Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1862-03-13
THE MOyrrOR.

The following is a brief history anl des-
cription of tn, IRON clad ship Monitor.
which attacked and repGlsel the rebel ship
Mcrrimac:
In December last the D,arl Of Na-al Of
fi.ers appointed 10 report on iron-clal
ships and batteries pre>eu'ci to the De-
parrment their views. ~ the result of this
report. proposals We're forthwith invitel
for IrnA mail plates for arming our present
VINO len vessels. A. the Boarl. in the ones
,inu between ships all iron and those of
wool iron-rla'l. inclined to the latter. rs
cruisers. iron AMI iron -clal ships will be
unsuccessful. they think. because. though
their attack on woolen vessels must be IA
tai. the wooden ship would keep out of the
way.
Ii was suggested that our Government
shonl.l procure an iron clai vessel. To be
built in England: but this was unneeessa-
ry. a the event has proved l, was deter
mine.l - seek for proposals among oar
own ship builders. The qualities demand
e.l were light 1ranglt anil iuvulnerabili,y.
the Board =. ceived seventeen proposals
of which the most remarkable was one by
j. E-icss,a. New York w,o prop,sel
b,itery. LIZ feet long 4 feet brosi. Iii
f.et deep. 10 feet dranght. l,255 tons.
ma a>urement. to make >prel of 9 miles
pr hour. to cost S275.009. and require
100 days to buil,l.
Capt. Ericsson is best known 10 the
world a. the inventor of the Caloric Motor.
The contract with him bore date 9th OF
October. AMI stipulsiel that within one
lspn-lrel day> the entire ssructurc must be
really for active service. In view of the
magntu lie Of the work to be performed.
this con lition appeared almost impossible
to comply with. an | callel for extraorli-
nary diligence on the part of the conStruc-
tor There was another stipulation in the
contract Of NEST remarkable ciiafacter
anil probably without a precedent. viz.
the I :al Of the efficiency OF the battery
nslst be msle unilcr the guns of the enc
my's batteries at the shortest ranges. The
United States to furnish guns anil ammu-
uitinn. as well as officers ami men.
The following Is hrief sketch of Cap
tain EricsSon's plan as developed in the
'MoxlroR:"
The structure consists OF three princi-
pal parts. viz: a shallow d.ckcd vessel
With perpendicular sides. dea Hat bottom
and pointed ends. Un'ler this shallow
vessel a seconl and deeper vessel is attach
ell with raking stem and stern. perfectly
flat bottom and sisles inclined at angle Of
81 deg. to the vertical line. This lower
vessel does not extend the entire length or
L. LII. IF h. t.
communication with the latter. the bottom
Of which. is cat out corresponding exactly
with the top line Of the lower vessel. The
third principal part consists of cylindri-
cal turret placed on the upper vessel
This turret contains the armament, which
Il effectualIy protects. We have only to
add that . screw propeller is applied aft
of the raking stem of the lower vessel.
sai at of the propeller an equidoise rud-
der. both of which are TINS hidden under
the upper vessel. by which they are most
enectnssiy protected; she anchor being in
like manner protected by the forward pro-
jeeting part Of the upper vessel. within
which il IS suspended In cylindrical
chamber chamber open from below A
steom engine. boilers and blowers, I'll
snugH sfoged away in the lower vessel.
complete the general arrangement Of the
battery which Ericsson has been building
for the Government for the purpose of ST.
lencing the guns of our antagonists on the
banks of the Southern rivers The fol-.
lowing pasticulsrs will furnish our readers
with tn; necessary data for estimating the
chances OF success in this important enter