy attempting to effect a Landing
in these kingdoms near to any Port where Merchant Ships
may happen to be,

- -l'
he above Scheme strikes me as one of the most im.
poilaht that has made its appearance this War, and furnishes
to this Country a new and wonderfully efficacious mode of
I),:fence.

It would be' presumption in me to attempt to point out
to you, or the, l'artics who, so honourably fur themselves,
anti so beneficial to.their Country, have hit upon tins mea-
stile, the many purposes to which those Boats, so fitted, may
be em ploy ed . •
It sufficient for me to say, that. I ant forcibly struck
with the importance'of the Plan, and very desirous to pro-
mote its success, which is the occasion of tny taking this
great liberty of writing to you.
I have the Honour be, with deference,
• • "'St R your most obedient Servant,
(Signed) "T. YOWL)! ICH."
Right lion. Henry Dundas.