, 1883-06-23
A DUEL AT SEA.

This great republic owes almost its
existence to the genius Of Captain
John Ericsson, who, in producing
the Monitor and chcckmating the
triumphant raid OF the terrible Ker-
rimdc, STAYED off foreign intervcn-
tiOn, rescued from certain dcstruc-
tion the Federal fleet, saved the
Large SorthaFn cities from heinz
placed under tribute and possibly
was the means Of preventing the
rebel General from fulfilling his
boast that he would call the roll of
his slaves under the shadow of
Bunker Hill. In point of treasure,
lives and modification which his in
ventiOn spared the Government and
people in general no correct estimate
can ever be made. But for the genius
Of Ericsson and the skill and cOur-
age Of WOrden, who commanded the
Monitor, what would the pages Of
history record? Ericsson is n Swede
and was born in 1903. lie came to
America in 1899 at the solicitation of
Commodore Stockton and was at
once employed in introducing his
propeller on the steam man-of-war
PiHcctorH. In the early stages of
the civil war Ericsson met capital
ist, Mr.. Bushnell, and to him the
inventor submitted his plan Of an
absolutely invulnerablc battery. lie
kept the model in a box about cigh-
teen by fourteen, which, he said,
contained the result Of the labors Of
twcnty-fOur years Of his life. 1t re-
quired Il vast amount Of patience and
persuasion on the parts Of those in
tcrested to induce the Navy Depart
mcnt to indOrsc the project, and the
contract finally drawn up was so
stringent on the part Of the Govern
ment that the gentlemen connected
with the novel battery became
alarmed lest they should be finan-
cially ruined. But Ericsson and his
friend Bushnell reassurcd them.
The inventor prepared all the plans.
Some idea Of the labor involved can
be formed when it is stated that be-
tween thirty and forty patentablc in
ventiOns had to be applied to the
work in connection. 1t occupied
101 days from the day the contract
was signed until the Monitor was
launched. The battery had two
hnlls. The lower one was Of iron,
five-eighths Of an inch thick. 1t was
flat bOttOmed, six feet six inches in
depth, sharp at both ends, the cut
water retreating at an angle of 81 de-
grees. Resting on this was the up
per hull, the plating and backing
forming a solid wall thirty-six and II
half inches in thickness. In con-
structing the vessel Captain Ericsson
prepared over 5000 plans, large and
small. The entire cost of the struc-
ture was s12O,OOO.
1t will be remembered that the
Merrimac first made her appearance
about noon on the 9th Of March, 1862,
and her first exploit was in sinking
the Cumberland and Congress- The
Minnesota and 81. Laurence would
probably have fallen easy victims to
the rams terrible prowess, but night
was coming on, the Yankee vessels
were in such positions that they
could not escape before morning,
and, having accomplished a brilliant
days work, established the fact Of
her invulnerabiIity at short range
from the heaviest guns possessed by
the Federals, the iron monster,
flushed with victory, retired to her
anchorage behind Craney island, her
rebel colors streaming eXultingly
out on the light breeze that was to
float over fresh laurels to be won on
the morrow. Throughout the. fleet