New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1868-08-18

the Monitor ultimately fOundered III storm
which ordinary vessels wcathcred IN safety.
The Navy Department were PROBABLY as con-
fdent of the result as the progress OF expert
ment had vet justified. But the contract
entered into by Ericsson, GriSwold and Others
with the Navy Department on Oct. 4til'
contained the following provision, when
relieved the Navy Department OF all RESPONSE
bility. and necessarily Of all credit other than
of acquiesceuce in the experiment:
And in case the SAID vessel shall fail in performance
Of speed m sea service as before stated the sccur-
ty or successful working Of the turre and guns WIN
safety to the vessel and the men in the turet Or III c
buoyapcy 10 float and carry her battery aforesaid
then ana Ia that case the party Of the first part heepy
bind themselves their heirs executors, administrators
and assigns by these presents. ~ refund 10 me o"''"
suites me amount Of money Gdtdnced 10 them o" Sd" teS'
within thirty days after such failure shall have Dee NC
eaed by the party Of the second part and the party "i
the first part acknowledge Themselves iHde1ted 70 ne
Uufted states ia Bguid0ed da0ges 10 ne fH amount ot
g0uey o,r0cef ms afoycsGid And IL IS further agreed
that the vessel shall De held by the United states rs col
lateral security tH said amount Of Nancy ddra"ee" ''
AFORESAID shdH be rctipide7"
Out of abundant caution, the following post
script was added to the contract:
is understood between the contracting parties mat
after the battery shall be ready for sea, aud be taken
possession Of by the Government for the purpose oi TEST
ing her properties stipulated in The contract sCh pos
session shall be regarded accepting the vessel 80 lar
only as the workmanship and quality of materials are
concerned aud that the test or the qualities ana properties
ore refsI as t9rifs3 shut be mute SION hereafter rs
lrq.,cb not 10 eyecof cg days, the reservation OF %
per cent to be withheld until the test is made
In short, the Navy Department were not to
accept the vessel until after she had been in
battle; and il, in the engagement with the Mer-
rimac. she had failed in speed o. in the work
ing of the turct and the gun or IN her
buoyancy to float and carry her battery or If
she had been sunk, or her amor penetrated
or disabled-in short, if anything else lad oc-
cured than a clean victory for the Monitor
Mr.. Gideon Wces could have congratulated
himself on his caution, while Mr.. John a..
Griswold would have lost his $4,000. Mr.
Welcs cndcavOrcd to report that the
Navy Department distinguished itself in
this transaction; and 50 it did by
its superlativc caution a virtue which
sometimes borders closely Oh timidlty
The leading aim of the Secretary seemed to
be to avoid loss and blame, should the Monitor
prove a failure. But it is an unfortunate con-
sequence of this very caution that the Navy
Department enjoys none of the credit 1t would
have earned had il taken OF even shared in
the responsibility. Il cannot eat it' cake and
have it. nor can it at once dodge the response
bility and claim the credit. The crodit is due
next to the genius OF Ericsson and the gal
aully and skin Of Commander Wooden, to the
Hon John 4. Griswold, who sustained the
whoic pe,uniary risl, of the enterprise.