tance to those who are entrusted with the direction of the naval and military affairs in this country. The present perilous state of affairs imperiously demand the adoption of every effectual mode of defence and attact. Should any thing contained in these hints be rendered subservient to that grand design, my object in sending them to you will be fully answered. Comparative View of the Martello Towers and of Mr. Gillespie's Battery. According to a statement given in parliament, and not contradicted, there have been built in England twenty-seven Martello towers,* each of which has cost upwards of 20,000. These towers are forty feet high, with only one gun on the top of each. They are placid at the distance of about a mile from each other. I know not if they are all built on a direct line; but, in order to shew them as much favour as possible, I shall suppose that they are. In this case there will, within the distance of twentyseven miles, be only twenty-seven guns to play against the enemy. Moreover, from the height of these towers, the gun could not be pointed within 250 yards of their base, so that when the enemy was once so near the tower, he might destroy or march past it, without the least resistance. Upon the whole, to any one who impartially considers the subject, it must appear, that these towers can serve only as beacons to point out to the enemy the vulnerable parts of our coast, and to draw his attack to these, but not to oppose the least obstacle to them, should they unhappily take the hint The largest Martello Towers, which it may be here remarked are about 40 feet in height, have only two, or three guns at most, and cost the nation an enormous sum of money; while the revolving battery, of 50 feet diameter, which exposes only a surface of four feet in height, and does not, from its construction, afford any lodgment for shot, contains 112 guns, of different calibres; and these can be traversed with more permanent facility by one man only, than one gun of a large calibre can be traversed by ten men in the ordinary way. Every gun in the battery can, in the course of three minutes, be brought to bear on any particular object!! Mr. Gillespie undertakes to erect a Revolving Battery for 10,000l. which is less than half the expense of a Martello tower. Instead of the solitary gun fired from those erections, his machine discharges eight battering guns, and 104 for grape shot. Within the same distance, therefore, of 27 miles, there will be discharged 216 battering guns, and 2818 small guns for grape shot. This single statement is enough, surely, to demonstrate its immence superiority. Mr. Gillespie's machine, however, possesses other advantages. It involves a method of directing the ball towards the wished-for point with infallible precision, which is not even attempted in the Martello towers. In the latter too, the piece after firing for two hours, would become so heated as to be altogether unfit for use. But here, the guns being fired successively, as the machine revolves, each is allowed an interval to cool, while the others are firing and this inconvenience is quite obviated. The present machine, besides, notwithstanding its immence superiority of execution, might be worked by a smaller number of men. In short, there is no respect in which it is not superior to the Martello Towers. : Considering the circumstances of this kingdom, which imperiously call for the use of every mode of defence as well as of attack, is it not incumbent on those who have the disposal of naval and military affairs, to make strict enquiry into the merits of this invention, and to adopt it if found to answer the above description. Can it be doubted, that if it had been employed on the Scheldt, that expedittion, in all likelihood, would have terminated in a way more conducive to the national honour and interest. Indeed, Mr. Gillispie undertakes, by means of them, to destroy any of the enemy's harbours however strongly fortified. When employed in seiges also, they would render the place to be defended almost im pregnable; for while they committed the utmost destruction on the assailants, they would completely cover the persons of the defenders. FOR THE THEOPHILANTHROPIST. TORPEDOES. Let the proud navies of Great-Britain sweep I have read with infinite satisfaction Mr. Fulton's publication on Torpedo war; his experiments, positive practice and demonstrations, have placed this subject in a point of view, of which I had no idea, nor can the public, as yet, have any just conception of it. His machinery and mode of attack are so simple, and the result so immense, that I consider it extremely interesting that every American should study this new mode of defence and I should now suggest, what has, I believe, not yet been publicly hinted, that our military and nautical men of genius should well analyze Mr. Fulton's principle, and publicly point out the means which an enemy would use to defeat them. This I conceive highly important; for, however feasable, and to all appearance infallible, this mode of attack may be, yet it is possible, that there are methods of preventing the success and happy results which the ingenious author has contemplated. I have reflected much to find a means of defeating his attack, and confess, I cannot now see any mode by which an 80 gun ship could defend herself against 50 torpedo boats; yet I have had, perhaps, as much experience in naval engagements, as any of my old companions with whom I associated in the cause of liberty in '76.-Could I see this new system proved, by positive practice on an enemy, I should then know that America would then obtain the liberty and rights for which national men will ever contend, and this bright prospect would spread a cheering sunshine on my evening of life. A VETERAN. To the above communication we subjoin the concluding address of Mr. Fulton's lecture on the mechanism, practice and effects of Torpedoes, delivered at Washington, Feb. 17, 1810. The most useful discoveries in the circle of arts and sciences have undoubtedly had the most difficulties to encounter. These are narrated in a strong and perspicuous style by the writer. Andin addition to them we may remark, that incredulity and ignorance, together with an unaccountable aversion to new theories, which seems to have existed more or less in every age, had nigh prevented the discovery of this "new-born world." The calculations of Columbus were considered wild and chimerical, and it was some considerable time before he could obtain audience at any court in Europe. He was looked upon more as a juggler than a geographer; a wild adventurer, than a bold and calculating genius.-So may it be with Mr. Fulton. If he succeed, he will deserve the gratitude of his country. Sir Isaac Newton from an apple's fall, Trac'd the great laws that rule our earthly ball; A paper-kite by Franklin taught to rise, In this lecture Mr. Fulton exhibited the anchoring and harpooning Torpedoes; the harpooning gun and the harpoon, all of the real size as prepared for action. His demonstration excited the most lively interest, and seemed to carry to the minds of his audience a universal conviction of the practicability and success of this mode of attacking and destroying ships of war. "GENTLEMEN, "I have now by conversations, printing, drawings, and models, explained the combinations, practice and probable result of defence and attack by Torpedoes. As an individual, I can for the present do little more to prove their utility; my pecuniary resources this year will not warrant an experiment which shall cost 3,000 dollars, or I should not hesitate at my own expense, to purchase a ship and blow her up, while under full sail in the Potomac, to fix indelibly on the public mind the image of their tremendous effects. But, as men from habits of caution are always distrustful of new inventions, I shall, before I leave you, endeavour to defend this favourite offspring of my scientific pursuits against those persons who may still assail it, by recalling to your recollection some of the strong examples of ignorance opposed to art. Men in general know little more than is forced upon them by the established sciences, as reduced to practice-they believe them because they see them in daily operation; but few have looked back to the origin of inventions which are now familiar : few have examined the difficulties under which they laboured in the commencement, and very few take the trouble to reflect or reason by analogy, from the present state of the arts to further improvement. When a new combination and effect is proposed, and the inventor silently labouring in his cabinet, has cleared the way to a fair prospect of success, he receives the common appellation of a projector; and the sneers of compassion or contempt which are bestowed upon him, are in proportion to the magnitude of the object which he has in view, and its range beyond the limits of vulgar understandings. Thus while unassisted he devotes nights, days and years, to arduous studies and expensive experiments which exhaust his finances, he has not only the difficulties of a new art to encounter, but also to contend with the ignorance and illiberality of unthinking men; yet he hears with patience the temporary contempt; for had not philosophers |