New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1868-08-19
MR.. GRISEoLD AND THE MONITOR.
mo mn, ,n1rop on THE TRfRI-Nr

| TO THE EDITOR OF THE TRIBUNE.
SIR: In connection with the building of the.Moni
tor there is an incident not generally known which
~ worthy of being placed on record as illustrating
the honorable dealing of the Republican candidate
| for Governor of New-York The revoly ing turretls
not, as Is generally supposed, the invention OF MT
Ercsson His merits in regard 20 the vessel are 30
great that he has need TO claim and we believe
he never has claimed anything which does not De
| long 10 him. The revolving turret however. which
is the one essential thing IN the Monitor, was IN
vented, by Theodore r. Timby native of the State
of New-York, and now resident of Saratoga
Springs. Its history is briefly this:
In 1871, Mr.. Timby, then a youth of 49, conceived
the idea of revolving tower for stationary and
floating fortresses and constructed model in which
are embodied all the essential features OF onr present
turrets. In January, 1913, he filed id the Patent
Office cayeat and specifications for revolving
metallic tower and for a revolving tower for a float
ing battery to be propelled by steam" He had
meanwhile, constructed large model of his inven-
tion. which was publicly exhibited in New-York and
| elsewhere. in June, 1S49 Among those who saw it
were President Tyler and his Cabinet, who were on
their way to attend the celebration of the completion
of the Bunker Hill Monument. The exhibition OF
the model was mentioned IN the newspapers OF the
day The following is copied from Tie Erehhg F0St
OF June z, 1913:
con the corner Of Greenwich and Ibertyst there is
model OF battery which is OF novel ana destructive
four tiers OF guns The plan Of the battery Is indeed sun
liar to any other OF that form The important derence
consists the manner by which It's armament Is Drought
to bear upon object For this purpose 10 Is made 10
revOve upon its center, and If this revolution per
formed in minute, and the armament consists OF Nv
guns each one of them may IN that time be made to DIS
charge upon the object BY means OF steam power un
ter All the guns OF this fort will be brought to bear at
each revolution upon given object" ,
Mr. Tlmbys leading idea, at first, was to Apply the
revolving turret to stationary fortihcatlons on
large scale and we have no doubt that II will IN time
be used for that purpose lie repeatedly presenter
his plan TO our Government, and III 1913 II was IaNOi
ably reported upon TO Mr. Marcy, then Secretary OF
War by a committee, among the memDers Oh Wnicn
were Jefferson Davis ID. l.. Iulee, and Col BumtoId
Chief of the Ordnance Bureau Government de-
cided not to use IL. II was admitted that III was
quite practicable but was wholly unnecessary; our
existing fOrtcatiOns were II was sald al. that Was
needed When the Rebellion broke ont. Mr. 1lm0y
set himself at work to develop the capabilities OF MS
invention and secured patent covering the 0road
ground OF =" A Revolving Tower Tor offensive ana
defensive warfare, whether used on land or water.
In the meanwhile, the Monitor had been built from
designs BY Mr.. Ericsson, by company, the Leading
member of which was Mr. John A. GnswOld W neither
! Mr. Ericsson was aware OF the lnVenu0n Dy DlI'
Timby Of the revolving tuTret am not aOe 10 say
! Ii is no way improbable that he may nave struck
upon the idea without being az al aware tbat ne nil
beeu forestalcd and the invention secured by letters
patent. i have never seen any statement on Ihls
point from Nr Ericsson. But any statement from
]
any case his claims as to the hull of the Monitor ana
many means of rendering the revolving tuIrets erect
we are unreasonable; also ms wonderful Ieal
and activity in putting into execution the whole idea
so that the Monitor constructed IN 100 days AFTER
the contract for its building fairly signed All
| this II honor enough for one man. ,
! BE tins as it may Mr. Tinibys claim TO the reyoIY-
ing turret was indisputable This was presented 10
Mr. Griswod and his associates. They at once recOg-
/ nzed its Justice and, instead of endeaVoring TO
evade il they paid him satisfactory price Tor the
! invention The original contract was shown to me
! some eight wears ago. If | remember rightly they
! paid MIR Timby $4,000 outright, and agreed 10 pay
him e. 900 for each turret, until the whole should
| amount To 100000 Whatever the sum was 1t was
! entirely satisfactory. Mr.. Tmby who in detailing
To me the facts of the transaction, eight years ago
| said emphaticay: All my relations with the con
tractors building the monitors represented by tine
| Hon John A. GrswOld. have been entirely satlstac
tory. They have acted throughout and IN every re
spect with the most entire good faith ana honor"
J Now the claim of inventor, then III nOWlse ar
| fluent circumstances might have been fought
through the courts for generation by company a.
wealthy as that of Mr. GTSwOld and his associates
| That instead of doing this Mr.. GrlswOld at once
acknowled It, and satisfied 1t IN an honorable
manner though to his own loss Is but one OF thou
| sand evidences of the absolute honor OF the man
whom we propose TO elect Governor OF the state
! of New York | am. Sir. your Obedient servant.
4 York Aug =. 1865. A. II. I.