The Sun.
London, England, 1863-05-01 00:00:00

THE MONITORS AT CHARLESTO/

• - -0--

The following letter from Captain Ericsson
pears in the New York Times :—" I feel Ci
upon to state, for the information of the coup
that the imperfection of the Monitors, shows
Admiral Dupont's trial of their strength at Cha
ton, are not of a serious character. What has /
pened will be readily obviated for the fel
Everything connected with our new fighting.
chines worked precisely as intended, not a el
change of plan being galled for. The pilot
proving of insufficient thickness was not an unl
seen circumstance. The limited experience vy
we have had in actual conflict indicated that e
inches thickness would be sufficient, but it we
no means as,,umed to be a settled point. 5
such a construction was adopted that, without
moving the structure, or changing its interior
.
rangements, any number of additional plates ni/
be attached to the exterior, and its thickness
creased to any extent. So with regard to
turret. It is constructed of an interior skele
cylinder, composed of plates firmly riveted toget.
to which any number of plates may be bolted.
is by no means yet established that our tur
require increased thickness, excepting possi
at the base. The public will do well not tt
alarmed by the remarks of inexperienced obsery
who are startled at seeing the indentations produ
by the enemy's projectiles. We apply armour
keep out hostile shot—not to prevent scars and
dentations. So far we have fully succeeded.
will be proper to observe that the supposed irel
tect steering qualities are utter 4 groundless. Th
is no class of vessels in the navy that obey di
eelm so readily as the Monitors. The reason
self-evident. The large equipoise rudder emploj
is acted upon by the powerful current, from the p
peller with such force as to change the course of
vessel with the slightest motion of the helm.
strong currents and in shallow water, as in Charl
ton harbour, no vessel can be readily manceavr
Admiral Dupont's preliminary attack on Charles
—the first practical test of ironclads—must be
garded as the most important event in naval histo
To this country the gallant assault on Sumter
.
the new and untried vessels, exposed to the tern
flanking and raking fire of numerous other forts;
fraught with incalculable benefit. Whatever In
be the ulterior object of Government the substant
advantage has already been secured of knows
exactly what the ironclads can endure, and vdi
remains to be done to render the new system PI
feet. It was high time that a practical test, w
instituted, since we are building a more nueaerc
iron-clad fleet than is possessed by ail Europe. 1'
nation may thank the commanders of the Manitr
for the knowledge gained through their gallantr
With less daring on their part the Navy DePal
ment would yet lack some information necessary
direct the completion of the impregnable fleet ec
building. At the same time the spirited attack '
Sumter and the havoc made during half an how
contest warn the Confederate leaders that they rail
keep their numerous batteries fully manned, at
that they must not for a moment slacken 06
vigilance, with Dupont and his Monitors with]
half a day's sail. The history of war may be search
in vain for an instance of such costly preparation
kept up at such Nast expenditure, as Charlesti
now requires to ward off the blow from half a doge
small vessels, manned, provisioned, and coaled
less cost than an ordinary first-class screw ship**.
Yours very respectfully,—J. ERICSSON. N
York, April 14."

THE RICHMOND RIOT.

