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

paid any money, and reserving tUGHtUNDC |
per cent of all payments "until after the
completion and satisfactory trial of
the vessel" They obtained the
contract, and they backed it through. |
(C) At least three drawings made by
Capt. Ericsson were submitted, viz: an
elevation, a section and plan, or out
line as it would appear to one looking
down from above. These may have been
on II single sheet. BY what calculation
does the Engineer reach the conclusion
that Griswold and Winslow assumed but
two-fifths of the risk -Four men signed
the contract as parties of the first part,
viz, j. Ericsson, John f. Winslow, John
A. Griswold and c. 5. Bushnell On the
assumption that all were equally respon-
sible this would place at least hdt the
risk on Griswold and Winslow In reality
they assumed larger portion If the
Monitor had proved failure, Winslow
and Griswod would have lost threc-fourths
of the money expended on her, in add-
ton to their time and labor, Bushnell or
his financial hacker would have lost one
fourth of the cost, and Capt Ericsson
would have lost his time and labor That
was the division of risk.
% Secretary Stewards part in the
whole matter was the giving to Messrs.
Winslow and Griswold letter of intro
ducton to President Lincoln. Mr..
| Seward knew the gentlemen well and
cheerfully certified to their responsibility
and high character. His letter, of course,
was of service in securing hearing from
| President Lincoln Beyond this Mr. Sew
ard was not asked, nor did he attempt, to
influence the matter.
CD Having before admitted that Win
slow and Griswold assumed two-tifths of
the risk, the Engineer now denies that
they assumed any We have shown what
risk they assumed and we may add that
upwards of sirty thousand dollars re-
NAMED due on the Monitor, from the Gov
eminent, at the time of her fight with TIE
Merrimac. Had she failed in performance
in that momentous contest, not only
would this amount have been forfeited,
but the $1,000 paid by the government
on her, would have had to be refunded
Yet the Engineer affects to consider"
that there was no risk involved
Mr.. Rowland was the sub-contractor
whosupplied the tools, facilities and labor
for the construction of the iron hull of the
Monitor He supplied no portion of the
large amounts of iron, oak timber and
other expensive materials required. These
We're supplied by Grswold and Winslow
directly, or by parties with whom they
contracted to supply them. 1t is "A notice
able fact that Mr.. Bushnel's name was
not considered of consequence enough to
be attached to the sub-contract with Row
1,,, g /, ;al :. g.,
0D This is a remarkable paragraph.
The FREE Press never admitted that
Griswold and Winslow did not furnish
money. They did furnish good deal.
Contractors in name only" simply "act-
ing attorneys y. when they brought
to the enterprise its chief backing of cap
ital and credit; when their names were at
tached to every contract and subcontract
of Importance when their ample prop
erty and means were thus held for the
fulflment of the same when they sup
piled materials in large quantities, and
drove the work forward by every means
at their command when the failure of the
vessel would have netted them loss of
not less than Sl5O,OOO What n the process,
pray, by which Il man becomes an "acting
fllOIHey lOG llluStll MI. bTSNoll
was the treasurer of the associated con-
tracing parties. As such he received and
disbursed the funds. Is this what the
Engineer means by the strange assertion
that Winslow and Griswold were only
''acting attorneys ?" If so it is singular
misuse of language. Winslow and Girls
void were contractors both in name and
in fact. Recognizing the invention
as Ericsson's aware that he had been the
first to make application, through his
agent, Bushnell, for the contract ; never
claiming any share in the design, they
properly put Capt. Ericsson forward as
principal, in the transactions with the
Government. Neither of them ever de-
sired to take particle from his just fame.
But when they put their names under his,
on the contracts, they legally and actual
ly became sponsors for him financially.
They had large and active part in the
building of the Monitor Through their
backing, of influence with the President,
and of financial credit with the Secretary
of War, in large part, the contract was
secured. Without them there is no rea-
son to suppose that the Monitor would
have been built, certainly not to suppose
that it would have been on hand in the
great emergency which first called forth
its powers of offence and defence.
The Engineer asks why not put Erics-
sons name foremost 1t has been not only
put foremost but put forward alone, in
former years, on many pages of our paper
in which the invention of the Monitor,
and its effect on naval architecture have
been described. But Capt Ericsson was
not the only man connected with the
building of the Monitor. Why should not
his associates in the enterprise be men
toned, with such share of the credit as
justly belongs to them We are sorry to
be obliged to say that Captain Ericsson
jealousy of the men who came to the res
cue of his rejected enterprise, with their
faith, influence and large resources, and
his arrogation of all the honor and credit
to himself, as indicated by his endorse
ment of the Engineers article, must and