New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1863-04-24

across the water she was not PROOF. nor were any
Of the other roo claSs engaged in the action, four
ouI Of seven Of tbs Monitors being disabled, although
not exposed-as is admitted on all sides-to 10 se-
we're a fire She took into action, rud the most ter
rite cannonading the world hss ever seen. about lVo
men. and brought them all ont alive, and the most
severely wounded-Ensim MClntosh-ss brave aud
true An old eat ever trod The deck OF ssnp, IT,
Learn TO my great Joy, IA II Way To recover
The oppdreat thi kn rs OF armor on soe slaes o.
the Keokuk was Il inches. lnt on ia peculiar man
n,r viz: Bars Of iron, iuchel WIDE aud inen
thick. were placed edgeways over inc rxin OF tiie
shin running fore and aft, inch apart ana Oet"een
them were placed stripe Of wood Of tne slime III
m usons; over this were laid two plates u IRON,
each of ali inch thick, secured on tne eoSr7 " 'n9
bars b, II inch bolts ruDDing between mem, ma
"a ough toe slu and fus'eued by nut on tue ih''o'
of The vessel.
The oetpoi wright of metal in amor on sides, as
will be seen frum this description, was loO io- yer
snperfc foot equal TO soild pdt' OF nut y DcHrs
In tbick ness. On tue turretB an sdiltiofa i-lhOn
plate over the two fths, increased tie 6DPd'eHs
thickness OF amor u 81 inches, sui the weight Of
metal to l5O lbs. por superficial foot, equal to 1oa
plate of 81 inches
The oues.io will naturally 10 asked. Why was
not the vess, more heavily armored simply Dc
cau,e weasel of her dimensions would not support
any more. Increase the size OF The vessel ana Tue
armor may be increased in tho same ratio. II yes,
pels clad in eepen Hcbes of solid iron were disabled
and placcd hrs dH comb0t, IL II 10 be wondered a.
that little vessel, carrying but about 8 nches o.
sotd raetal, could not stand the racket 10 reca-
pitulate:
The Keokuk proved to be ses-worhy.
The Keokuk proved 10 hav, speed.
The Keokuk proved to be perfectly mSnsg5hbl,
The Keoknk proved to bo we'll lighted, naturally.
The KeOkuk proved TO be well Veotilaieo "lsn0u'
the use OF artificial means.
no L NH IN
TIE Keokuk preserved the life Of every man sqe
took into action, although sustaining the heaviest
fire Of any vessel in the fleet.
The Keokuk was not proof against the mhsiles
used by the enemy, nofwere any OF tho other vessels
engaged ia the action.
30 part of tne machinery of the vessel was disa-
bled or gave out.
Ore gentleman informs the public that if the Ke-
okuk and Nshant had had an inner skiD protecting
those inside the turrets and po-hocses asslnst the
wing Of the bolts, that the casualties would have
been lees lie will be SURPRISED TO Learn a fact,
which lie should have made himself acquainted
with before displaying his ssgacity to tho prejudice
Of the constructor, viz: that ~ the he0kuk There
was preceely this arrsDg ment covsring every SoH,
and which doubtless contributed greatly to preserve
the lives of those on board Of her. Another gentle
man aays that scienIlfc officer" in the navy never
had any confidence In the vessel Possl0ly TINS
gentleman imagines himself, and feT friends oi
bis way o. thinking. 10 constitute soH OF - feset-
OF all tue etlcuIluC lu VIC
but "a officers whom the nation most honors, and
ustiy holds ia the highest repute, have expressed to
me and 10 others opinions quite the reverse OF TINS,
and have done so repeatedly, AN ioc'lned 10 thins
this Qelt ensn's acquaintance WIN the Opinions Of
scientific officers is coblned 10 those who depute
tb,Usslres .uch and TO the circunscnbed limits OF
the " CLIQUE TO which he evidently belongs.
This whole business OF iron-csds is ia It's infancy,
and we mud expect occhsioasi DISASTER uh'h OK
periencs has shown US where The weak polns are,
and how 10 strengthen them.
Now that portion Of the life OF vessel which Is
ua..ed 10 action is au exceedingly limited one ana
,acnEces too great can be made, Oi Creature coui-
forts, Of those immuisble laws Which govern and
regulate heath--light, air aud exerci'e-Io accom-
plish certain results
The ORIGINAL 4" Monitor lived but to see single
feht OF short DURATION the severity OF which bore
no comparison TO that TO which tho " heokuk was
subjected. In the keokuk'' att mptod eoni-
promise, keeping in WOW the points l have named,
and have vanity enough 10 believe, that If tho yes
eel had been twice her size, with corresponding
weight Of srmor abe would have passed through the
fieiy ordeal successfully.
30, what have lost in bghted hopes aud disap-
pointment, has been the nation gam in one respect.
II the Ksokuk Did nothing else she has added q
bright star 10 that galaxy Of naval heroes which this
Wsr has brought out, and IN her commander, has
rhown us where we have aDotber stout heart aud
skl ful hand, to pilot US through or troubles and
10 the brave men under hin, has officers and crew,
have they not added frssh meter 20 the proyerbial
gsllaniry Of our navy, and won for themselves
place in the hearts Of their country men Riddled
though their ship was-hopeless were the chsnces
Of success-with the shafts OF the foe piercing them
from every quarter they stand manfully by amid
the beching fire. aud leave their post only W hen tbs
sgnal 10 return hoised from the flagship, and the
bravo old Admiral With bis experienced eye,
that we not yet strong enough, aud that TO con-
tnus The action would crly jeop-rdze tho remain
ing vessels, aud postpone that day Of retriouton
most surely coming. Well, abe has gone down,
pierced TO the heart in her countrys cause and II
her career nss been short 1t has not been nglOrous.
mourn her loss, for / had fashioned her, and
watched her as che sprung into life, parent does
bis first born child, She carried with her tue toll
and care Of many weary day and night, and that
she has not done better service s not because those
connected with her did not labor most earnestly TO
this end.
have stated my case, aud leave it with entire
confidence to the Judgment of my countrymen. The
question of success or failure will be By them de-
cded am prepared to submit To the people YER
Dict whatever it may be- but AIN not to he put down
with the cry Of failure, without at eas. measuring
my strength with those who are raising II, and ex-
uitng over what they suppose TO be my downial.
Very truly your', e. '" WHITNEY.