The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1844-09-10 00:00:00

Sept. 10,1844

CAPTAIN WARNER'S INVENTIONS.

Por years past it has been a question of no little doubt
lijnengst scientific and nautical men, whether the alleged
inventions offered for purchase to Government by Capt.
Warner—(who, it will be seen, has recently charged our
re.--
„ib Presentive, Sir Hoard Douglas, with unfairness in
condtauct as one of the Commissioners appointed by
..._"ernment to investigate the value of those inventions)
-Were what they were represented by him to be, or the
taere creations of. a mad enthusiast's fancy. There was
rnr.i_hing apparently so outrageous in the sum demanded
C 'nem, in case of a successful trial of their powers,
the
in all, or X 200,000 for the invisible shells, and
the lame amount for what was styled " the long range,")
that
sensible and cautious men were indisposed to believe
t t, in the present advanced state of science, any de-
Vlctive agent could exist, or any mode of applying
tk,tinwe agents could be discovered, worthy of a rernunera-
V 3 ae great as that named. The professions of Captain
tamer,
therefore, as to the tremendous powers of the
1 a'nee at his disposal, were, somewhat too readily per-
Ps, treated as gasconade, and, especially by professional
and,,_lo,oked upon as illusory and fraudulent in character
-e recengn.
t publicly-made experiment off Brighton,
o'er' a Vessel (the John o'Gaunt, furnished for the pus-
s?" of trial by private munificence) was destroyed most
v.gnally and effectually at the will of the operator, con-
otneied all but the obstinately incredulous that Captain
arner did possess the knowledge of some secret agent
siottet4l ,reendous and irresistible power, or some mode, pre-
etti undeveloped, of using known agents, which was
ettlated to effect a vast change in naval tactics, and
tr.e.a terrific preponderance to that nation who first used
11,1!1 Warfare. But even that experiment, publicly made
iluithw,as, afforded no solution of the question so indus-
-4 canvassed by the public, as to what was the nature
be
tit agent or the mode of its application. Capt. Warner
evs
ves,, P the Jn 'Gaut at a sigal given he being in a
h" at some distance from hers; but it, was not seen
thether the agency employed was a projectile, or in what
raise:Away the destruction was effected. It was even sur-
eo„,,' that collusion might have been practised—that
the'natibles might have been previously placed on board
b vessel destroyed. The experiment was admitted to
kwunderful op ; but it wa not admitted to be
to th w,
ulCh could beeration repeated under circumstances adverse
'Cant! Operator, or made practically useful in warfare.
lisc,Pa Warner kept his secret too closely to allow the
sei,;_ie either to pirate it, or sufficiently to satisfy them-
kes of its real value.
bstwe„.°PY of the correspondence which has taken place
is t=een
her Majesty's Government and Captain Warner
the h"°' before us, which throws considerable light upon
eseeltpre of the inventions, and the treatment experi-
avail_bl °Y their owner in his endeavours to render them
by the Government of his native country. We
17_ already mentioned that the inventions in question
4._twofold, consisting first of a shell of a peculiar con-
siblecti°n and adaptation, called by the captain his " invi-
be
de shell," by which vessels, fleets at sea, or forts, can
seconsllroyed with tremendous celerity and efficiency; and
destr„Jio'nnf some peculiar means of projecting engines of
by which
s
destruction,
with a certainty of aim hitherto unknown,
operaenserr can be destroyed at a distance from the
tors of five to six miles. This the captain styles his
longl ange. With a view of affording to our readers
insight into the nature of both these engines of
a!titriletiOn than perhaps they at present possess, we shall
:Ile Captain Warner's description of them, contained in
to,etter under date of the 2nd November, 1841, addressed
chit Earl of Hardwicke; and, for the sake of perspi-
rorltY, we shall describe them separately. First, there-
We, vre take the " invisible shell," of which Captain
issuer thus speaks
first, my lord, enumerate some of the effects which I
eWrtake to produce by means of my Invisible Shells, ant.ci-
ar,sllll' efly, as Igo along, such objections to their practical
ts'e",;eability as will probably occur to the minds of seamen, and
steel's, am informed, have been urged against their use by
ter Z's n- t intimatel acuainte with t. eir ode of operation,
thei;Ware of the perfect q
controld I can exercise over them. By
tas„nteans. the mouths of rivers, harbours, and roadsteads
be blockaded; and any channel, where the usual sound-
A,tese_at be obtained. may be rendered impervious to ships,
tie Out incurring certain destruction. By u-ual soundings,. I
For" where a ship under ordinary circumstances will bre. g up
renieXarnple, any part of the Downs I could easily and speedily
tickimpassable, and accomplish this without running any
impassable,
foi detection, even in the face of an enemy's fleet. If need-
