The New York herald., 1873-12-03
THE MONITOR MANHATTAN.


why ,ne Trip to Key West Was Dtscen-
Misunderstanding from Deck to Kcei-
sickness oT the Grew from the Drcnch-
ing-Contract w. Navy Yard Work.
Ti,s Vessel Pronounced Unhealthy To
1.-Two la.
WILMINGTON, Del, Dec. /, 1873
Tho cruise OF the United states monitor Manhat-
tan has come TO uDtimey ana inglortous end.
Scarcely week ago she left the Philadelphia Nary
Yard IN tow OF the Powhatan, and passed down
the Delaware, en route for any port which
she Iught be fortunate 10 reach. It
was boldly insinuated at the Navy Yard
tnat she was in no wise tit to 90
70 sea but tie eGorts Of the officials at Phadel-
phia seemed TO be to get the craft out of their
charge ana ther to commit her to the care OF Cap
tain Beaumont and good fortune.
MANIFEsTLY UNFAIR
as this ordeal for the captain OF the Powhatan.
who from being senior officer, consequently
responsible TOR the safety or the gallant
crew ard leaky monitor thus officer
accepted the situation, resolved TO give the work
OF Ncssrs. Cramp son thorough test. II was
NOT forgotten that this same steamer Powhatan
had towed sne leaky and unseaworthy monitor
Saugus out OF the same yard at Philadelphia, and
it was taken los granted that the Manhattan was
not better job tnan the former.
THE THEORY COMMONLY ACCEPTED
now, thaL any DiacKsbllu IS competent 70 nuluSt
the complicated machinery OF the Ericsson mont
tors has been completely exploded in these two
Instances Tne dangerous and almost fatal trip OF
the Manhattan TO sea and her inglorious return,
as well as the gallant conduct OF her crew and tho
wise Judgment OF the senior officer Of this small
Meet, have already appeared exclusively III the
HEGALD. she
REACHED WILMINGTON
this morning and Il good for TWO months stay In
Harlan < Holltngsworth's yard Whether aessrs.
Cramp SON viii ret the money on their unful-
filed contract do not know. IL Is u matter Of
great query taat the government does not at once
Wlthdra ~ its other contracts rom this GrD1. They
certainly would be fully justified IN so dong,
In order that IL may not appear that TINS opinion
OF the Manhltrans condition Is incorrectly arrived
at, may say that
on the Manhattan By board consisting or
Captains Beaumont and Harris, Constructog
Hartt and Cnief Engineer Stanim and
she was pronounced utterly unhealthy as
az man lwar In ner present condition. IL does
not disguise the ineGciency OF the work when it ~
known that Commander Yates behaved In the
most conmendable manner and served out life
turn back. The people OF this country do not ex-
pcct men 10 go to sea III ships which arc not only
always under water, out leak at every Joint, from
The deck 10 the Keel.
ILLNESS OF THE MEN.
Chief Engineer smith, OF the Manhattan, has
been Frustrated with pulmonary complaint.
brought OH by working IN the water a last Thurs
day He has been sent up TO the Philadelphia
Marine Hospital All the men on board are more
or less ILL owing to the wet ani unhealthy con-
dition Of their quarters. Just because the lrm OF
Gramp 4 Son are able 20 do good work for private
corporations and TO build as good steamships aS
are aloat, they are so much more to blame for
turning out such Job as this on the Manhattan.
merely because 1t Is government contract. We
All look for q similar catastrophe to happen to the
Ajax. The Powhatan viii convoy the latter to Key
West.