New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-07-19
IRON.CLADe.


ance of tho letter as to suggest doubt whether
one was not timed with reference to the other.
a meeting of contractors was held in this city to
devise some means Of obtaining relief on their
existing contracts for the construction Of certain
light-draft Monitors Whether it is designed to
influence public opinion by new representa-
ton of the monitor-claims, and so go to the De-
partment backed by the cOmmiSeration OF an
ingenious people, we are not informed: But
we prefer not to be rcckoncd among the whole
sale advocates Of any of the present patterns OF
iron clad vessels of war.
Mr.. Ericsson's statements cannot be subStan-
tiatcd. We should like to believe great deal
of good about the Monitors, for they are nearly
all tho iron-clad navy we have, or seem likely
to have, at present; but we decline TO indorSe
the averment that the Monitors. are success
full" in the sense Mr.. Ericsson means-that is,
that they answer the requirements of our COM
nerce and seaboard for naval protection, and OF
the nation for navy that can carry its flag with
honor into distant and hostile seas. 1t is not
important whether " tho original Monitor went
into action under a positive guaranty Of sue
cess" it is very important how far the guar
anty was fulfilled. Will Mr.. Ericsson tell US
whether the lght-draft ron-clads of the Chino
class had the same guaranty We appreciate
the significance of the Monitor Merrimack con-
hict, and have always been grateful for the
service which the Monitor then did, but time
enough has since elapsed to enable the country
10 look at that contest with critical eyes, and to
see that if the Monitor had been all then and
since claimed for her, she would not have been
content with merely repelling the attack OF the
weak, unwicldy Mcrrimack, vessel really for
mdabe only to wooden frigates, half disabled
by circumstances as were the Congress ana
Cumberland.
A FAR better test Of the capacities oil the
Ericsson iron -clads was made at Charleston, and
its result was still less favorable to their pretcn-
sions. Admiral Du Pont took seven monitors into
tho fight of April 5, last year, and held them un-
der heavy fire about threc-quarters Of an hour.
The result was that four out of the seven were
so seriously disabled as, in the opinion Of their
commanders, to be unfit TO resume the contest
on the following day. The effect OF their fire,
meanwhile, on the deienseS of Charleston, had
been very slight. 1t was the opinion
of Admiral Du Pont, and OF every cap
tain of the iron-olads, that another attempt
would have resulted in the destruction OF the
whole or a part of the fleet, without reasonable
hope of making an impression on the Rebel
works. Neither before nor since has there been
any trial of these vessels SO thorough or extern
siye, and the result Of this was to prove them
neither impregnable nor possessed OF sufficient
offensive strength to be effective against FORTH
cations. If the trial did not prove this, will Mr.
Ericsson explain why the successor OF Admiral
Du Pont never afterward renewed the engage
menti
This action, however, was fought against bat
teres on shore. and it may be urged that the
iron.clads would have done better against YES
sells. But beside offensive and defensive
strength, two other qualities are required in a
naval combat-spced and manageability; and
in both the Monitors arc coniessedly deficient.
Their utmost average speed is about four knots
per hour-barely enough to make Roadway
against the tide in Charleston harb9Ti They
OBEY the helm With reluctance 1T best, and unless
under full speed cannot be handled with any
thing ike precision even in smooth water
As for going to sea, they have never been
trusted without convoy, and it is an interest
ing problem to ascertain OIL what theory of war
fare vesscl-of.war would go into action in tow
Of another ship. Suppose two such craft should
encounter-would each agree not to fire at the
motive power of tho other Possibly a code
may yet be agreed on by the maritime powers
of the world to meet the exigences of Mr. En-
lessons vessels in this respect. But at present
we apprehend that wooden vessel OF speed
and strength might run into and over these I'M
manageable machines before receiving much
damage-and Jortiori as to an iron-clad of
another class.
The alleged cheapness of the Monitors seems
to us relative rather than an absolute ad-
vantage. Even vessel that costs no more
than $500, 900 may be dear, il worthless. The
lght-draught Monitors, it is said will not float in
smooth water, and an effort is now making to
turn them into RATS capable of being moored as
floating b. terics. Are they cheap at the price
When the Chino went Oh her recent trial trip
in Boston Harbor, she was furnished with
a temporary wooden false deck, eighteen
inches high, in order to bring her appa-