TheGovernmentactedwithpromptitude，astheywereboundtodoinsuchacase。ThebodyofJellicoewasworthnothingtothem，buttheycouldsecurethepropertyinwhichhehadfraudulentlyinvestedthepublicmoneysintrustedtohim。WiththisobjectthethemPaymasteroftheNavyproceededtomakeanaffidavitintheExchequerthatHenryCortwasindebtedtoHisMajestyinthesumof27，500L。andupwards，inrespectofmoneysbelongingtothepublictreasury，which”AdamJellicoehadatdifferenttimeslentandadvancedtothesaidHenryCort，fromwhomthesamenowremainsjustlydueandowing；andthedeponentsaithheverilybelievesthatthesaidHenryCortismuchdecayedinhiscreditandinveryembarrassedcircumstances；andthereforethedeponentverilybelievesthattheaforesaiddebtsodueandowingtoHisMajestyisingreatdangerofbeinglostifsomemorespeedymeansbenottakenfortherecoverythanbytheordinaryprocessoftheCourt。”Extraordinarymeasureswerethereforeadopted。
TheassignmentsofCort’spatents，whichhadbeenmadetoJellicoeinconsiderationofhisadvances，weretakenpossessionof；butSamuelJellicoe，thesonofthedefaulter，singulartosay，wasputinpossessionofthepropertiesatFontleyandGosport，andcontinuedtoenjoythem，toCort’sexclusion，foraperiodoffourteenyears。Itdoesnothoweverappearthatanypatentrightwaseverleviedbytheassignees，andtheresultoftheproceedingwasthatthewholebenefitofCort’sinventionswasthusmadeovertotheironmastersandtothepublic。Hadtheestatebeenproperlyhandled，andthepatentrightsdueunderthecontractsmadebytheironmasterswithCortbeendulylevied，thereislittlereasontodoubtthatthewholeofthedebtowingtotheGovernmentwouldhavebeenpaidinthecourseofafewyears。”Whenweconsider，”saysMr。Webster，”howverysimplewastheprocessofdemandingofthecontractingironmastersthepatentduewhichfortheyear1789amountedto15，000L。，in1790to15，000L。，andin1791to25，000L。，andwhichdemandmighthavebeenenforcedbythesamelegalprocessusedtoruintheinventor，itisnotdifficulttosurmisethemotiveforabstaining。”Thecase，however，wasnotsosimpleasMr。Websterputsit；fortherewassuchacontingencyasthatoftheironmasterscombiningtodisputethepatentright，andthereiseveryreasontobelievethattheywerepreparedtoadoptthatcourse。*
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ThisisconfirmedbythereportofaHouseofCommonsCommitteeonthesubjectMr。DaviesGilbertchairman，inwhichtheysay，”Yourcommitteehavenotbeenabletosatisfythemselvesthateitherofthetwoinventions，oneforsubjectingcast-irontoanoperationtermedpuddlingduringitsconversiontomalleableiron，andtheotherforpassingitthroughflutedorgroovedrollers，weresonovelintheirprincipleortheirapplicationasfairlytoentitlethepetitioners[Mr。Cort’ssurvivors]toaparliamentaryreward。”Itis，however，statedbyMr。Mushetthattheevidencewasnotfairlytakenbythecommittee——thattheywereoverbornebytheaudacityofMr。SamuelHomfray，oneofthegreatWelshironmasters，whosestatementswerealtogetheratvariancewithknownfacts——andthatitwasunderhisinfluencethatMr。Gilbertdrewupthefallaciousreportofthecommittee。TheillustriousJamesWatt，writingtoDr。Blackin1784，astotheironproducedbyCort’sprocess，said，”ThoughIcannotperfectlyagreewithyouastoitsgoodness，yetthereismuchingenuityintheideaofformingthebarsinthatmanner，whichistheonlypartofhisprocesswhichhasanypretensionstonovelty……
Mr。Corthas，asyouobserve，beenmostilliberallytreatedbythetrade：theyareignorantbrutes；butheexposedhimselftoitbyshowingthemtheprocessbeforeitwasperfect，andseeinghisignoranceofthecommonoperationsofmakingiron，laughedatanddespisedhim；yettheywillcontrivebysomedirtyevasiontousehisprocess，orsuchpartsastheylike，withoutacknowledginghiminit。