204 
in proportion. Let him search where 
such records are kept, and calculate how 
many vessels have been wrecked, in 
situations where no assistance could pos- 
sibly be rendered by any boat, with ail 
their crews, which might have been saved 
by these means. Can the life-boat be 
brought to act in certain situations with- 
out the assistance of Captain Manby’s 
apparatus? Is not the life-boat cumber- 
some, and not locomotive without much 
labour? Has not the expence of a gene- 
ral adoption of the life-boat been shrunk 
from by the nation, and has not the same 
reason prevented its adoption by private 
subscription? It is not my intention to 
detract from the merit of Mr. Greathead’s 
invention, as great praise is due to him; 
but these are facts, a denial of which 
cannot be supported. On the other 
hand, the apparatus produced by Cap- 
tain Manby, is attended with inconsi- 
derable expence; can be applied with 
certainty and success by any one who 
willattend to the directions given; may 
easily be transported from place to place; 
and, if stationed at intervals of a few 
miles on the redoubtable parts of the 
coast, would be ready at every emer- 
gency oneitherside. Let these facts be 
taken into consideration, and it will rea- 
dily be thought with me, that Captain 
Manby is entitled to the sole merit, and 
well deserves to be rewarded as the in- 
ventor and perfecter, of an apparatus so 
unambiguously equal to the important oc- 
casion for which it may daily be expected 
to be called into use; and which we trust 
his majesty’s government will, without 
further delay, carry into full and general 
effect. Humanitas. 
Norwich. 
I shall confirm part of my statement 
following letter: 
by NF ; Roebuck, Yarmouth-roads, 
SIR, Fanuary 6th, 1811, 
I beg leave to state for the information of 
the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, 
that, during my attendance on the beach yes. 
terday morning, in assisting for the preser- 
vation of H. M. gun-brig, Attack, a mer- 
chant brig was driven ashore at the same 
place, and her crew, seven in number, were 
in my presence, rescued from the rigging of 
the vessel, and apparent certain destruction, 
jn a most admirable manner, by means of a 
boat. drawn from the shore by a line, that, 
affixed to a shot, was thrown over the vesse] 
from a mortar, under the personal superin- 
tendence of Captain Manby. And this morn- 
ing a galiot, having also come on shore on 
the beach, her crew, consisting of four Eng- 
Vishmen and five foreigners, must inevita-. 
bly have perished, but for the prompt assis- 
Causes of Mental Deterioration 
[April 1, 
tance of Captain Manby, with his apparatus, 
and by whose efforts, and by the same means 
as those employed yesterday, the whole crew 
were, in my presence, rescued from their most 
perilous situation , one of them, however, is 
since dead from his sufferings, in consequence, 
of the severity of the weather. I take the 
liberty of making this statement to their. 
lordships, conceiving it my duty, in common 
justice to Captain Manby, whose personal 
exertions are always prompt in the cause of 
humanity, and in the present instances have 
been so happily efficient. 
Sobn Wilson Croker, esq. R. Curry, 
a 
To the Editor of the Menthly Magazine. 
SIR, 
fh ci principle of mental deterioration 
in close corporations, and close 
committees and clubs, ~is a necessary 
consequence of the love of power and 
domination natural. to man. - He who is 
invested with power will always exert 
himself to retain it, and will seldom 
abandon or relinquish it, if he possess 
the means of retaining it by cunning or 
contrivance. Hence, no member of a 
close corporation or committee will ever 
admit any one fo become a member, 
who, he thinks, is likely to dispute his 
own ascendency, or contest his opinions 
or influence. In such bodies, there- 
fore, errors and prejudices are embodied 
and perpetuated ; and philosophy labours 
in vain in making discoveries in science 
and morals, while such bodies have in-+ 
fluence on the destinies of mankind, 
The first step then towards the ra- 
dical regeneration, amelioration, and 
improvement, of society in all countries, 
is to lay open all close corporations, as ‘ 
the corrupt and convenient tools of 
power, as the willing instruments of 
mental vassalage, and the bigotted ene- 
mies of all discovery and improvement, 
This evil ought to be one of the first 
objects for the correction of a patriotic 
parliament, and the principle ought to 
be steadily resisted in every ramification 
of society from the board of government, ° 
through the committees. of companies, 
down to the directors of benefit-clubs. 
Nothing like a close committee, em- 
powered to fill up its own vacancies, or 
elected by limited ballot, should be 
tolerated ; no house-lists should be coun 
tenanced ; those in power should have'no 
concern in re-elections; and all’vacancies 
should be filled by popular election, and, 
if possible, by the mode of GENERAL 
BALLOT, deciding by a simple majority, - 
without limitations. ied. 
Merit and genius. are antidotes to a 
close corporation, I was lately at one 
