Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1862-03-12

one-half inch thick, made in the usual man
ner, and contains in its after part the steam
machinery and coal, and in the forward part
the poop being divided by a wrought iron
bulkhead-the quarters for the officers and
crew, and the ammunition and stores In de-
scribing the upper and lower vessel, it must
not be imagined that they are constructed sep
arately; they form together one vessel; il is
only as respects form that they can be regarded
as two.
THE PILoT-HoUss AND ANCHOR
The pilot Is protected by a shot proof pilot
house, which alone weighs % 900 pounds The
house stands Eve feet above the level Of the
deck. The anchor is suspended from a circu-
lar well, open at the bottom, situated in the
extreme bow of the upper vessel, and connected
with the capstan in the bow of the lower one.
An arrangement is also provided for taking
soundings below the water line.
TIE TURRET.
The turret spoken of above is for the pro-
lection of the men while working the guns; in
fact, no one is exposed or seen BY the enemy.
The turret revolves, and consists, first. of q
rolled plate iron skeleton, one inch thick, to
which Is riveted two thicknesses, of one inch
each, Of rolled iron plates. Outside of these
riveted plates are six thicknesses, of one inch
each, Of rolled plates bolted firmly to the first
two thicknesses with screw bolts, having deep
cOuntersunk heads on the outside and nuts
within, so that If in action the enemy's shot
should loosen any Of the plates they can easily
be refastened. The seams are vertical, and
these break joints with each other, conse-
quently no shot can strike the seam of more
than one thickness. The top is covered with
boom-Proof roof, placed six inches down
within the turret, and perforated with holes
In addition to the above, the gunners are pro-
tected by shield within the turret Of one and
half inch thickness.
FOR WHAT THE MONITOR WAS INTENDED.
The Ericsson battery was not intended for
an ordinary cruiser, but for the defence of our
harbors and coast, and for operations such as
those in which she has just achieved such a
signal success. She is enabled to carry eight
days fuel, and thus can proceed easily from
port to port along our seaboard. Provisions
for three months can be slowed away in her,
and acondensing apparatus for supplying fresh
water to the officers and crew Is fitted up on
board.
THE LAST TRIAL TRIP OF THE MONITOR AND ITS
RESULTS.
On the Sd inst. the Monitor went on a trial
trip down the bay, about five miles beyond
Fort Lafayette. Her steering qualities were
found to be all that could be desired
The guns were fred to test the question
which had been mooted, of whether the CON-
cussion within the turret would not be 30 great
as to injure seriously the ears of the men
matches in the roof open. Then a charge of
canister, weighing 135 pounds, with Is pounds
of powder, with the matches still open and
finally the same charge with the matches
closed, as they will be under the fire of the
enemy. 1t was found that in every case the
conclusion in every part Of the interior of the
turret was considerably less than when stand
ing near such a gun fired in the open air The
sailors stationed at the guns, and who expected
to handle them shortly against the enemy, all
expressed themselves delighted at the success
of the trial. The speed Of the vessel by the
ship log was six and one-quarter knots, the
engines making sixty-fve revolutions.
HER AMMUNITION.
At the Novelty Iron Works a quantity of
solid wrought iron shot was forged for the
Monitor, each one weighing l67 pounds. These
were intended for perforating and sinking
iron-clsd vessels of the enemy whose sides are
the ordinary height above the water line.
Besides these she carries a quantity of cast
iron shots weighing us pounds each, and one
hundred round Of shells, in weight 155 pounds
each.
DIMENSIONS OF THE MONITOR.
Annexed are the dimensions of the Mon