In reference to the recent bread riot at Richolollt
the Whi:q of the 6th ult. says :—" Happily the°
daylight burglaries are undergoing judicial invest'
gation. A great part of the stolen goods has beet
reclaimed. The ringleaders are being arrested
they will be tried and punished. A full account °
the affair, from its obscure origin to its disgracefti
culmination, will be made public, and the exagge
rations that have goJe to the country will be CO'll3
teracted. Triat there was any just ground for a
saatneful disturbance of Thursday no one believ°
The more it is looked into, the more causeless it 8P
pears. Doubtless there is much suffering in the ell
, But the fund voted for the poor was by no nieae
• exhausted. The churches were willing and abilw
dantly able to relieve distress. Private benevolenc4
had not been appealed to. No petition, no renioll;
trance had been made: yet, on a sudden, 100 or 10v6
well-dressed, plump-cheeked women, led by a virB6
who is known to have made a fortune by marketd°
gardening, and cheered by a rabble of gamblers fie
ruffians, who ar., protected here by a special tole;
ration of the Confederate, State, and music
Governments that misrule this unhappy city
of a sudden this throng of courtesans and tbievne
assembles in the Capitol square, organises, and Pri
ceeds to break open stores—to get what ? Not Ineflo
and bread, but boots, shoes, silk dresses, tobac.ert
jewellery, and the like. These the mayor, in his i 0
vestigation last Friday, suggests pertinently, are 000
0,
articles of food. But there is a proof more a
vincing than any yet given of the absurdity av
falsehood of the plea that this row was occasit3eea
by suffering for food or clothing, and that is the
Get, substantiated by every housekeeper in .tf
city, that notwithstanding high prices and scarcity
of provisions, there have been fewer applioati°o`o
„y
for charity than in any previous winter for ine
years. The entire absence of beggars at a time
this, and in a city so crowded by idlers as
mond, is very notable. The writer of this article
can testify that during the whole winter he 1389%
countered but two beggars, ono of whom, an obvi°o
impostor, wanted to fight because her veracity
doubted, while the other set upon him with t
stunning petition for a quarter to buy a cat e,
chism!' The truth is, this petticoated foray lc:,
political in its origin, as the simultaneous disturb
ances in other cities indicate, and as the evidePeo
before the mayor will yet prove. If there be 8
of good in things evil, this ridiculous affair may 4,
turned to account. It ought to put a stop to b°9...rto
ing, to suppress speculation, to induce prodtioe'iii,
bring in supplies, to make the Government faeero
tate transportation, and to clean out the gaalbi tet
loafers, and ruffians, stock, lock, and barrel.
raao
Congress at once pass a law requiring every
le,
to show that he is engaged in some honest, up
ful calling, or else go into the army forthwith' tot
this way the five and twenty gambling-houses
tol
feed every day nearly as many thousand id)eo'wee
thereby run up the price of provisions, will be sloe
away. And let our high officials display a id
i r°
courage and a little reason. The people are not a
I,et
of unpleasant truths; why should they bv ? orto
them not attempt impossibilities. But the rePoge
in the papers will go to the country and enc°utbao
other riots. Better a correct account in prititood
a thousand exiggeratiens from as many tongues it
private letters. If the riots occur put them (I°'i° oeV
v
is easily enough done. But the Yankees Willo
hold of it. Certainly. What if they do P Lett.oot°
make the most of it ; they are going to do thtriroxeeo
any way. Better a thousandfold that the Ye
dust
should pty their lying arts with all the aid the bola
fected here can given them than that the people stiraor.
see that the Government of Jefferson Davis le are
ous about anything on earth. The Pell patia
manly ; so should their Government he, arl,
any thitw'so.o
bold, calm face on everything. If
be kept back,' the fate of Ananias should
olio ovt
of the folly of attempting it. Have wt leroatero
deep in the mire of a sneaking, evasive, awe 1,
truckling and bullying policy, as not to be ,ipecit..
turn round and face Yankees and females coin,euders
Or shall it go to the country that the Colil part
Government is scared out of its wits because air °p
cel of women broke open a store and 8101 e a psi
shoes ?"

tionTil tErilf
----------.. Oti'
the interesting " victim of circumstances,''aElsL,VaEnßdToeNs C A
.8 El
l. —The admirers of oet 0
'4° ...
peel(' y the sylnliathiser 'acre'
Aire. .rtille
Yelverton, will be sorry to hear that in all probabil,;;i of
appealhe from the Scottish court, affirming the caliulo of
marriage, will not be argued before the ill; to
Lords this session. The pursuer" ifi
.iref,i tri'
bring her case before the last and ‘l:hest of mullo—lior
bunals, but the defender is not ready! The gall/lotto—pre'
has applied for and obtained an extension of tires
oeoooo
pare his case, and the probability is that, es tile beefslt/
are
is now half over, and a good many appeals - 0000
the house, the lady is destined to remail,, fos sraii4
year in her present equivocal position.--
Daily Nag,