New-York daily tribune., 1863-10-26

ship more than on anything else; and broad
side ship cannot of course carry guns so heavy
as q turreted vessel. On the ocean, what II
most needed is gun throwing shot sufficiently
heavy to sink an opponent in tho quickest posi-.
BILE time. Wo believe the 450-pound shot OF
the 15-inch gun falls with tho crushing weight
Of 900 tuns Driven with proper complement
of powder, this projcctile should capsize vcs-
sci of ,OCO tuns.
II should be remembered that broadside
ship cannot DO built Of the same size as The
monitors; sho must he very much larger
and cost more than twice as much money.
The price Of each monitor was 940O, ,0CO, and
We are building now twenty for which only
about 1866, 900 each will be paid. The original
price of the New Ironsides was $3.50, ,000 and
the amount of money that has been expended
on her since is only known to the Navy De-
partmcnt 1t was probably not less than one
million two hundred thousand dollars. II we
were to have fifty ships like her, therefore, it
would cost fifty millions, or nearly our entire
years Naval expenses. But fifty monitors
would only cost twenty millions. As it is prob
able. therefore, that we shalLbuild some seven
ty or eighty iron-clads in all, we think it would
be better to build ten or fifteen craft like the
New Ironsidcs, and fifty or sixty like the moni-
tors. As il is wo shall have about forty moni-
tors, 40 that the addition of ten or fifteen more
would give us very good feet. or ocean
ships, we have not so many; but. under exist
ing circumstances, it would not be polite for
us to analyne this department Of our Navy.
In broadside ships. that portion of the crew
whose business it is to be on the spar deck are
all exposed, like the crews Of all old.fashoned
frigates, to the shells of the enemy; and in mod.
ein DAYS, whom artillcrists throw prcjectlcs with
such accuracy. the wide deck Of a long frigatc
will afford very poor chance Of escape. The
bulwarks OF o large ship are an inviting target,
and make the ship mark easily struck. II
may be said that, even if all her bulwark5 were
shot away, the New Ironsidos might float.
Very true; but the repairs would cost almost
as much a. the construction OF two monitors.
We have several vesself in our navy now whose
repairs, anes ten or twelve years, have involved
more expense than their original cost. In tho
monitors. tho damage done by tho enemy GEN.
ters almost entirely on the turret. Bulwarks
there are mono; and the few inches of hull that
rise above wa.cr-mark are so inds,inct that
even at o short distance IT would take good
mark sman 10 strike them under any oircum-
stances. The decks OF tho monitors, TO be sure
are open TO plunging shot; so are the decks
Of all other vessels. But We do not
mean TO institute inyidlous comparisons
between the merits Of the broadside aud the
turro,cd vessels. Our purpose IL TO show the
advantage Of having both types. and proper
proportion Of each. The sca.golng qualities OF
'he monitor. Is point on which thcre is con-
siderable difference Of opinion. While few
person. believe in them for ocean service, Capt.
Ericsson. their inventor. insists on their supe-
nori,y as nautical crnfi; and those who doubt
IL seriously had better hear his arguments on
the subject How the New ITonsidos would
behave IL very rough sea has not been clearly
demonstrated as yet, but she acted well enough
on her voyage 10 ChaFleston TO justify the hope
tia, she would make q good sailor. But
whether she or ships like her perform as well on
the ocean as wooden frigaics, or not, we must
have some Of them; for maritime nation can
no, maintain its supremacy wi,hou, possessing
feet capable a protecting our commerce on
every sea. At home. the monitors can do so;
and. with sufficient force Of both classes Of
vessels We may patiently await The chances Of
auy war