His last letters expressed his concern about the hardships of sailor boys, the reasons for the mutinies in the Navy and the perils of convoy. He gave a vivid description of traditional Naval punishments. He thought that these cruelties, so readily meted out to sailors just for disobedience, would be better applied to those on land who ill-treat, forge, rob and plunder the peaceable inhabitants of the country. His last article appeared on 18 May 1833 and addressed, among a number of topics, uselessness of our "colossal three-deckers". Twelve of these at anchor may be a stately sight, but what good is it to incarcerate 10,000 seamen in them for ten to fifteen years at a time? He concluded "Our colossal Navy is merely an object of magnificence, and show of power, without opposition in the present state of Europe". His words do have a certain resonance today.