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

vessel in action Nevertheless, they had
faith enough in the as yet untried Moni-
tor principle, to ut once accept the order
for the vessel, on those terms. They had
never seen Captain Ericsson, when they
thus agreed to build the vessel and Mr.
Winslow does not believe he can be mis-
taken as to the fact that it was after their
acceptance of the terms proposed, and
after the virtual closing of the contract,
that Captain Ericsson was called to Wash
| ington TO explain some question of still
ness or stability raised by the Government
/ Engineers. Mr.. Bushnell should welcome
| this explanation, for it relieves him of the
disgrace of resortng to what the Engi-
ncCr once, it seems, called u "Jic," to Sc
cure Captain Ericsson's attendance at
| Washington. 1t was the truth doubtless,
and not Il lie, that was told to Captain
Ericsson. His plan had been virtually
adopted, the contract virtually obtained,
and he was wanted in Washington to eX-
plain certain details, and settle certain en-
gneering questions, which might, if not
satisfactorily explained involve modifi-
cation of the dimensions of the proposed
vessel. His explanation was satisfactory
to the Naval Board, and Mr. Winslow, Mr..
bllSNolb anu captain III ioSoOh oI ChNS
left for New York, on the same train,
Mr.. Griswold returning to Washington
soon after, to see to the formal execution
of the papers.
The order of time is of some Importance
in regard to these matters. The success
sion of events we understand to have been
as follows list, the unsuccessful appli-
cation of Bushnell in behalf of Ericsson =
End, his enlistment of WinSlow and
Griswold I'D, Winslow and Griswold' $
interview with the President 18th, the
meeting at Commodore Smiths office, at
which Winslow presented the plan of the
Monitor and urged Il trial of it with his ut
most earnestness, and which closed with
President Lincoln's expression of APPROX
al;-5th, AN interview between Mr.. Winslow
and Commodore Smith, next day, at which
the latter indicated Il change of attitude,
and expressed the willingness of the board
to approve the building of battery on
Ericsson plan prOridCd the contractors
would assume all the risks of the expert
ment 9th, Winslow and Griswold's ac-
3 quiescence in these terms, naming the
price at which they and their associates
would undertake the construction and
acceptance of the contract It'll a hitch
on an engineering point, involving the
question of stability, to settle which
Capt. Ericsson was called toWashington =
Sth, his triumphant demonstration of the
stability of vessel built on his plan 9th,
] the favorable report of the board-tollow-
ed by the formal execution of the written
contract. The part of Griswold and
Winslow in these transactions, it Will be
noted, was anything but subordinate and
unimportant part. The contract agreed
upon, Mr.. WinSlow fastened home to Troy
to make arrangements for procuring the
needed materials and Il day or two later
he wrote thence to Captain Ericsson, as
follows:
ALBANY IRON WORKS, TROY, n. y!
3, September 26 1851
l JOHN ERICKSON, EsQR., Franklin ST., n, Y
Dear Sir: Allow me to ask that you give
: mt, your specification for the plates for the
hull dover boaU for the battery at your ear
lest convenience, AS | want to prepare the
| slabs in readiness for rolling. | shall make
a these hull plates of scrap IRON greatly supe-
rior in strength and purity important when
3 used in salt water and where corrosion is an
important consideration to the ordinary snip
! plates II matter which you WILL of course
bear in mind when bargaining with Abbott,
Very truly yours,
2 Mr.. Abbott was Baltimore Iron manu-
' facturer who was to make the turret-
plates. Thus less than ten days after the
} favorable report of the Naval Board, and
t as many days before the contract was
e formally executed, Mr.. Winslow was driv-
: ing forward the preparations for the work.
I This letter of his is evidence that the con-
= tract was virtually made at least two
weeks before the date of the written docu-
ment If we had said in our former arti-
Gle that within two or three days after
the meeting, Griswold and Winslow had
5 undertaken the contract our statement
Y wonld have been correct in terms, as il
t was in substance.
= The FREE PRESS did not infer that Girls
n void and Winslow were the sole contract
: ors. We understood that Ericsson was
d. associated with them But we supposed
! and we still suppose, that Winslow and
l. Griswold were the financial backbone OF
s the enterprise. We understand that
1 Ericsson's means and credit had been
!, crippled by his previous expensive expert
5 ments of a Hudson River steamer con
structed with two side screws, and of his
d Calorc ship, which proved to be disas
$ trous failures. He probably had an in
S come sufficient for his support. If he hat
S accumulated property or possessed re
v sources which enabled him to count fol
|. much in a financial way, his associates il
= the enterprise We're not aware of it. MOI
l. was it understood that Mr.. Bushnell wa,
d a man of considerable means.
5 Griswold and Wnslow, on the othel
c hand, were heavy iron-makers, owners OF
J. lnrna and tal lla NyprlyS IF nj
e tai and of the highest business standing
n Their appearance as Ericsson's hackers ant
L associates, put an entirely different ap
e pearance on the project as regarded re
II sponsibility, In point of fact they fur
e nished almost all the capital required
and the contract called for an eXpendtur,
l, of fttU thousand dOlldrS by the contract
'e Ors before the Government should pay 8
l. dollar. Captain Ericsson put into the en-
p terprise his time, brains and energy. Mr.