The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1862-03-11
The Monitor,

The iron-clad steam battery Monitor, which
rendered such timely and eilcent service in the
naval engagement at the mouth of James river,
is one OF the steamers built under an act of
Congress passed last summer authorizing the
Secretary of the Navy to advertise for pro-
posals for the construction Of iron-cad YES
sells OF war, those making proposals in all
cases to furnish their own plans One of the
designs accepted was from Captain Ericsson, the
well known engineer. The work on the battery
assigned to him, was rapidly completed and she
was launched at New York un the 3Oth of Jan
uary last. The following description has been
given of her, and we reproduce it as of interest
at this time:
"The vessel is described as broad, long, fat
bottomed vessel, with vertical sides and pointed
ends, requiring but very shallow depth of Wa
ter to float in, though heavily loaded with an
impregnable armor upon its sides, and bomb
proof deck, on which is placed shot-proof re-
volvipg turret, fitted to two very heavy guns
1t Is 30 low in the water as to afford no target
for an enemy, and everything and everybody is
below the water-lne, with the exception of the
persons working the guns, who are protected by
the shot-proof turret. The sides of the vessel
are first formed of plato iron, half inch thick,
outside of which is attached solid white oak
twenty-six inches thick; outside of this again
is rolled iron armor five inches thick The
bomb.proof deck is supported by heavy braccd
oak beams, upon which is laid planking seven
inches thick, covered with rolled plate iron one
inch thick.
The turret consists of rolled plate iron skel-
eton, one inch thick to which are riveted eight
thicknesses, of one inch each, of rolled iron, all
firmly boltod together with nuts inside, 80 tina,
if plate Is started it can be at once frightened
again. The top is covered with a bomb-pro
roof perforated with holes. The lower part OIL
the gun carriages consists Of solid wrong hit iron
beams. These are planed perfectly true and arc
placed parallel in the turret-both of the gum
pointing in the same direction. The ports
through Che side of the tunnel are only large
enough to permit the muzzle of the gun to b.
thrust through. Inside of them are wrought
iron pendulums, which close them against thu
enemy as soon as the gun recois. Two of tn,
largest Dahlgren guns are placed in this turret
The whole is made to revolve by pair of steam
engines placed beneath the deck.
10 give the upper portion of the vessel tn
proper powers Of locomotion. there is suspended
beneath it another one of less strength, stuff
GENTLY narrow and sloping at the sides that i
: the enemys balls should pass below the shot
proof upper vessel, these sides can only be hi
: at such an acute angle that no harm shall ensue
and in its length approaching the bow only s
far that its raking stem may receive the she
fired from directly ahead in the same way, an
at the stern giving sufficient space to permit tn
, shot coming directly aft to pass under the sho,
, proof end without hitting tho rudder, which
, a.aft the propeller The lower vessel is of iron
cne-half inch thick, and made in the usua
t manner. twill carry the machinery, coal, &c
n aft, and forward the officers quarters, ammun
ton and stores. The two partitions of the vel
=. sci are separated by wrought iron bulkheat
The machinery consists OF two horizontal tubr
lar boilers, and two horizontal condensing OF