The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1864-07-23

AZ 1sS AS<SseVs W etS AvCU XWW ATIVUW&s:
SIR:-In reply % numerous communjca-
tons received from loyal and distinguished
citizens residing In different sections or tn
Union, on the subject Of Monitor iron-clada.
permit me to make the following statement
through your columns.
II IL not true that large sums have been
wasted in experiments; on the contrary.
no previous trial whatever Of the new sys.
tenn was instituted. The original Monitor
went into action under positive Ruaran.
|ty OF success, and the entire deet Of the
Passaic class Of Monitors went directly
from the builders yard, under tho enc.
mics batteries-a Circumstance without I
Ing. Il was reserved for the United State
10 Introduce successfully, during . grGet
national crises, new system Of naval &.
tack and defense without expending IN.
gle dollar ON experiments. 80
It IL not true that the National ExchequAr
has been depleted by the inordinate expen-
ses attending the construction Of the from
clads. The contract price for each OF the
ten Monitors Of the Pss..ic class Vas
14O0, OO0, 70 which was added 120. 900 for i'm
proyememts and additions; thus the
amount expended for the first fleet Of len
vessels was only $4,000. The two
ocean monitors, Dictator and Puritan.
will cost, with improvements and add.
tons, s, ooo, 900: The cost Of each ofthe nine
y6S6Sl0
3570, 900, together -, 1900 The total ex-
penditure for the entire deet Of twenty -one
monitor iron-clads enumerated will thus
amount to very little over ~, 900, 900.
certain European Naval Power has ex.
pended Independents connected with ord.
nance q far greater sum than this. The
twenty light draught turret vessels now IN
course of construction may cost, with i'm.
provements and alterations, and the pres.
emit enhanced price Of labor and materials
$500, 900 apiece. The whole feet Of FORTY.
one turretted iron-clads will thus call mr
IN expenditure Of ~, o00, 000-a sum that
amounts to only one per cent Of the aggre-
but few Americans are aware Of this Inn
portant fact. Abroad, however, the thing
IL well understood. There are cool heads
on the other side Of the Atlantic who haye
estimated the comparatively small cost Of
our iron-clads, and who know that the
Usited States could, without tho least
straining of resources increase the present
These cool heads deem hands OF the best
policy toward . nation which, while carry
ing on the most extensive war known hxs
created an enormous fleet Of wooden YES
sells, besides constructing antron-clAd navy
which has already demanded moro than
100, 900 tuns Of malleable iron.
It is not true that the monitors hsve
proved unseaworthy. Every trial made at
sea has disproved the early impressions
that the overhang of the side armor was
Objectionable. This overhang he's been
found TO check the apprehended rolling Of
these vessels 90 completely that soms OF
the commanders Of the monitors report
than that produced by pitching. Tie sup
posed weakness at the junction Of over
hang and body in the smaller vessels has
been thoroughly disproved, whi1a IN ths
ocean monitors this junction h4s been %
formed that its strength cannot even b
reported to the Secretary Of the Navy, e.
ter the early trials Of the monitorA ihat II
the deck openings could b nAAs ughle
nothing could harm this class Of vooDelS q
sea. Experience has in the mean time
shown how 70 make those openings perfect
II tight. II may b freely admitted that II
dsck ha ten are LET open Es ~ rough wassr
sinking Of the vessel becomes inevitahla.
but Il may b insisted on that this 2ct do6i
not diSprOve the perfect 0eaWorthineog Of
monitor. It u NOT true that monitors can.
not fight with their guns at 90. They ars
10 reality the only class Of iron-clads capa-
ment in . sea-way, from the fact that thsy
can train their entire battery over he bow,
and therefore 6re with great accuracy at
| times when the European iron-claas, ow.
Ing to their admitted excessive rolling,
cannot use their gnns. The assertion that
IL II not safe to open the ports OF the moa-
itor turrets IN rough water, = made oaly
ical expedient which has been devised tx
preventing the sea from entering shs pogt
holes. An expedient, 1t may be obeerved,
which, though readily applied from the
deck Of q turroted vessel, II wholly inap.
plicabls to the aides Of : European iron
clad.
It il not true that the Dictator il incapa-
BILE Of carrying coal enough for an Aflantic
passage. At the usual economical speed
l Of war steamers during cruising, tho Die.
tator can 90 from New York TO g. Petefs.
burg without taking in coal. TAe ahip.
which = quite ready for steam. h4s aepse
bunker. Tie mean hisHf Of her sunwaIs
being four feet above water.
| It = not true that the ocean mooiton
lack proper means OF ventilatioo. his
class Of ships have large standing Pipe
fore and m, through which . column =
cold cir = constantly drawn Into md
that 1 no vessels Of any kind srs Ssoyidsd
with such perfect means OF ventilation =
1.-The ocean monitors. Nor has proper
means for a6ording mir and recreation TO
the crew at sea been omitted. A circular.
grated promenade, Of 100 feet circumlss-
ence, surroundg the top Of the turrst, b.
side which grated promenade or hurri. |
cane-deck, 10 feet above the main deck, |
and 20 feet wide, extends from the turrN
| to the stern OF the ship.
It 10 not true that the monitor system y |
condemned In Europe. Two fleets Of iron |
clads, precisely like ours, are now being
built on the Baltic-one on its eastern, and
ONE on its western shore-by nations who
never adopt untried novelties.
Yours very respectfully.
NEW York, July Is. J. EnICssoS.
Is QUEEN VICTORIA INSANITY Quea 4
hear from tho best authority II hopelsat
| " insane-a complete monomoniac, es9
6rooding over her lost Prince Albest.-
From morning till night he occupies y
deranged mind. can assure you Of -
literal truth Of the following anecdoes -
When the Duke Of Nswcastle was sodas'
| gerously Ill short time ago - to bemp
posed near the point Of death, her Majag
IcondeeCended 70 pay visit to her hvef5s
minister, and Of conrse the public a1t!iear
ed i to the amiability and the apprseiases