Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1862-03-28
The Working of the Monitor.

descriptive of the mode OF operating H.
which we give below: /
"Refore the Monitor lett, ! charged
the officer particularly to tell the men not
TO be frightened. told him to tell TIE
men, let every man 90 down on his knees
and don't be alarmed when the rebel shot
strikes Won because it won't hurt you
They all put the question to him, won't
the shot 90 drought NO. says he, 1t
will stay out Then we don't care,
they said. Bat for This precaution, there
would have been great CONSERVATION
wheE the turret was struck. You may
estimate the shock when shot OF 200
pound, weight, moving at a rate OF 2ooo
feet in a second, strikes within a foot OF
mans head.
proposed to the captain to let the
sailing master turn the turTet. On one
side of the turret there is telescope, |
rp1ector,the image being bent by prism
This sailing master, who has nothing to
do on the Monitor proposed should be
stationed there. lie not only Iooaed
through tie Telescope, but by means OF
small wheel be turned the turret just eX-
actIy where he liked. He did that to
admiration, pointing it exactly on the en-.
emy. As the Monitor went round, the
turret kept turning Git no doubt aston
ished Capt Buchanan) SO that wherever
the Monitor was, in whatever position 1t
was placed, the two bulldogs kept look
inn at him all the time.
The men were new; their passage bad
been rough, and the master had to pni
his vessel right under the heaviest guns
that are ever worked on shipboard. II
is evident that but for the presence OF
master mind on board of that vessel sue
cess could not have been achieved. N
doubt Capt. Worden acquitted himself II
the most mastery manner But ever,
thing was quite new. He felt quite ner
yous before he went on board. The Ia.
that the bulwark of the vessel was bu
one foot above the water Inc was eEoug
10 make him so. When was before tn
Naval Committee, the grand obJeetio
was that in sea way the vessel would nc
work. gave it as my opinion that
wond prove the most easy working J
sea way, and it is an excellent sea boa
The men are supplied with fresh air, The
there is no opening except through To
turret, by means of blowers worked b
the engines, and they are perfectly con
Portable. They can remain on the top
the turret in the sea way; ii Is aixly-io'
feet in circumference quite a prone
AIDE. Though the deck is bat 70
above the water line, the top Of the III
ret is nine feet above; and here IS Il
important point, that this vessel Is IN Il
sea way perhaps the safest vessel ey'
built. 1t takes $4,000 pounds to brr
her down. There can be no dagger
her swapping. 1t is very much like
bottle with a cork in ii.
In relation TO the Ioint' whether I
Monitor is capable Of taking care OF t
Merrimac, let me say that she would la
sunk the Mprrimoc but for the fact
her having fred too high. If they b
kept off at distance Of 200 yards, a
held the gun exactly level the shot wor
have gone clear through. But Mr.. ;
mers Lad the guns elevated little, a
the roof of the Merrmac is 50 strong q
the balls reboanded Next time II
encounter the Mrrrimac they will Ica
the guns level, and they won't mind
the ball strikes the water, because
ricochet will take it where they want
The next time they 60 out | predict
third round will sink the Merrimac
There is another great point. They
fifty wrought iron shot which were
used. Capt. DahIgren issued Peremi
ry orders that they shoul" not be "a
and they obeyed those orders. \
wrought iron shot is one thing, aud
iron shot is another. 4 wrought
shot cannot break. The side armor
the Merrimac i, insufficient to resist
The channel is very narrow, and
Merrimac must follow it. Bot the N
itor can 30 anywhere and take The s
best position.
A Membcr.-how often can they
Mr. Ericsson-In about one mi
and half. 1t is often said one
would be sufficient, but it is not so.
having two guns you have time for
TO cool. You may depend upoa it ii
the Merrimac comes out again she
be sunk.
Mr.. Wetmore.-I should like TO a
Capt. Ericsson whether he has heard
one of his shot entered the Merrl
killed seventeen men, and wounded
i