New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-03-14

IS feet broad, with 27i feet of depth below the
water line, an extremely light rigging. and q
propelling power reckoned only at liz Knots
an hour, tho iron plates which cover her tim
Der frame being a inches in thickness. The
English Admiralty, improving. a. they con-
ceved, upon oil this in laying down tho plan
of the Warrior, appear to havo borrowed
merely the plating invention. the principle Oh
structure otherwise being essentially different
Finely drawn lines, and large proPelling power
in her case, are held at least Of equal account
with soldty in the water, and strength OF re-
sistanee in the exposed surface. Inc "arricr
is 40 feet in length over all, So feet proao'
and draws only &c feet of water; while her
propellinp power, as already partially tested
is over - knots an hour, in splte OF ner eno'.
nous burden of 6,O50 tuns. The thickness o'
the outside plates is in both cases the same
(45 .nches). The Warrior, however, has only
o6 ouus under armor covering, although she
MIGHT carry 4s. while La Gloire has the whole
Of her armament Of sc guns completely pro-
tected. But the difference between the two,
vye should think, must lie mainly in their lines
of construction. The short, broad hull Of the
French vessel. drawing even more water than
the Warrior, with her l6S feet OF additional
length. and only three more feet OF greater
breadth. can be but feeble competitor OF the
latter in q more race in open sea. And the
question which arises on the back Of this com.
pariscn, and on which the engagement in Hamp-
ton Roads has thrown some light, is whether
the number of guns and the amount Of pro-
polling power in irOn-plated vessels arc not
points subordinate in actual conflict, and in
the close graphing for which they arc de-
signed, to the stubborn power of passive re-
sistancs represented u their ponderous iron
ribs.
Ii is o curious but pertinent question to
q close inquest into the main incl
dents and the final result Of the fight between
the Monitor and the Merrimac-of what prac-
teal avail 10 La Gloire's broadside Of Is guns
against an iron fort the floating base of which
may be moved within a quarter Of her space,
while its revolving double .barreled ordnance
piece replies alone with as much effect as the
entire armament of the laundering frigate ?
OF what avail, again, are the stray shots which
such a vessel as the Monitor receives In
that cenched and desperate encounter OF Sun
day last, the Monitor was struck by twenty
two of the 900 shot fired by her antos-
onst and these, moreover, from ten
100 pound guns--without more than q barely
perceptible recoil; the Merrimac at the same
time repeating again aud again the experiment
made on tho Cumberland-of running down Oh
disabling the Monitor by her ponderous weight
and huge propeng power These We think
are plestons the solution Of which must open
up the way for . revolution, immediate and
complete, in all the previously conceived modes
of conducting naval warfare, and providing for
maritime defense. We must admit, Of course,
tho possibility of such q boat n' the Moni-
tor being overruD, or, IN measure, disabled
by an iron.clsd vessel propelled at the rate of,
.ay Is miles an hour although even that
contingepcy-looking to tho hold which the
Monitors hull has in the water aud to the
unyielding strength of her upper works. BY
no means imminent. But in calculating on the
possibility of cutting Q movable fortress-such
a. may DO ensily built. if indeed we have it
not now-in two. VIC must look 70 the facil.
tiles that such q boat as Capt. Ericsson's has
for avoiding collision. Unless La Gloire or the
Warrior should take her unawares, the chances
of hor escape are ten to ono in her favor, in
open sea ground from her ability to change
her tack with so much greater speed; while
the chances must be hundred to one in her
favor in shoal water, or in such limited fight
ing-ground 10 that in which she has been 80
severely tested. The broader question Of using
an Ericsson iron-clad battery away from the
coast is one on which we cannot venture 10
speculate. But rs to its effectiveness for
harbor defense, and for naval warfare such
as must follow in al engagement like that
Of Hampton Roads, speculation 10 electually
set at rest. And the additional merit must be-
awarded the inventor Of having introduced
an agency of War. the tendency Of which is TO
mitigate, rather than increase, its horrors.