ore, nor regain their own, if appropriate measures shall be adopted to
intercept them.

"Impressions in favour of so expensive, so despondent, and so inadequate
a scheme, can have no better origin than specious reports, emanating
from delusive opinions derived from a very limited knowledge of facts.
The hasty adoption of such measures, and the voting away the vast sums
required to carry them into execution, are evils seriously to be
deprecated. It is, therefore, greatly to be desired that those in power
should pause before proceeding further in such a course. It behoves them
to consider in all its bearings, and in all its consequences, the
contemplated system of stationary maritime defence, subject, as that
system may become, to the overwhelming influence of the secret plan
which I placed in their hands, similar to that which I presented in 1812
to His Royal Highness the Prince Regent, who referred its consideration
confidentially to Lord Keith, Lord Exmouth, and the two Congreves,
professional and scientific men, by whom it was pronounced to be
infallible, under the circumstances detailed in my explanatory
statement.

"Thirty-three years is a long time to retain an important secret,
especially as I could have used it with effect in defence of my
character when cruelly assailed (as I have shown at length in a
representation to the Government), and could have practically employed
it on various occasions to my private advantage. I have now, however,
determined to solicit its well-merited consideration, in the hope,
privately, if possible, to prove the comparative inexpedience of an
expenditure of some 12,000,000l. or 20,000,000l. sterling for the
construction of forts and harbours, instead of applying ample funds at
once to remodel and renovate the navy--professionally known to be
susceptible of immense improvement--including the removal from its
swollen bulk of much that is cumbrous and prejudicial.

"However injudicious it might be thought to divulge my plan, at least
until energetically put in execution for an adequate object; yet, if its
disclosure is indispensable to enable a just and general estimate to be
formed of the merits of the mongrel terraqueous scheme of defence now in
contemplation, as compared with the mighty power and protective ubiquity
of the floating bulwarks of Britain, I am satisfied that the balance
would be greatly in favour of publicity. It would demonstrate that there
could be no security in