Virginia Argus

GREAT MILITARY INVENTION.

The following is a copy of a hand bill, printed at Edinburgh, which presents an object of particular curiosity, and well worthy of the attention of any of our ingenious citizens who may visit England.

Plan for the protection of the united kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, by impregnable revolving batteries: submitted to the consideration of the patriotic ladies and gentlemen of G. Britain and Ireland.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

It will, I flatter myself, be an object of your consideration to encourage every undertaking for national improvement and defence. I am now exhibiting in this city the model of an impregnable revolving battery, the adoption of which would I conceive, be of the highest advantage to these kingdoms. A subscription has been set on foot by members of both houses of parliament for the erection of one of these formidable engines of national defence. They are so constructed as to protect completely the artillery men employed in working them, and to exterminate the foe against whom they may be directed; by which means the lives of our brave defenders will be preserved, while the adoption of them will greatly diminish the charge of the national protection; as twenty thousand artillery men properly disposed in them, would afford more permanent security to the British coasts, to ward off an invading foe, than five hundred thousand of the best disciplined troops in the world could possibly do, unassisted by his discovery.

The models and drawings of these batteries (which contain 112 guns of different calibres, and can be traversed with more permanent facility by a boy only, than one gun of a large calibre can be traversed by ten men in the ordinary way,) are to be seen at the head of Bank street, Lawn Market, Edinburgh, from 9 o'clock in the morning till nine at night, where a book is open for subscription.

ADMITTANCE. 1s.

Lest it should be said that I exaggerate its importance, may I request you to peruse the following letters, from persons of the first distinction in the navy, and as engineers, which must remove every doubt that can be entertained on the subject.

No. 52, Margaret street, July 12, 1802.

SIR,

Having at the request of major Cartwright, examined your model of a machine for defending the coast with cannon, I have with great pleasure, to express to you my thorough approbation thereof. And tho I cannot altogether subscribe to the very extensive application which you seem to think it may be put to, yet I am most firmly of opinion, it may be found of superior utility on many particular spots, & on great variety of occasions; and as such ought to be adopted by his majesty's servants. I further have to say, that I have no manner of hesitation in declaring—as I hereby do declare— my most ardent wishes, that, for the good of the king's service, such measures will be taken as will prove essential in preventing you, with your model, from going out of the country, to seek the well earned recompense for an invention of such transcendant merit.

I am, with sincerity and esteem,

Your well wisher and humble Servant,

HUGH DEBBIEG,

Lieut. gen. and col. of the corps of Royal Invalid Engineers.

To Mr. John GILLESPIE.

COPY.

We have examined the construction and properties (as appears by the plan & model) of Mr. Gillespie's inclosed fort, which to us, appears to be admirably calculated to defend a post against any attack or surprise, and is, in our opinion deserving of a trial being made of it and of the attention of able judges.

Thus much we venture to assert, that had such a work been constructed in Toulon, on the heights of Grasse, &c. in 1793, the British fleet need not to have made so precipitate a retreat.

JOHN KNIGHT.

Admirals.

HENRY TROLLOPE,

W. SIDNEY SMITH,

25th June, 1804.

COPY.

Letter to William Marsden, Esq. Secretary to the Admiralty.

No. 12 Fitzroy street, April 5, 1806.

SIR,

I think it my duty to lose no time in making the following communication to my Lords commissioners of the admiralty, which I beg most respectfully you will be pleased to lay before them.

I have this morning seen one of the most destructive engines ever invented by human ingenuity called an Impregnable Fort, or Battery, and which I do not hesitate to assert, that if it is not immediately adopted by this country, will prove its destruction.

I can only account for the neglect which it has met with, from the poverty of the inventor, and the little attention or encouragement that unfortunately are given to ingenious men in this country.

It may not have occurred to the military gentlemen who have inspected the model of this battery, the facility, with which it might be made moveable on wheels to work on the inside, nor the application of it to vessels of easy draught of water, when one of them might bid defiance to our whole navy, and come up the river Thames, and return in defiance of both the army and navy.

I am induced to trouble their lordships on this occasion, as I think it will appear to them, that his majesty's ministers should, without loss of time, secure the talents of the inventor to this country, & that the model should be immediately lodged in some place of safety, for at present it is in one of the upper apartments of the palace in Kingston Gardens, and any evil disposed person, of common ingenuity, might carry the invention to the enemy.

As the plans were lying rather carelessly about, I requested the inventor Mr. Gillespie, to let me have them, and they are at present in my possession. He informs me that he had overtures from Russia and Denmark to carry the model to those countries; but fortunately, though struggling under the evils of poverty and neglect, he has continued, like an honest man, attached to his country.

I have the honor to be, &c. &c.

MALCOLM COWAN.

Commander R. A.

A copy of the foregoing was sent by capt. Cowan to his royal highness the duke of Kent, with a letter, to which he received the following answer:

Kensington Palace, April 8, 1806.

Lieut. col. Smyth is commanded, by the duke of Kent, to acknowledge captain Cowan's note to his royal highness, accompanying a copy of his letter to the secretary of the admiralty, upon the subject of Mr. Gillespie's invention of the impregnable battery, and to convey to him the duke's thanks for the communication, as also his royal highness's entire coincidence in opinion with him, upon the merits and importance of it, which he anxiously hopes the captain's letter may be the occasion of bringing forward to the notice and remuneration it so unquestionably merits.