1883.] on Count Bumford, Originator of tie Boijal Institution. 429 



quest, which His Majesty is so clearly warranted in making, I am 

 to direct you, in the last resort, to state in distinct terms that His 

 Majesty will by no means consent to receive Count Kumford in the 

 character which has been assigned to him." The fact of Eumford's 

 being not only a British subject, but that he had actually filled a 

 confidential situation under the British Government, were cited, as 

 rendering his api:)ointmeut peculiarly objectionable. Some correspon- 

 dence ensued between Lord Grenville and Eumford, but the appoint- 

 ment was not ratified. 



Eumford was obviously stung by the refusal of King George to 

 accept him as Bavarian minister ; and the thought w^hich had often 

 occurred to him of returning to his native country now revived. Mr. 

 Eufus King was at that time American Ambassador in London ; and 

 he, by Eumford's desire, wTote to Colonel Pickering, then Secretary 

 of State for the United States, informing him that intrigues in 

 Bavaria, and the refusal of the English king, had caused the Count 

 to decide on establishing himself at, or near, Cambridge, Massachusetts. 

 Mr. King describes the Count's intention to live in the character of 

 a German nobleman, renouncing all political action, and devoting 

 himself to literary pursuits. Mr. King describes Eumford as having 

 had much experience of cannon foundries ; and as having made im- 

 j)ortant improvements in the mounting of flying artillery. He was, 

 moreover, the possessor of an extensive military library, and wished 

 nothing more ardently than to be useful to his native country. They 

 had made provision for the institution of a military academy in the 

 United States. This they offered to place under the superintendence 

 of Eumford. " I am authorised," said Mr. King, " to offer you, in 

 addition to the superintendence of the military academy, the aj)point- 

 ment of Inspector General of the Artillery of the United States ; and 

 we shall moreover be disposed to give to you such rank and emolu- 

 ments as would be likely to afford you satisfaction, and to secure to 

 us the advantage of your service." 



The hour for the final decision approached, but before it arrived 

 another project had laid hold of Eumford's imagination — a project 

 which in its results has proved of more importance to science, and of 

 more advantage to mankind, than any which this multifarious genius 

 had previously undertaken. This project was the foundation of the 

 Eoyal Institution of Great Britain. In answer to the American 

 Ambassador, he says, " Nothing could have afforded me so much 

 satisfaction as to have had it in my power to have given to my 

 liberal and generous countrymen such proof of my sentiments as 

 would in the most public and ostensible manner have evinced, not 

 only my gratitude for the kind attentions I have received from them, 

 but also the ardent desire I feel to assist in promoting the prosperity 

 of my native country. But engagements, which great obligations 

 have rendered sacred and inviolable, put it out of my power to dispose 

 of my time and services with that unreasoned freedom which would 

 be necessary in order to enable me to accept of those generous offers 



