Manchester Memoirs, Vol. xlv. (1901), No. 8- 25 



Garden. If I had but a Corporal Trim I could almost fancy myself an 

 Uncle Toby. As it is I must content myself with an Arthur and a Luther. 



"Luther" is Martin Luther, a man attached to Captain 

 Cable's estabHshment. The next letter explains the 

 purpose of the batteries : — 



Douglas, March 9th, 1797. 

 My dear Sir, 



Yours of the 14th Ult. found its way hither on the 28th. Pretty quick 

 travelling, you will say : but as it had remain'd a week or more in Liverpool 

 it may, in some measure, be accounted for. 



From the repeated visits of the French in this Neighbourhood I am not 

 surprised at your account of the Arming, or armament, which appears in the 

 Manufacturing parts of the Kingdom. Indeed it behoves every Man. at 

 this time, to set his hand to the Plough ; or rather to change his Ploughshare 

 into a Sword. From the knowledge which you have of the Apathy of Manx 

 Men you will not expect great things from us. For my own part I expect 

 nothing. To be sure I am not greatly apprehensive of a visit from the Goths 

 & Vandals ; but shou'd such an event take place, I think our only defence 

 wou'd be our long eighteen pounders, of which we have now six ready for 

 use ; although I must confess there is one thing which prevents me from 

 having any great reliance on them. The reason is trifling, to be sure ; but it 

 is a reason. We have little or no powder here : and I have never heard 

 that even a long eighteen pounder cou'd do any great damage without 

 powder. It is true we have shot enough, & wads, but still a long eighteen 

 pounder, even with the help of shot & wads, cannot do what it ought to 

 do, without powder. However, as this is a Land of Genius's, some of them, 

 perhaps, may strike out something new in that way, and shew us that Powder 

 is absolutely needless. Great things, you know, have been found out by 

 Great Genius's. I own my greatest reliance is in our own insignificance, 

 & the situation of this Island ; I mean its Geographical situation which 

 seems to be in the very bosom of the British Empire. You will give me 

 credit, I daresay, when I tell you we have been sufficiently alarmed already. 

 I have been in rather an awkward situation since I wrote to you last. The 

 business is this. Somebody had written a letter in Joe Bacon's name, desiring 

 to be employed ; an answer was reed from the Secretary to the Duke of York 

 saying that his request shou'd be complied with. Bacon, knowing that he 

 had not written himself, was, of course, very angry, and wrote to Colonel 

 Browning stating the forgery, and requesting to have the Letter sent to him, 

 which was done, & being shewn to everyone who wish'd to see it, was among 

 others, seen by Livesey, who produced a Letter of mine which bore a strong 

 resemblance to the one in question. This, you may think, rais'd a loud 

 Clamour against me, though I am sure you will acquit me of any such imper- 

 tinence. This clamour continued until it was superseded by matters of as 

 great consequence. But enough of this. 



