The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1864-02-28

their port shoppers were effective principally
la preventing the guns frsm being worked"
and that the rebel gus "proved too much for
the eleven-inch plates which composed the
turreis OF the Monitors"
We forbear comment, and out Of mercy
to Captain Tyler abstain from snimadvert-
ing on his course In stating the dis
com6ture of the Keokuk in q manner to
lead his audience to suppose that vessel
to be Monitor. We warn the English
people, however. against being lulled into
security by professional conceit and misstate.
ments Their neighbors across the Channel have
fully proved that iron-clads Of the European
type are mere rocking machines unit to fight
at sea, and that, Notwithstanding M Xavier
Raymond's splendid account Of their success,
written to order for the "Revue des Deux
Mondes," just published, something better
must be contrived. Accordingly We find that
Napoleon, through his agents, is taking very
careful peep into our turrets. John Bull will
do well to do the like for with q single oppo-
nent at Cherbourg such as the Dictator and
Puritan, with their fifteen-inch turrets and ten
and half inch side armor backed by four feet
OF oak, the Warriors, Black Princes and Prince
Consorts will be Of no avail In keeping posses
sion Of the Channel.
The experiments at Shoeburyness album
dainty prove that the four and y half inch
plating of the present Europeaa iron. clads,
with its scanty wood backing, affords no
protection against the enormous weight Of
ordnance which is part Of the Mopitor system
Our experience during the last year has not
been lost upon our rivals. The crafts" as well
as the "cheescboxes" have been carefully
watched. 1t is now perfectly we'll understood
that when the deck openings are properly look
ed after the Monitors are not only seaworthy,
but as safe as lifeboats on q large scale. The
opinion or Commodore John Rodgers that
nothing can harm q Monitor in seawAy pro.
vided the decks are tight, is now IN accepted
fact. Nor is it secretto the foreign officers
who are now watching our progress that the
new batch Of Monitors just completed have
system of ventilation applied which pro-
duces an excess of ventilation within the
vessel whether the deck matches are open
or closed. The European iron-clads, it is now
admitted have proved worthless for naval CON-
bat, owing to their excessive rolling and the
depressed position of the ports consequent on
the great weight Of side armor. In the Monitor
vessel the battery may be trained over the bow,
aud thus rendered independent Of the sea at
times when the European iron-clad would roll
her guns under water. Another important dis
covery has been made by our transatlantic
rivals since they got their eyes open to what
we are doing. They once boosted Of their gu.
perior speed and pointed out how their War
riors would run down the small Monte Is, pass
our forts and come up to our wharves 1t has
Just occurred to them that their big ships draw
twenty-five feet Of water, while the Monitors
draw only ten and half feet, and that the gun
ner in the "cheesebox," safe on the shoals along
the main channels, can, unmolested and at
short range, put his fGteen-inch shot through
the insufficient armor Of the intruder.
We are informed that the Navy Department
intends to send the Dictator on o trial trip
across the Atlantic next summer. We advise
Captain Tyler, r. E., to be on band to learn if
turrets and port shoppers, such as we build, are
effective principally in preventing the guns
from being worked"
A New CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION WANTED
FOR NEw YoRk.-The great metropolis Of tho