New-York tribune., 1886-05-17
DEMOCRATIC PENITENCE-THE DOUBLE !
ILRKETED MNNLIORS

! DENOCEAIiC PEAIIENCE-IHE DOC DLE-
TURRETED MONITORS.
Representative Reed in the debate on Wodnes-
day last on the appropriation of $500 for
steam launch for the visiting purposes Of
Minister s. 5. Cox at Constaninople said he
should take occasion some day i'll some other
debate to point out the llattering compliment
which the Democratic party pay to us in
" administration. as it does in every phase Of
human belief, by following u.s." Mr. Reed
can not only point to the petty instance OF an
increased appropriation for Minister COx's
pleasure yacht, but hc can refer with emphasis
to the proposed action of the Democratic Iiouse
for the completion of the double turretcd
monitors, the Puritan, Amphitrite, Terror and
MOnadnOck.
The public have been treated to Democratic
dcnunciatiOns Of these vessels dd nauSedm.
Until they were launched by the late Secretary
of the Navy 1t was boldly asserted that they
could not possibly float. If there was any one
thing which it seemed might safely be said the
Democrats if they should come into power
would not do, it was to complete the ironclads
by them averred to be worthless. In April,
1854, the Senate appropriated 50, 900, 900 "for
continuing work upon the double -turreted
"curing the side and turret armOr andarmament
land finishing the vessels" The House refused
to concur in this appropriation; Mr.. Randall at
the head of a House Conference Committee
resoutely refused to rccede from the refusal
and the naval appropriation bill failed. The
naval establishment was only kept alive by
temporary resolution for six months In De-
cember, 1854, a new conference was had upon
the bill which had failed, and again Mr.. Ran
dali opposed the appropriation for the monitors
and the bill had to be finally abandoned. The
House passed another SIX months resolution
which the Senate amended by inserting among
other things the same 81, 100000 appropria-
ton for completing the irOnclads Mr.. Ran
dali and the House again persisted in their Op-
position and the Senate was compelled to give
up their attempt to appropriate for the finish
ing of the vessels.
AT last however, a change has come over the
Democratic House. The Committee on Naval
Affairs now decide that the four monitors must
be completed at cost OF $3.17S, ,O46, exclu-
sive of armament. The report, No. 993, pre-
sented March 10. 1856, by the chairman, Mr..
Herbert, of Alabama. says:
1t is the opinion OF every officer have consulted
these vessels will be very efficient for coast defence and
that amount money necessary therefor could be
expended In other udiciously as I'm conf
pleting and putting upon them he-bes modern armor
In this opinion fortified by the that
other countries are now building vessels which,
though improvements upon, may properly be classed
with these monitors Nearly every has turreted
armorei ships England has Just commenced the con-
OF two turreted ironelad largest class
the Nile and Trafalgar and she has not yet completed
the Hero and Conqueror. With this latter vessel.
which We class with the monitors. we have had the
Puritan compared.
The committee next give the comparison
showing the two vessels TO be nearly alike in
all respects except the frccboard, the Puritan
being two and One-half feet and the COpoueror
ten feet out of the water; and the armament
armor and speed of the Puritan being superior
to those of the Conqueror. The committee
further say:
One striking advantage OF these monors will be the
small amount OF surface presented a target :or the
enemies guns. The fact that large proportion of
their huiIs Is submerged while 1t deracts from their
seawothy qualities will contribute very largely to their
efficiency coast defence vessels.
All that Mr.. Herbert and his Democratic ,s
sociates on the Naval Committee say of these
monitors is doubtless true. But they omit 70
add that Republicans have been telling them
so these ten years, and they have been yoclfer
ousy denying it. Nothing is lacking to Demo- |
cratic pcnltence, except that in addition 10
eating their own words, as we thus see them
doing, Mr. Herbert should, when his bill i, |
under discussion, rise and apologize to the Re-
publicans Tor the past Democratic ISLANDERS of
the monitors. The apology would come more
appropriately from Mr.. Randall but will be
significant enough coming from Mr.. Herbert.
Whether Congress shonld at this session not
only authorize the expenditure of $3,17S,O46 |
for the low freeboard monitors, but also the con-