The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1863-04-22
Our moHttars.

4 ne E0AANA W NAk Lux tAAff
who accompanied the feet in ito recent
attack on Charleston, says that the whole
expedition was enraged and indignant
at the conduct Of Admiral DUPosT for
Withdrawing sfter firing for q little over
two hours.
II appears that Admiral DUPONT un-
dertook the enterprise in obedience 10
peremptory orders, having in common
with many other old sailors who have
fought behind wooden walls, a prejudice
against iron.clads, lie made the fight
ia a clumsy manner, and terminated it
as soon as possible. Several Of the mon
iiors were doing very well when they
were Withdrawn. None Of the Ericsson
vessels had been seriously damaged, and
all were ready for action again within a
few hours, and the men were inexpressi-
bly, grieved and indignant that they we're
not permitted to 20 in and try conclu-
sions with Forts Sumter and Moultrie.
The Ericsson monitors stood the test.
They are as good as new to-day, survi-
wing a FIRE that would have destroyed
any o her vessels ia the world. They
are invulaerable. They resisted the best
English artillery, at short range. And
IL has not been shown that their qualities
are simply negative. Mr.. Fulton de-
clares that Fort Sumter, though bit but a
few times, was seriously damaged. The
urtillerists on the monitors are decidedly
Of The opinion that they can knock it in
pieces in a daYs's steady firing. We add
to this Capt. ERIcssoN's letter;
New YoRK, April IA, 1868.
! feel called upon to state, for the in
form alton Of the country, that the imper-
f%eciions OF the Monitors shown by AID.
mirar Dupont's trial Of their strength at
Charleston are not OF a serious character
What has happened will be readily OBJ
waited for the future.
Every thing connected with our ne "
machints wot ked precisely as intended
not a single chsnge of plan being called
for. The pilot.hou'e proving Of insult.
fcient thickness was not an unforeseen
circumstance. The limited experience
which we have had In actual conflict in
dicated that eight inches ,hickness would
be sutliciett; but il wa BY no means
assumed to be a settled point. Hence
such n construction was adopted that,
without removing the structure or chang
ing the interior arrangements, any mum
Der of additional plates might te at
lached 10 the exterior aud lis thickness
increased to any extent. So with re-
gard 10 the turret. 1t is constructed OF
an interior skeleton cylinder, composed
Of plates firmly Tiviied together, to which
any number Of plates may be bolted. Ii
Is by no means yet established that out
turre's require increased thickness, ex-
cep pcs IDLY at ,he base.
The public will do well not TO be
nllrmed by the remarks of inexperienced
observers, who are startled on seeing III,
J i ,dentati ms produced by the enemy's
prcjecliles. We apply armor to keep oul
hostile shot, not TO prevent scars and in.
dentations. So far we have fully sue
ceeded.
II will be proper 10 observe that the
supposed imperfect steering qualities are
utterly groundless. There is no class OF
vessels in the navy that obey their helm
so readily as the Monitors. The reason
is self-eyident. The large equipoise rud-
der employed is acted upon by the pow
erful current from the propeller with
such force as to change the curse of the
vessel with the slightest motion Of the
helm. In strong currents and shallow
wr.far 40 l., oh ariaaf,n HAIL. .-
can be readily manoeuvred.
Admiral Dupont's preliminary attack
on Charlesion-the FIRST practical test of
iron .clads-must be regarded as the
most important event in naval history.
10 this country the gallant assault on
Sumter by the new aud unified vessels,
exposed TO the terrible thanking and ra-
king fire Of numerous other forts, is
fraught with incalculable benefit. What.
ever may be the u%lterior object of Gov.
eminent, the substantial advantage has
already been secured of kno wing exactly
what the irOn-olads can endure, and
What remains TO be lone 20 render the
new system perfect. 1t was high time
that a practical test was Instituted, since
we are building a more numerous iron,
cad feet than possessed by all Europe.
The La,ion may thank the commanders
OF the Monitors for the k knowledge gained
though their gallantry With less dar-
ing on their part the Navy Department
would yet lack some 10 FORMATION neces.
sary to direct the completion Of the i'm
~pregnable Il ct now buldingl
Attic same time the spiritt d attack on
sumter and the havoc made during bali
an hours contest warns the Confederate
leaders that they must keep their nume-
rous batteries FULLY manned, aud that
they must not fora moment slacken their
vigilance, with Dupont and his Monitors
within hall q days sail.
The history Of war may be searched
la vain for an instance OF such costly
preparation, kept up a. such vast expen-
dilure, as Charleston now require. 10
ward of the blow from half a DOZEN
small vessels, manned, provisioned aud
ooaled atloss cos; than an ordinary 6rst-
class screw ship
You're, very respectfully,
j, ERIcssoN.
mGoFFIWlblv. ID.