case of European emergency, the entire Straits of Dover
VC' be rende ed impassable, and the whole of the ordinary
ere,' "rack up-channel, from Dungeness to the South Foreland,
lorestYi channel of similar depth. With this in view, I beg your
ttearisTsto examiee a chart of the ports, harbours, and road-
Derceavut the Mediterranean; and your lordship will, at a glance,
roadsteetaedhstY t
°
'titree haisoundings laid down, that the Dardanelles, the
Toulon harbour, and all the principal ports and
interruptionthmughout that sea, are liable to the same possible
4,4:ailed --,,Tilhch I could cause hi the more stormy and tide-
erseY, th:i!",Channel. The mouths of the Thames. the
Needles or sMleter, the access to Portsmouth, either by the
the united `lit Helen's, Plymouth S und, and all other ports in
tad egress "'Min, might be severally blockaded, and is gress
Areeisss effectually prevented in the space of a night. I have
e,,,"_u_ tor all fluctuations of tide and alterations from any
tlase`d°l the depth of water for the set of currents too; and
these esoes not deteriorate the efficiency or abate the force of
Implements. * *
riikeZy system is quite apart from auy accustomed system of
liasstaeties and entirely novel ; but so simple. that it would
eteZtaab e an enemy should be induced, if possible, to look in
ically opposite quarter for danger to that whence it
tebieZanY strike him ; to use a colloquial expression. it is desi-
tslo,„ `s° Put him on a false scent. which can only be done by the
to=ast secresy and most guarded discretion. 1 assure your
virola that by means of these Invisible Shells, I could so en-
Ivei.sand shut in a fleet brought up, that it could not get under
eoe" without involving itself in certain destruction; and I
the ;`ensure it the same fate if under sail, a hatever might he
MiDiate of the sea, the weather, the sire and number of the
laaec°llMosing such fleet, or the rate at which they may be
eleticlt through the water. I
.may add too, aderinmoat
the o'jwbo truth. that I have obtained so perfect a mastery. over
t4i,rrty or," question, that I can apply it with facility and cer-
Out e- tauke largest or most portable scale as occasion may
'at 8.11n71 thteution, and 1 believe your lordship's wish, was,
rer to r,-44. t te the efficienc of the inventions I
rerty
of_osvernment in maritimesa warfare ;Y but I will take the
s,s-I%olis or fult.h)°lning, that I can apply-them on shore against
a7antaie '" With equal destructiveness. The most difficult
d hill p 0 Passes might be maintained by means of this power,
,r . however lofty their site, be attacked or defended
taherY Small body of men, and without any battering train,
ter, ek'eb Perishable stores of ammunition. I will not, how-
„.er yo„sree on the land application of my inventions, but
'ace, lordship to the present Master-General of the Ord-
b Yoll desire further satisfaction on this head."
wble xtracts above it will at once be seen tht the
as the shell of Captain Warner is not a projectile, as
rtos uttenerally received opinion, even after the experi-
ons:4,lt Brighton. From other documents now pub-
-1111, be seen in what way they are calculated to
Nis -4 a letter, dated " Grand Deptit, Woolwich,
tnbd. arch, 1843,", and signed by J. A. C'halmer, R.A.
t, ich the• Caffin, R.N., prescribing the experiments
Y require to be made to enable them to report
tieing:Pent with respect to their value, we find it was
a% the first experiment, that
Tkte°, Pre,:lle shells be placed by Mr. Warner along the coast, so
is„,_",,,a ship lying at anchor from putting to sea, the tide
Oki e second
Ve h experiment was to be " the same as the
mood .
~vlut with the tide either strong ebb or strong
eYith
w respect to the third it is stated—
juv, artier is to suppose himself chased, and to throw overboard
wtik._,,'sthle shells, and to destroy the ships following in his
ter °ln these and other particulars of the negotiation be-
rrki e"
govern
ts-s ment and the captain it will be readily sur-
'lol that tbese invisible
d by grapnel, esrhjils" are to be sunk in the
by attached
biter, secure
vesselsn striking together
much a manner as to operate'
their course. An under-aster cordon, tbhyem lines
in
.7rnied round any port, or round any ifleet, which will in-
t the destruction of esels attempting t is said, can be
to escape through
pit, At the same time, the party using this defence can
si,on Safety remove them when required. They are said
aitete be perfectly safe in handling on board ship ; the
to enu,ity which might be supposed to arise in the case of
aad-the of destruction submerged, or from the rise
epe all-of tides, is capable being provided for; and the
tieritrtartie.9 of arranging the instruments round works to be
theth
pt Perceiving rceesitg
can be performed without interruption, or an
from what quarter they are menaced by
tiYhe
k,aptaeei _,wer styled " the long range" is thus described
ies,; n arner in the Rune letter from which we have
stil.a elicited
17 'etsuft.FT, topic to which solicit your lordship's attention is to
.4e:,,earliak_ovention, which I have designated my Lunge Range.
