The New York herald., 1864-07-11
sketch of Mr.. Burr's IRON
.. Clad Ram.
His Plans Lost or Stolen....The Vessels Built
r by the Rebels and English.
How IrOn-Clad Inventors Are
Used at Washington.
Curious Developments in Relation to
Our Naval Affairs,

As early as 1859 MIR. William Burr, or this city, pre-
pared The plans OF an iron clad and gunboa The
submerged, and calculated TO give an enemys
vessel striking blow when striking ner. The inventor,
feeling that it difficult matter 20 persuade the Navy
Depart TO build vessel on his plans, hesated
time before presenting them Finally he had two
interviews with Mr. Toucey, then Secretary OF the Navy
in 1857 and in 1s6o This official very much
pleased with the plans and models explained by Mr.
Burr but promised nothing definite in relation to them
Immediately after Mr.. Gideon Wellcs appointed Sec
rotary OF tho Navy he waited upon, and the plans
and models fully explained to him; and the threatening
Of the times indicating that ho might be desrous o.
adding such vessel TO the navy, which In herself would
defy all the vessels the rebels might construct, Mr.
Weles urged TO prepare for the storm which
was rapidly rising; and he was shown, clearly
that great necessity demanded that something
should be dore immediately 1t was shown to him that
il he would lead OF the government would reap great
benefits, but that TO delay would enable these Invaluable
advantages fall into foreign hands, perhaps he
hands Of the rebels Mr. welles dozed the matter
and could how the could adopt such
avesse and expend much money in times Ike those.
Mr.. Burr was so sangune of the immense power this
class of vessel would have In the navy
that he offered to give pr Wees satisfactory bonds that
vessel should be completed In four months and further
stipulated so into action at that time with two o the
enemy veSseS ana III ne Sink them Dotu 10
than hours, in spite OF resistance they could
offer. be would forfeit the cost oil the vessel. .4
AT the close of this interview Mr.. Welies remarked
that he did not profess to be expert in such matters
and desired Mr. Burr - show his plans and models the
other bureaus.
The conversation took place a few days after Mr..
wclles entered npon his duties. anu long before the
rebels made tho slightest attempt to the Merri
into ron-clad, in fact before she was raised
from the Elizabeth river II will be readily how
great opportunity was allowed 70 pass by uoheeded.
These plans presented to and urged the Sec
retary less than four different times during the early
months of Mr. welles sccrotaryship; yet in every In
stance he failed to give the subject his attention. II he
bad built vessel OF this class she would have been com
peed some six eight mouths previous to the advent
OF the Merrmac. that in the event Of her making her
appearance Hampton Roads she would have an
tagoast superior to her in every respectg Instead OF
having struck the enemy fatal blow. lost two ne
vessels. OF valuable lives, and suffered the dis
grace OF having feet held At bay for mouths, and
being sub ected to host OF great incon nvenences.
The vessel which then offered TO the government
was 10 be built OF iron, wood backing excepted The
armor five inches in thickness. and would show
about the height above the water that OF the
Monitor pattern since built. Tho solid wrought iron
beak would have weighed about fifteen TONS secured ard
supported heavy tubes by ingenious system OF
powerful cellular work. constructed and connected
heavy bulkheads strong eussets that the whole
would be connected with powerful strngers running the
whole length OF the ship The beak, when the
vessel even keel, was submerged about four
feet bn by or ballast 1t could be depressed
to about seven feet below line, elevated
nearly 10 the surface Her speed guaranteed 10 be
eleven knots. she have carried several heavy
gurs in casemate, covered With I've inches s iron,
standing at angle OF forty degrees. turret was
placed on the casemae, only sufficient portion appear
ing above allow the two guns 90 be fred In fact,
she would have been not unlike The Dunderberg
respects. Mr.. webb's draueh,sman saw and examined
the plans Of Mr. Burr months before the Dun
derberg commenced.
After conversation Admiral Davis requested that
Mr. Burr should leave bis plans and models with him,
promising them any time when they shoud
DO ssked for. This reluctantly complied WITH the
gentleman stated TO the Admiral that he had copy or
them twas loag before the plans, 30,
for by their owner received word from Admiral Da
Wis that they lost and could not be found, brt
after they should still be among
,os the government would pay for them Subsequently
| he wrote the following explanatory note
2A XII w.sHisGros August 10, 1868.
SR-1 npd, upon inquiry, that spoke too hastily 10
Offering supply with copy OF your lost drawings,
being OF the Department regard any papers
sent TO y rs its own property Very respectfully &c
&C H. DAvIs, Rear Admiral aud Chief q Bureau.
received nor will they be- These drawings wore
the result Of months OF labor and study, and nstcad
OF acting as a government should have done, ours
have acted In a very The outlines oi
these plans 70 DO in vessels new building in Flu.
rope the rebels and in the iron.csds bonding id
CaYessou harbor Perhaps rebel stole p!ans
from Navy Department whae the Secretary Was
taking nap. Tho statement from such high Official
tor,ty the eject that al plans drawings aud models
|
become, by virtue Of such prescetaton, the property
Of tue Departmess. disciosss and unprecedentcc
method OF dsne buspsss The peculiar manner which
business n conducted At Washington without parallel
and Is time that change was made In all probability
the plans OF Mr. Burr, which were presented TO Mr..
Touccy in 1857, we're known OF by Mallory and Jen
Davis. the eformer being Chairman Of thu Naval Commit
see At tbat e and possibly may have been adopted 70
some etent 10 the construction OF the uerrimsc. %
yhr welcs showed his hand year ago in tho following
note 10 Mr. Burr The Monitor interest had By that time
completed thsr arrangements, ana possessed coppls.s
control over him 50 he pened the following s.,4,s
ssFl ihAef ni" w. NAyY DRARrxEsr, June l6, lsSa,
:. &.fhe ecmmssion % which was referred ne drsw,
css and q ss ssss plans :, t an saa
avcssc o. this kind pot suited 70 the present wsn
80 VI GIDEON wflIEs Secretary o,tns navy
VI course vessel Of this class was not w6nted-hot al
long ~ ibs public wosld ssner the budns of tne Moni
or rata Tbcn, ask, why aid no, Mr. wefes et1fn
es ipsirues ADMIRAL Davis, the commission sr come.
body ess 10 return, the drawings II the trtn We're
known. We lshould me mat these plans we're TOD
vApaSis 30 give 'sp,o ana werc we 70 look around
We, should md traces d them IN ~ vessel now
buidiag chs Uhaed ssstcs navy Tnsfe sre Others
whom We mxks whs have been treateu c1uaiIy a
badly Nr.'isr. but mons of tncm can cm, td bavo
presesssd ths piuus os ~ foS clad ram date prior to
him, ). sd had chs Navy Department possessed any
amount Of ordrary intelligence they would have I'm
proved tho opportuuisy offered them have pre-
pared for the Merrmac, and AZ established them
| selves as masters d sl tho navgable waters f the
United States II Is curious that they must procure
foreign brains TO furnish With stYlc Of vessel which,