Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1862-04-25

TIE LONDON TINES ON THE MONITOR AND
MERRIMAc.-The Times after stating the
character Of our two iron plated antagon-
ists, draws the following iutercnces
"On Il comparison OF these conditions we
should naturally expect that, unless all ron
sides were proof against all other IronsIdeS,
the Mcrrimac would beat the ManitJr. Yet
it was not 81. The Monitor had, 1T anyrate
not the worst Of the fight, and she certain
" brought the Mcrrimac 's career OF victory
to a Gloss. Now, ii we are entitled to a.
sumo that these vessels We're pretty well
matched, ii must follow that the Monitor is
a more desirable model than the Merrimlc,
for she has yielded equal results at far
less cost. She WAS actually launched with
in three months OF the day her keel was laid,
and she was built for less than 900 900. If
we mpare such work with the time and
money devoted To our own Achilles the con
trast will be not a little surprising.
IL ia clear however, that neither the Mcr-
rimac nor the Monitor can be exactly meas
ured against cur own pro iuctions. 1t does
not appear, for instance, that either OF
these vessels could put to sea, or venture Lar
from land, whereas our own Warrior, as
will have been seen from Captain Cochrane :
report in cur impression of Yesterday, is fit
for active service in any part OF the world
Still there are points OF great interest involved
in the comparison. Both the American YES
sells have soping sides, or if the Monitor 5
sides are not get at an angle they are so low
as to offer little mark for snot, The Aneri-
cans, therefore, seem to rely upon tine pro-
lection thus obtained by this cxpedlent,
whereas we have not yet adopted it, and, ,
indeed. the ron Plate Committee of the
Institution of Naval Architects have Just
declared their conclusion that 'angllltHd
sides possess no real advantage as compared
with the usual upright sides. Yet one OBJ
lection which was urged against slipping
sides has not been supported by the expert
ence of the late action. 1t WAS pllusIhly
said that a ship acting like ram might run
over one of these low vessels with the great
est ease, but the merrlmac did strike the
Monitor without any such result. Another
notable point is ugsested by the armaments
of the two vessels The Monitor had two
guns only, but each of these guns were near
ly twice as large as one of the Msrrmac's 's,
and they were worked from a .turrat, If,
therefore, two guns proved match for
twelve, it must have been owing either to
their calibre, or to the now method OF work
ing them. One conclusion, however, admits
of no doubt whatever, and it happens to be
the most important OF all. There is an end
of wooden ships forever, and the Americans
are recognizing the fact to some purpose
In addition to what they have layished on
iron clad vessels during the last twelve
months, they are now preparing to vote
S26 900 200, or upward Of $1,000 900,
more, for structures of the same class, and
will probably spend on this object, without
stint or scruple, in the course Of n year or
two, sum which no British Minister could
venture to demand Let us hope that We
may turn their teaching to good account,
and match them in the efficiency, if not in
the expensyencss, of our proccedings.'