ee.pg advantages secured by it are, an extent of range ex-
cite a. tar that of any ordnance now in use by any nation Uri
ate: eertsitl thia pre-eminent advantage may be aded, rapidity.f
tos;e4ishiDT of aim, freedom from recoil, and perfect Wet tothe
tei-ial'eb,sela carries, and the crew which handles, the impYlements
la4ec t°
and
te freqnayuent and fatal accidents which have occurred on
'rce„,ol:s,cl: late fean the shells now in use, to impress upon
mind the desirableness of obtaining weapans free
I„,Pesf.2lllible liability to explodepontaneously.
foe:talsq 0- a single shell of my. fabrication was witnessed by
thil°ee 4°4 tea," ether competent judges in July, 1840: I beg to
•'''t I can project 100 of equal power with the one
teat°l'ttati enve
po eeuld t'e Capabilities you. saw, in a sieglefl igt,.ll:nd reperat-t
,Q ?tee. o,ete,„iii rapidity. against such a fire what or fo
s It has been falsely, and I fear maliciously, re-
CNC; I ees"ave boasted of inv ability to blow up the Rock of
tess hate'er.eave utteranee'to so absurd and ridiculous a
!,4atle bas stroBaid that I could bring such a fire to bear upon any
be,l'eet tenleft Gibraltar, that in a few hours not a man
et Mini= the thia.epi it, and Ido not eithdraw these words. With
tifo seer: ce‘itshit' advr.rurage have mentioned as incident to my
%vat. layowy of aim, I can in the highest sea ensure my aim
tiihhow °tlr for any erly distance hitherto attained by any battery
c.,t so ost ;-sPni practically knows how difficult it is 1 mav
te'iEtiee."3 to tio'.lnPossible it is in a heavy sea way, to Obtain
1, hitalsnt gun on fixed carriage with 'an terable
tholl4--; rrikAs,-,-e an object whose position alters nearly every
tsZelle'ore dka',." the ease frith a pitching and rolling ship, and
ells
Eppreciate the importance of having surmounted
b'‘l_sla not to disparage the efforts which have for
041; eaty., sut7l_,:eede to improve the. theory end practice of
%Le 4el'e‘l6:7•o°,rtl' sntltycoaesssserhts.,
has been
t'isv 1,1
very
te
inconsiderable.
efforts haNe b e elnf
asesqe mpg nloment to dwell upon theyriffair of Ac;e
!ale, ntly quoted as a proof of our improvelent in
ttorths4+4e,,,,,,,,ysoollie.eli!rsdu_r‘cly onlYremind a naval officer who has
-the the sau lordship has, that the water was smooth from
soc, useeie_ nonade was directed, the garrison assailed
Qa,, bet and the object of aim was a huge fortress on
geet tAete, auetuating ship But 1 will appeal to your
ItisNe eithi could Zlge whether, if I had been employed to de-
prevented the approach of the British
It i4l'3'sel4rg"%liot of
4i°44°l.ge t engaeiet(l shores; end on. the other hand, sup-
b_ lee s_ ureas, against C, I will refer your lordship
;las of
tpis,4hete.rJl aio
tic! Ingestre, and Lieutenant W ebster, for
aiver 'se esue_',l Aces fr'o?_ tad not, by means of niy Long. Range,
e;mees quesc,e of tee
Parrisonin single vessel,. placed in security quite
oht h„ scion Ima artillery. I will here, my lord,
b_eesthe „ssu,-Cari
ae
.reasonably anticipate any experienced
telatip;' It „a° of these 9) ordinary ship's company be easily
re't°o,.l
os tge eas3:uoen
cithaeTirrionl edi7ents Ire 'y most easily and
prope:rly. demanded,—WhetherP: the
animating principle, if I may so designate
tte,t4j,,%:e35,1%-tanie_erseotr• of these different implements, can be ascer-
thdiestTve tef, not and
feexployed in handling them.? I en-
ths cite ‘--r will i:suranee, for •no common satisfaction in being
ud e found, _ in every crew spies may be, and I
th 7 o fora reward will reveal any secret
toes- de ellfirrn t-
str a ion
Lon agentt)sf. then opinions of the inventors of
°urne by 9L
may give a letter addressed
•Lieutenant Webster, an officer of