Polynesian. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu], Hawaii) 1844-1864, 1862-05-03
Ghe polunesialr.
From the " Weekly Alta Chaliiernia," April I2th.l
The Monitor.

The New York papers censure severely the Sec
retary of the Navy for not having made provisions
earlier to meet the Merrimac. If the MOrStor had
been delayed in her passage only one day, the
rebel floating battery would, beyond question, rave
cleaned out all the shipping in Hampton Roaoa,
and could not have been prevented from shelllng
the President himself out of the White House.
1t was one of the most remarkable naval en-
gagements on record. The Monitor. according to
the wood-cuts which have been received, is some
thing very difficult to describe with pen and ink.
Its general appearance is that of fat-bOat sharp
at both ends. with round tower in the centre,
from which two guns protrude from opposite sides.
Her construction is such that she could only be
struck on deck from higher point, and the deck
being heavily plated, the balls of course must
glance without doing any damage.
According to the report of the fight, which will
be found elsewhere, she sailed around and around
the Merrimac, at such close quarters almost to
touch, delivering her fire with the greatest pre-
cision and deliberation. Ii is narrated that both
vessels fired several times lying almost alongside
each other. and the crashing and smashing of the
balls must have been terrific. An English officer
who witnessed the fight is reported to have said
that there is not a ship in the English navy that
could withstand the Monitor, and her achievements
in Hampton Roads go far to establish the correct
ness of the assertion. Neither the Warrior
the La Gl0ire could do her much damage, for being
only eighteen inches above the water when In
fighting condition. they would not have much sur
face at which to direct their enormous batteries.
They could only hope to gain victory by running
her down, but from her fight with the Merrindc,
it is possible that she is altogether too nmble for
such movement to be executed with success.
The inventor Of this most extraordinary battery
is John Ericsson, native of the Province OF erm-
eland, Sweden. He was born in 1903. The son
of mining proprietor, his earliest impressions
were derived from the engines and machinery of the
mines. In 1914 he attracted the attention OF the
celebrated Count Platen, the intimate friend OF
Bernadotte and being appointed a cadet in the En-
gineers, was employed a niueledr at the Grand
| Ship Canal, where he cut out the work for more
than s hundred soldiers. In 1896 he obtained
leave OF absence for visit to England, with the
view Of introducing his invention of a flame engine,
which he had exhibited in machine of ten horse
power This engine did not meet his expectations,
and involved heavy expenditures. which induced
him to resign his commission and devote himself
| to mechanical pursuits Numerous inventions fol-
| lowed, among which may be mentioned the steam
boiler on the principle of artificial draught, which
was applied to railway locomotives on the Liver
pool and Manchester road, in the fall of 1929.
But it was not till 1888 that he reduced to prac-
tce bis long cherished project of calorc engine,
and submitted the result to the scientific world IN
London. The invention excited very general in
Lardner and Professor Faraday. DIR. Andrew Ure
was daring enough to say that the invention would
| throw the name of his great countryman, james
| Watt in the shade but practical experience has
demonstrated the fact that it is not very we'll adap
ted to purposes of navigation, for though the con-
sumption of coal is only tri6ing, and the working
of the machinery perfect, the speed attained by the
| Ericsson, built by him in New York in 1852, was
not sufficient to meet the exigencies of commerce.
Ericsson next directed his attention to navIga-
ton, the result of which was the invention of the
propeller, and of that new arrangement of the
steam machinery in ships of war which has revo-
lutOnized the navies Of the world. He sought to
bring these inventions to the favorable notice of
the British Admiralty, and was listened to with
polite but incredulous attention. He found irore
confding listener in Captain r. f. Stockton, II
the United States Navy, by whose influence with
the Administration at Washington he was placed
in position to carry out his plans. He came to
New York in 1889, and in 1S4l was employed in
the construction of the United States ship-of-war
Princeton which the first steamship ever built
with the propelling machinery under the water
| line, and out of the reach of shot.
| He has been for many years a resident of Will
liamsburg, n. Y, and is citizen of the United
States. To his genius we owe our last escape from
great national calamity. There is no knowing
what damage the Merrimac would have done but
for the opportuDe appearance of his inven-
tion-the Monitor This fight will also revolu-
tionize the whole system of coast defences-at least
in such remote regions as the Pacific. One or two
Monitors, with monster floating battery con-
sructed after the fashion Of the MerTm0c, will be
hereafter sufficient for the protection of any OF
harbors None of those iron monsters which are
now being constructed in the old world could reach
US, and one d" Monitor would he more than
match for 4 feet of the old style of ships.