Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1862-03-21

actly where he liked. He did that to ad-
miration, pointing it exactly on the enc
my. AS the monitor went round, the
turret kept turning Gt no doubt astonish-
cd Capt Buchannan) so that wherever the
Monitor was, in whatever position it was
placed, the two bulldogs kept looking at
him all the time
Capt. Ericsson, l congratulate you upon your
geat guccess. Thousands have this day blessed
you. l have heard whole crews cheer you. Eve
ry man feels that you have saved this place to the
nation by furnishing us with the means to whip
an iron clad frigate that was, until our arrival.
having it all her own way with our most power
full vessels.
| am, with much esteem, truly yours,
,ALBAN q. SINNERS.
Capt. ]. Ericsson New York.
l cannot permit this opportunity to
pass without saying that / look upon the
success of that as being entirely owing to
the presence of a master mind. The men
were new; their passage had been very
rough, and the master had to put his
vessel right under the heaviest guns that
are ever worked on ship board. 1t is ev-
idcnt that but for the presence of master
mind on board of that vessel, that success
could not have been achieved. Capt.
Worden, no doubt, acquitted himself in
the most masterly manner. But every
thing was quite new. He felt quite ner-
vous before he went on board. The fact
that the bulwark of the vessel was but
one foot above the water-line was enough
to make him so. When | was before the
Naval Committee, the grand objection was
that in sea way the vessel would not work
l gave it as my opinion that it would
prove the most easy working in sea way,
and it is an excellent sea boat. The men
are supplied with fresh air, though there
is no opening except through the turret,
by means of blowers worked by the en-
gines, and they are perfectly comfortable.
They can remain on the top of the turret
in the sea way; it is GA feet in circumGer-
ence-quitc promenade. Though the
deck is but foot above the water-line,
the top of the turret is nine feet above !;
and here is the important point, that this
vessel is in the sea way perhaps the safest
vessel ever built. 1t takes $40, 900 lb to
bring her down. There can be no danger
of her swamping 1t is very much like a
bottle with cork in it. In relation to
the point, whether the Monitor is capable
of taking care of the Merrimac, let me say
that she would have sunk the Merrimac
but for the fact of her having fired too
high. If they had kept off at distance
of 200 yards, and held the gun exactly
level, the shot would have gone clear
through. But Mr.. Stimers had the guns
elevated little, and the roof of the Mer-
l
rimacis 50 strong that the balls rebounded.
Next time they encounter the Merrimac
they will leave the guns level, and they
won't mind if the bali strikes the water,
because the ricochet will take it where
they want it. The next time they 60 out,
| predict the third round will sink the
Merrimac. There is another great point.
They had 80 wrought iron shot which
were not used. Capt Dahlgreen issued
peremptory orders that they should not
be used, and they obeyed these orders.
Now wrought iron shot is one thing and
a cast iron shot is another. A wrought
iron shot cannot breek, The side armor
of the Mcrrimac is insufficient to resist it.
The channel is very narrow. and the
Merrimac must follow it. But the Mon
itor can 60 anywhere and take the very
best position.
A Member-How often can they fire =?
Mr.. Ericsson--In about one minute
and half 1t is often said one gun
would be sufficient, but it is not SO. By
having two guns you have time for one to
cool. You may depend upon it that if
the Merrimac comes out again she will be
sunk.
Mr.. Wetmore-I should like to ask Of
Capt. Ericsson whether he has heard that
one Of his shot entered the Merrimac,
killed II men, and wounded Capt Bu-
channan, who has since died.
Mr.. Ericsson-I have not.
Mr.. Brown-It must have been shell.
| Mr.. Ericsson-lhat is not possible
but if o solid shot goes through the Mer.