George William Manby to Faraday   24 April 1830

Rl Barracks Yarmouth | 24 April 1830

Sir

In reply to the letter, which I have had the honor of receiving from you¹, I beg to say that my object in the lecture which I proposed delivering before the Royal Institution was principally, by compressing into a small space the subjects which have occupied the greater part of my life, to give them greater publicity & popularity thro the medium of your noble establishment, & thus to invite the attention of others to the same points, that what has been left imperfect by me may be completed by those who are happily gifted with a greater share of ability or ingenuity.

The topics on which I should principally have to dilate are three, the preservation of the lives of shipwrecked mariners; the saving of those who might fall thro’ the ice; & the means of immediately extinguishing incipient fires, & preservation of life from houses enveloped in flames. On each of these points my ideas are already before the public; but I had proposed so to illustrate them with experiments that they would not be destitute of novelty; & I had intended to subjoin to them the plan lately carried into effect at this port by my suggestion whereby life boats or other boats can at any time be hauled through the surf without risk, however violent the wind; which has recently been practically confirmed, & allowed to be the most efficacious means for the prevention of shipwreck, by enabling assistance to go to vessels in distress at a distance from the land, that has been produced.

With these explanations I leave them entirely in your hands; as you will best judge how far what I have to offer will be likely to interest the Institution; if it will, I shall be happy to attend them on the 28 May².

My friend Mr Dawson Turner, desires me to give his best respects to you, & to express his hope that you will pay him a visit in the course of the approaching summer.

The deep interest that is taken at the present moment to mitigate the penalty of death, in offences connected with forgery, will I trust make pardonable, my requesting the favor of you to present the accompanying paper to the Royal Institution, I solicit their attention to the appendix, as the more connected with the object³; feeling the strongest anxiety to avert the severity of the law, by transportation to a country notorious for the rigor of its climate, when I feel persuaded, the most hardened culprit would unceasingly reflect upon his own misdeeds, but would serve as a strong warning of terror to other evil doers, & operate to prevent the commission of crime.

I have the honor to be | Sir | Your most obedient servant | Geo W. Manby

I beg further to say, that I have submitted the suggestion to Mr Peel⁴, & offered should he consider my services useful to form a settlement I will cheerfully go out for so important an object, although at the advanced age of 65.

Endorsed by Faraday: Answer May 4. Confirmed. 28 May is the day