130 COUNT RUMFOKD. 



always hitherto subsisted between himself and the 

 Elector of Bavaria, and that His Highness will have no 

 hesitation in withdrawing it." The King had made 

 up his mind. " Should there unexpectedly arise any 

 difficulty about a compliance with the request, 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 Eumford in the character which has been assigned 

 to him." The fact of Rumf ord's being not only a Brit- 

 ish subject, but that he had actually filled a confidential 

 situation under the British Government, was cited as 

 rendering his appointment peculiarly objectionable. 

 Some correspondence ensued between Lord Grenville 

 and Rumford, but the appointment was not ratified. 



Stung by the refusal of King George to accept him 

 as Bavarian Minister, the thought, which had often 

 occurred to him, of returning to his native country 

 now revived. Mr. Rufus King was at that time Ameri- 

 can Ambassador in London; "and he, by Rumf ord's 

 desire, wrote to Colonel Pickering, then Secretary of 

 State for the United States, informing him that in- 

 trigues in Bavaria, and the refusal of the English king, 

 had caused the Count to decide on establishing him- 

 self at, or near, Cambridge, Massachusetts. Mr. King 

 described the Count's intention to live in the char- 

 acter of ' a German nobleman, renouncing all political 

 action, and devoting himself to literary pursuits. He 

 observed that Rumford had much experience of can- 

 non foundries, and had made important improvements 

 in the mounting of flying artillery. He was, more- 

 over, the possessor of an extensive military library, and 

 wished nothing more ardently than to be useful to 

 his native country. Provision had been made for the 

 institution of a military academy in the United States. 



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