Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1885-05-22


Winslow i'll subordinate capacity. 1t
infers that Griswold and Winslow were
the sole contractors, which is erroneous
as also is that they had completed the
Monitor" (d.)
Capt. Ericsson's plans and specifications
were so clear and perfect in details and so adj
mirable in illustration, that they carried their
own explanation. Those plans alone secured
the attention and interest OF Mr.. Winslow.
Neither he nor his partner had ever met Capt.
Ericsson and they left little or nothing to be
desired in the way of Illustration before the
President and the Naval Board what was
wanted was fdith in the novel principle en-
bodied in them, and enterprise enough to take
Winslow and Griswold supplied"
The plan submitted was not such as is
here set forth, being merely an outline
drawing We do not doubt the clearness
OF the specification, and the failure to
convince the Board (Which is a matter in
disputable) must be attributed to their
want OF knowledge. The fact that Capt.
Ericsson went to Washington is not dis
puted, nor is his reception by the Board,
as related in his biography, and hence,
presumably, revised by him, questioned in
any detail Could such an interview have
taken place if Griswold and Winslow had
already secured what was asked for "a
contract. As to the word 'ruse," we first
wrote it lie Faith and enterprise have
not been denied Messrs. Grswold and
/ Winslow as to risk, they did not assume
tne NIlOlc vi 1t, Dul only lWO-ullnS OIL
| Besides the plan mentioned, Mr.. Bush
nell was given paste board model which
admirably illustrated the training of the
/ guns by revolving the turret. 1t was this
model which struck Lincoln, and which
he held in his hand when he remarked
about the girl and her stocking.
"They Griswold and winslow) had the per-
sona influence at WashingtOn-whch Cap
tain Ericsson and his agent apparently had not
necessary to gain the attention OF the Prcs-
dent and Secretary of the Navy, who as gem
cral thing of course could not be giving time
and thought to the thousands of war inven-
| lions which the fertile genius of the Ameri-
cans was producing. They or Mr.. Winslow,
had the enthusiasm and power to present the
subject in its most forcible light. Aud they
had the means and the will to prove their faith
! by their works.
We will add to this that through their
personal influence" Secretary Seward
was interested. But Mr.. c. S Bushnell,
to whom this kind of influence is denied,
was the personal" friend of Secretary
Weles-a power more potent in the pre-
misses than Secretary Seward. O. Mr..
Welles had previously consulted Mr..
Bushnell in regard to the inattention paid
to bill for creating the Iron Clad
Board and Mr.. Bushnell brought his
personal influence to bear upon James
+, English, NJ &. from his district, who
was on the Naval Committee. Hon. a. II.
Rice, the chairman of the Committee, was
induced TO give 1t attention and report the
bill, which in one month became law.
1.-The intmation of The Mechanical Engi-
neor that Griswold and Winslow ran no pecu-
mary risks in the construction of the Monitor,
we are assured and believe; to be alike I'M
founded and ungenerous. They had no ship
building facilities and had largely to provide
the plant for the building of the Monitor.
Though the Government advanced money,
the conditions eXacted threw the risks of the
enterprise, both rs regarded construction and
performance, on the contractors.
We do not consider that there was any
risk any way there proved to be none.
We know they were not ship builders,
nor had they facilities = also they did
not supply the plant" Thomas +. Row
land, of the Continental Works Green
point, l., l., because he had both "facili-
ties" and plant was selected to build
the hull and provide for the application
of motive machinery, turret, and the nu-
merous parts composing the structure,
furnished by several establishments, who
did the work from Captain Ericsson's
drawings. o.
THE price fixed prccludcd any idea of pro-
fit; and in point of fact they made no money
on the first Monitor but they built her, and in
time to meet IA great emergency, in the way
the world knows by heart"
We have said they Messrs. Griswold
and Winslow, did not build her" They
did not make drawing or supply sin
admits that they did not furnish money,
and we say that they (Messrs. Griswold
and WinSlOw) were contractors in name
only. Payments, as the work progressed,
were not made payable to them, except
ng as acting attorneys. UD
THE foremost name in connection with the
Monitor will always be that of her sole in
Ventor, Captain John Ericsson. Her idea and
design were his land without his practical
skill and energy in superintending her con
structiOn, she would never have been built.
But it is equally true that IT was the insight,
influence and energy of John F. Winslow and
John A. Griswold, that secured the authority
for her construction"
| We must say that this is a curious per-
Grafton Up to this paragraph the ami
: mus of the article in the FREE PRESS is
| to defy Messrs. Griswold and Winslow to
the belittling of every one else, if necessa-
/ ry. c. S Bushnell is entirely ignored in
the first article, and but scant courtesy
given him in this. Only that his name is
t needed to support facts he would not now
appear, doubtless. Now il says, what it
| does in the last paragraph quoted above
: in small type.
John Ericsson is the foremost name in
the conception of the Monitor why not
= put it foremost ; Why are we treated to
.. the spectacle of procession of merchants
and citizens marching in front, while the
, moving spirit-the genius of the period
: brings up the rear?
Let us have the foremost man first and
the auXilliaries last. Our contemporary
exalted the mercantile element above the
engineer, and it is to this that we have de
INJURED. Our contemporary has also-un-
Willingly, no doubt-perverted the truth
!, of history, and in such matter as this,
? we have also felt it a duty to correct it,
: We do not deal with history by hearsay
l We have the facts from the fountain head,
t and we again assert, to John Ericsson
; alone is the honor due for having forced
the Naval Board to accept the original
Monitor, after Winslow and all others had
absolutely failed.
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