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

experience, selected to test some experiments made with
them.

"28 B, Manchester-street, Manchester-square,
" 10th October, 1839.
"My Lord,—l beg to inform your lordship that the principle and
practice of the various projects of which Captain Warner is the in-
ventor, having been fully shown and explained to me by that gen-
tleman, and that being most thoroughly satisfied of their effective-
ness, an outline of the same projects was, on Monday, the 16th of
September last, duly reported by me to Sir William Parker, with
an urgent request on my part, that, seeing the extreme importance
of the matter, not a moment's delay might be incurred in laying
the whole before your lordship, together with my distinctly ex-
pressed opinion, that their merits are so extraordinary as to vest
the absolute sovereignty of the seas in the hands of the first power
that shall adopt them. lam fully convinced that it is utterly im-
possible for any thing that floats to resist them for a single moment,
either at close quarters or any given distance, even to a range of
five or six miles.
" The strongest fortifications in Europe could not withstand
these extraordinary powers for a single hour. In river ways, and
against stockades, as in India, the largest armies would be annihi-
lated without a chance of escape; and the most difficult mountain
passes would be utterly untenable against their operation.
"The country would thus be rendered impregnable, for 100 sail
of the line would be useless against a single vessel so constructed ;
and whenever it should be necessary to call this power into -action,
its effects could be attained by a trifling expense, and at the short-
est notice.
" I submit, however, to your lordship, that the inventions should
lie dormant until a case of emergency, and that the secret should be
confined to the projector, the crown, and your lordship's own
breast, and a whisper of its existence should not be suffered to get
abroad:
" I solemnly declare to your lordship that I consider the whole
country deeply indebted to Captain Warner for these inventions,
were they to cost the nation five times what he asks for them; and
not less gratitude is due to him for the patience, forbearance, and
self-denial he has shown, when, with so mighty a secret in his 1 o-
som, his own interest would have been estab;ished in any other
land by the disclosure.
" I therefore earnestly entreat your lordship no longer to neglect
a man upon whom the existence of the country depends.
" I have the honour, &c.,
(signed) "WILLIAM WEBSTER,
" The Right Honourable Lieutenant A.R. N.
Lord Viscount Melbourne."

Of the mode of the projection of the latter of these pow-
ers we have no information given. It is asserted, how-
ever, by Captain Warner, and an opportunity of testing
his assertions eagerly claimed and only refused on the
score of expense, that the effect is unerring, and that at
six miles distance he can hit any object of sufficient size
—a ten-gun brig is named—to be feared as a vessel o
war.

Such are the powers offered by Captain Warner for the
purchase of government—offered too with every apparent
disposition to have them fairly tested previously to such
purchase. The difficulty, however, which has prevented
any thing like an approach to the agreement is a little
perplexing. Captain Warner refuses to give up any por-
tion of his secret without some guarantee of remunera-
tion in case of its value being recognised. Government,
on the other hand, want a trial, leaving its own hands un-
fettered; and when this demand is conceded by Captain
Warner, negocidtions are broken off cn the score of ex-
pence. The inventor, who has expended, as be says, a
fortune in pursuit of his secret, is to display the powers
acquired by him, and perhaps peril the keeping of his se-
cret, at his own expense, or to be set down as something
very like an imposter or a maniac. We cannot certainly
recognize the justice of this course. If government ima-
gine that there is sufficient prima facie .probability of
these powers being actually existent in thp han_ds of Cap-
tain Warner, or any other man, -to warrant one-half the,
trouble of investigation already taken, they ought really
not to grudge the paltry amount (truly paltry in a national,
view) demanded, with every guarantee qffered against ex-
travagance or collusion, for the purpose of testing them
properly and settling the question at. issue. Captain War-
ner is either a madman, a quack, or an ill-used, or under-
valued man. He has, however, already effected quite
sufficient to render it imperative for his country's interests
that his character should not be determined upon without
his powers being properly tested, even at the expense set
down. The subject of the amount of remuneration, we
leave as he leaves it, for after consideration. The British
nation would not be unjust to a proved benefactor.