III. Bond
L. Brennan and J.R. Temperley declare themselves bound to the Queen in the sum of 20,oool., subject to the following conditions:-
If. G. Argent shall not, during five years from 18th January 1887, commit any breach of Clause 6 of Articles of Agreement made between the Secretary of State and him (see above II.)
Or:-
If he shall, during one year from 18th January 1887, commit such breach, and the parties to this bond shall pay the Queen 10,000l. as damages.
If he shall, during one year from 18th January 1888, commit such breach, and 8,000l. be paid as above.
If he shall, during one year from 18th January 1889, commit such breach, and 6,000l. be paid.
If he shall, during one year from 18th January 1890, commit such breach, and 4,000l. be paid.
If he shall, during one year from 18th January 1891, commit such breach, and 2,000l. be paid.
It was arranged on 17th January 1887 (Minute by President, Royal Engineer Committee), that pending information as to the official decision on future arrangements, the secret parts had been taken out of the complete torpedo, separated, and part safely stored at Sheerness and part at Chatham, such parts being in charge of Messrs. Brennan and Temperley.
While the negotiations above referred to were in progress, viz:- on 16th December 1886, the Agent-General for the Colony of Victoria wrote, stating that the Minister of Defence at Melbourne had requested him to obtain a full report of the capabilities and powers of the Brennan Torpedo, and asked at what price his Government could be supplied.
He remarked that the Government of Victoria bore the charge of the first experiments with this torpedo, and have since watched, with natural interest, the reports of the trials to which it has been subjected; and he requested that directions might be given that he should be furnished with the information required.
Director of Artillery, 20th December 1886, observed to Inspector-General of Fortifications, that at that time the department was not, in his opinion, in a position to give a definite reply, moreover, he was not aware that the Victorian Government had advanced any moneys towards preliminary experiments; and there was no mention of such advances in the official papers.
Inspector-General of Fortifications, 24th December 1886, agreed. He had never heard before of the assistance referred to.
The Surveyor-General of Ordnance saw that Agent-General (Sir Graham Berry) on 4th January 1887, and told him that negotiations with Brennan were not concluded, and that in the event of the torpedo being purchased, his letter should, after reference to the Secretary of State, be replied to officially.
On 27th January 1887, the Surveyor-General again referred to the Inspector-General of Fortifications, 12th February 1887, thought it would be advisable to communicate in confidence to the Victorian Government the general results of the trials recently concluded, which he detailed.
He remarked that is would scarcely be possible to name an accurate price for manufacture at the present time. The approximate estimate for each installation of 12 torpedoes, including engine buildings, &c., is 6,800l. but this is only a rough approximation, the torpedo itself being priced at about 300l.
He added, although the Colonies might in process of time be supplied with the torpedo, &c., it would not be advisable to supply the weapon until experience has shown what practical precautions may be necessary for the protection of the secret.
The Surveyor-General, 14th February 1887, in submitting to the Secretary of State, said the question was, whether the department could afford to run the risk of the secret (for which 110,000l. was being paid) getting out through the possible carelessness of a colonial official.
He remarked that if the Victorian Government were prepared to share the responsibility, that is, to recoup the 110,000l. or a satisfactory part thereof, if the secret were let out through any laches in Victoria, he would not object to their admission into the secret; but that, failing that he thought no more should be done than to write such a letter as Inspector-General had proposed, adding that the secret of the mechanism of the torpedo having been purchased at a high price by Her Majesty’s Government, they did not feel themselves to be in a position to risk the possibility of the secret becoming public property.
Mr. Stanhope minuted as follows, 14th February 1887:- “I think we may tell them that until experience has shown what precautions may be necessary for the protection of the secret, we cannot undertake to supply the torpedo. But we may send them privately the details suggested by the Inspector-General of Fortifications.”
A confidential letter was accordingly addressed to the agent-General for Victoria, as follows, 28th February 1887:-
Sir,
With reference to your letter dated 16th December 1886, requesting, by desire of the Government of Victoria, to be furnished with particulars of the capabilities and powers of the Brennan Torpedo, and with the price at which that Government could be supplied; I am directed by the Secretary of state for War to acquaint you, for the information of the Government of Victoria, that until experience has shown what precautions may be necessary for the protection of the secret, he cannot undertake to supply the torpedo.
I am to add, however, that the general results of the trials recently concluded to show that the torpedo attains a speed of 22 knots an hour for short ranges, of 19 knots for ranges of 1,000 yards, and of 17 knots for ranges of 1,600 yards.
It is well under control of the steering apparatus, and it maintains a constant depth.
The weight of the charge is 200lb. of compressed guncotton.
I have, &c.,
Lothian Nicholson,
I.G.F. &. E.