Genre:

Essay

Subjects:

Military Technology, Invention, Patronage, Charlatanry, Photography

    Discusses government scepticism towards the secret military invention of Thomas Cochrane (10th Earl of Dundonald), who suggested using poisonous gases against the enemy. Argues that while the invention 'may be a mistake', it may be a 'fact', but that it is an invention that governments would 'continue to resist [...] as long as they had a shadow of an excuse for their opposition'. Accuses 'Unjust people' of disbelieving 'everything in advance of their own ideas' and wants to know more about Dundonald's plan before uniting 'with these gentlemen of "common sense", in sneering at an invention which is capable of destroying Cronstadt'.