Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1862-05-17
what tho War has Demonstrated.

A charge has come Ger the British
dream. The bullies who, three months
ago, when we were in deepest trouble,
were boastipg that they would send the
WGrrier TO lombard the cities of New
York and Hoboken," and dictate peace with
Armstrong cannon pointed at peaceful
dwellings, full of women and children, are
now BUNDLED aud panic-stricken. The
battle OF the ninth of March has filed them
with terror. They realize that battle
destroyed not only the Cumberland aud Con.
gyess, but likewise the entire British Uayy !;
that the wooden walls of England are gone !;
that the British Navy consists of two ships,
the Warrior aud the Black Prince, both
probably failures and that, in all proba.
bility, before New Year 1863 the United
States and France will both be as supe.
rior 10 Great Britain at sea as they now
ore on land. Under the pressure of these
distressing reflections John Bull has set to
work to build Monitors on the plan of Cap
tain Ericsson, taking care, after his usual
fashion 10 claim our gallant countryman's in
vention for an Eugllshman of the name oil
Coles
We think We may safely say that the
London 10 consequence OF the performance
Of the Monitor is only the 6rst of a ser les
Of fits which this war Of ours is destined TO
occasion in Europe.
In the first place, the Monitor is ouly an
experiment, aud by the time Great Britain
has spent few millions in building copies
of her, very improved model will probably
have been adopted here The six Ericsson
batteries which are now being const ructed
for Government are greatly superior il
many respects to the antagonists of the
Merrimae. Another fight will suggest fur
ther improvements. In the course of the
next sixty days the Gatena, and Roanoke
and the KeBsiagtoa will have been unde
fire, and will have taught us further les
sons. 1t may be that the Monitor, though
capable Of coping With a rude product O
southern shill like the Merrimac, will bt
found inferior to one or all of these yes
sells. Captain Ersson himself does not re-
gard his model as 6nality, though it is
obviously step 10 advance of previous
models. There are many competent sailors
and naval authorities who deem the Paad.
erbtLt the most formidable war yes sci aAoat
in oar waters. Commodore Porter. now
in command Of the mortar feet at New
Orleans. is understood to have declared,
ten years ago, that be would undertake tC
fight any ship-of-thene with the ole
George Law, which was lost 10 1858. snd
which carried no guns at ar 1t may turr
out that for all purposes Of eombats betweeI
ship and ship, guus are super Auity, anC
that the only things needful are speed,
sharp beak, and an inVunerable hull. Thus
while there is every reason TO believe tha
ths little Monitor, now lying in Hampto
Rords, would destroy the whole Britis
navy--ineluding the WarTi0r aud th
Black Prince--in very short time, will
out receiving any material injury hersel
it is far from likely that the Monitor wi
be the most formidable vessel in our navy
few months hence.
Meanwhile the progress made in offensiV
weapons is as great as in defensive armo
This war Of ours has reyolutionized Ih
seieRee Of artillery. At SebasLopOl Ii
guns used were smothe bores. There wa
Lancaster gun st one time in better,
out il did not answer and was discarded
IN the Italian war rihed 4 aud 6 poundel
we're used BY the French with satisiaet0r
results. In the Chinese war Armslron
~ pOundsrs were used for short perio
Of time, aud their performances was wei
spoken Of; no opportunity offered for dis
covering their well-knoRn, defets. w
are now arming our ships With riaed IOO
Founders the new Monitors are to carr
15ineh guns, throwing balls weighing
500 pounds. Our siege batteries consis
ef riAed 80 and 40 pounders, aud 68 an
100 ponud COlumbiads. The results Of th
change are seen 10 the reports Of the bon
haFdment Of Fort Pulaski. Heretofor
400 yards has been considered fair breach
Ing distance. though argilIersts are recon-
mended IN the textbooks to get 1000 yard
nearoF If possible. Two years ago gnn
ner who had proposed 10 erect breachipl
battery a. halt mile from the wall 10 be at