The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1862-03-21

| conference 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 ves-
eel is in the sea way perhaps the safest
vessel ever built. 1t takes GO, 1000 ID. to
bring her down. There can be no danger of
her swapping. It is very much like bot.
tie with a cork 10 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.
II they bad kept off at distance of 200
yards, and held the guns exactly level, the
shot would have gone clear through. But
Mr.. Sinners had the guns elevated little,
and the roof Of the Merrimac is so strong
that the balls rebounded. Next time they
encounter the Merrimac they will leave the
guns level, and they won't mind if the ball
strikes the water, because she 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 fifty wrought iron shot
which we're not used. Captain Dahlgren
issued peremptory orders that they should
not be used, and they obeyed those orders.
Now. wrought iron shot is one thing, and a
cast iron shot is another. A wrought iron
shot cannot break. The side armor of the
Merrlmac is insufficient to resist it. The
channel is very narrow, and the Merrimac
must follow it. But the Monitor Can 90
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
Captain Ericsson whether he has heard that
one of his shot entered the Merrimac, killed
II men, and wounded Capt. Buchanan, who
since died.
MIR. ERICssON-I have not.
MIR. BRowN-It must have been a shell.
Mr.. ERICssoN-That is not possible but
if solid shot goes through the Merrimac,
the armor would be carried in in a great
many spliDters; the shot weighing 185
pounds, there would be a regular shower of
wood and iron but it is quite we'll ascer-
tanned that shell cannot pass an irOn-plate
two inches thick. You can hardly imagine
what commotion would take place from
such a shot. The decks would be almost
literally removed.
A MEMBER-I would like to ask of Capt.
Ericsson whether his battery could not be
erected on various points in our harbor for
its defence?
Mr.. ERIcssoN-I imagine that the best
kind of harbor defence is floating struc-
ture that can be removed from place to
place.
The MEMBER-You can move this turret
in any direction, and save all the expense of
your vessel, and you require only a small
steam engine.
Mr.. ERIcssoN-This vessel is equal to
twenty forts. 1t can move from place to
place. In this battery you have vessel
that draws only twelve feet OF water. The
Warrior, drawing thirty-four feet of water,
must come in the middle of the channel, and
we could move along the shore. By means
OF one single floating battery you could de-
fend the harbor better than by twenty forts.
That is easily demonstrated.