THE ROYAL ARTILLERY INSTITUTION. 
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because he was at that time labouring to bring forward an ingenious 
invention, of which all his efforts could not induce them to avail themselves. 
* * * * It was a kind of shell invented by an ingenious 
officer of artillery, Lieutenant-Colonel Shrapnel, and now familiarly known 
by the name of spherical case shot. * * Like other projectors 
of genius, he was rather an enthusiast, and by the strong expressions he 
employed in setting forth the merit of his new plan, provoked scepticism 
without awakening interest. * * By his vehement and impor¬ 
tunate zeal, he irritated old officers, who in their attachment to established 
usage, branded him as a mere innovator, and declared their conviction, that 
his schemes however plausible in theory, would utterly fail in actual 
service. * * * 
" I have a vivid and painful sense of the difficulties encountered by my 
father in bringing forward and calling into general use this new instrument 
of war, from the vast magazine of papers connected with the subject, which 
it has been my province, to examine and reduce to order. * * * 
“ In consequence of conversing and corresponding frequently with this 
ingenious and sanguine officer, and of hearing from him all his hopes and 
fears, encouragements and disquietudes, the Baronet became enthusiastic 
in his support, and, more than half in earnest, used to designate Shrapnel 
‘ the modern Archimedes/ 
“ As the most effectual means of rousing the Board of Ordnance, Sir John 
proposed in 1807, to bring the subject before Parliament; but no sooner did 
he inform the Colonel of his intention than the latter with patriotic earnest* 
ness, entreated him to desist. e I am anxious/ he writes, ‘ that the invention 
should not be made public in any way, lest its importance should thus be 
signified to the enemy.' 
" General Lord Suffolk took up the cause with great zeal ; and in a letter 
dated Hastings, 19th July, 1808, thus describes two interviews with Mr 
Canning upon the subject:— f I carried with me one of Colonel Shrapnel's 
engraved plans of the effect of his shells, with which Mr Canning appeared 
to be much struck, and informed him such was their utility, no officer now 
commanding an expedition would sail without them. * * * 
Mr Canning took some notes on the subject, and as the Cabinet appears 
to have acted upon some of the principles then stated, I trust this com* 
munication was not entirely without effect/ 
“ But my father's hopes rested chiefly upon Mr Percival, to whom he 
frequently addressed the most urgent applications upon the subject. f X 
entreat you,' he says, f by everything you hold dear and valuable, as a man, 
as a father, and as a British statesman, to bring this subject before the 
Cabinet. * * * Do justice to the inventions of Shrapnel 
and you may yet save Spain and Portugal, and make this country im¬ 
pregnable.' * * * 
“ A question here arises, has the country shewn a proper sense of gratitude 
for the services of Colonel Shrapnel ?" 
We now come to a remarkable action, reminding us of what happened 
before in India, in which infantry and artillery gained a complete victory 
over "the three arms" combined, Maida* Here bayonets were crossed* 
as is asserted, for the first time* 
