Colonel Boxer, the- Superintendent of the Royal Laboratory, has resigned
; in consequence, it is said, of certain questions addressed to him by Mr. Cardwell. Colonel Boxer is an inventor a great skill and ingenuity, and has discovered modes of lubri- cating breech-loading cannon and of attaching wood bottoms to shell, besides inventing new fuzes, breech-loading ammunition and shrapnell shell for rifled ordnance, all things of value. He accordingly asked for a grant from Government in recognition of his services, but Sir J. Pakington, on 4th January, 1868, replied that Colonel Boxer must "look for reward from his royalties or ether remuneration from private manufacturers." Colonel Boxer very naturally understood this as a permission to engage in private contracts, and on Mr. Cardwell's questioning him as to these con- tracts, refused to reply about affairs which Sir J. Pakington's letter had made private. His resignation accordingly became impera- tive. It is clear that Sir J. Pakington was wrong, that no officer of Government can be permitted to share in patents which Government may require, still less an officer in Colonel Boxer's position. He is, however, personally quite covered by his superior's permission, which amounted to something very like a grant of a special privilege,—a privilege, however, which Mr. Cardwell was clearly at liberty to withdraw, and therefore to inquire about.
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