The New York herald., 1870-01-16
NAVAL MTELLICElCE.

Defence Of the Iron-Clnd NIinntonomoh.
BOSTON, Mass, Jan. Is, 1870
To THE EDITOR OF THE HRRALD:-
AS many statements have appeared In the newa-
papers OF your city In reference to the career of hc
MiantonOmoh since she was commissioned In r>,uo-
delpha, actuated apparently either by pol, t,co, ~
personal hostility and which have givc,o - this
Vessei an unenviable notor'ey, rer.dest space In
your columns TO make the folowinx reply. in order
'ia' ''o pup''c may nave posse sion or the facts
There Is no doubt that the Nj Antonomob ia n,n,cp,
to hande-steers badly a. times and "ho,ds nar
way, even with engr. .es reversed. for ronu ner,od
compared with ord. ..nary steamers: but these ara
faults not more II than OF the character
" ro9ciads generally; and tho present administra
mp r " Tue navy Ii IN way Responsible for them
unvans sp was built under former regime. ON the
vva"sL irom fniiadelphia 10 New York the engines
MeIy stopped for ten minutes to take q pilot on
p.Ard. HIS boat was ahead Of the iron-ciad Az
xne came up sne attempted TO un across the bows:
IN DONG so she touched the as you would tan
an egg; the result was some broken panks. The
Miantonomoh. Arrived at New York, the ship was
moOred well over the Jersey shore to be as much
as possible out Of the way OF river navigation. ono
70 pass ahead N her In . strong tideway She
mscalcaated the distance the force Of the tide:
OF the hantonomoh, was the result and
me the steamboat was sunk. AT the time of
TINS accident there were four bright lights burninv
on board OF the ironclad one IN each tirret and on
on each end, and her position was wen known in the
river. few nights afterwards owing to a nav in
i ner cnain swivel, increased possibly by tue jar OF
.ne previous COLLISION but not visible ana mpossl-
nie 70 detect, she broke adrift IN a gale OF wilma
inere was steam In two boilers at the time Nv
tnls means she was managed through the fleet of
vessels " anchor and finally brought up out Of the
s,ae "a Gowanus Bay without accident TO herself or
hay else. ship breaking adrif or dragging
ner aDcnors In o gale OF wind is not an Uncommon
csent M IN new York harDor. The last and saddest
unar-tne sinking OF the Maria on the voyage 10
nos.on.wiii probably be the subject OF ofriclal in
tss, ttesgation. II Is not improper, however to say
~ .as ~ no survivor OF that unfortunate vessel attrb
uV1u .ne accident to the iron-clad.
over wnaeever may be tue faults OF this vessel I'm the
. pouuariY OF ner construction In capacity for sea
service and IN offensive and defensive power there
nu uouDt t1at she Is one OF the best on-cla In
@ s.o american navy. comparison with the Mon
nicm M may on the one hand make her good quaiities
moIe prominent or, on the other. her defects more
appaIent. Neither ridcule. however In the public
press nor unreas0ning condemnation win Affect the
Proulem OF ''lronclads' or lessen the necessity or
asing tnem on our seaboard, II the country desres
~ De "a conditon OF defence, or OF sending them
aproad II ~ desires TO be respected. As TO the man
!s agent OF the Miantonomoh by her commander ana
there s direct responsibility to higher au-
.mority y 10 which they are at all times amenaple ana
WHICH they nave at no time desire To evade.