New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-03-09
,J0Hg ERICSSON.

One of the mosb remarkable men IN the
world died early yesterday morning IN phis
CITY. in the house where he had lived during q
long succession OF busy years. and surroundeu
by the tools which were his dearest companions.
Pride In the achievements OF john Ericsson
is not confined to this or any single country
In Sweden, where he was born, his fame Is
cherished as National possession; Engianu'
which was his home in early manhood mas
long estimated at their true value the powers
which were there recognized too late, ana there
is no civilized community in the world when
does not realize that man Of genius has passed.
away.
But though he had taken the first steps
toward fame before he crossed the ocean, the
United States will justly claim the largest snare
of that distinction which he conferred upon the
race He came hither young man; this was
his home and his country for half century
and here he rose 10 the full measure OF his
powers. Ericsson was certainly not amoltlous
of wealth, it is even doubtful il he cared Tor inc
public rewards Of fame, but he loved those I'M
selfish triumphs which come from the per-
sistent application of great talents to the ser
vice Of mankind. He was recluse, not De-
cause his nature was unkindly, but because
time was to him so preciousr and the possiblll-
ties of uninterrupted toll were 80 alluring THAI
he could not help regarding as wasted the
hours which were not spent in his workshop
His physical endowment, moreover, was so
generous that his mind worked like chro-
nometer, almost without pause or relaxation
for fourscore years. He was a child when ne
began to explore and apply the laws OF nature
he died ut eighty-six, and not until few days
ago was he willing to acknowledge that his
work was done.
II often happens that a great mans fame Is
associated In the popular mind with some
achievement inherently not the most remark
able of his career. So it is with Ericsson. 1t
was the Monitor which made aud will keep his
name a household word. and not some other
of his mnltifarious successes nor all OF them
combined. And this is perfectly natural and
proper. Whatever the future implements and
conditions of naval warfare may be, and what
ever engineers may now or hereafter think OF
the "cheesebox on raft" the glory Of that
unique combat in Hampton Roads Just twenty
seven years ago to-day can never be forgotten.
1t does not become less probable with the lapse
of time that the issue OF the war might have
been different If the Merrimac's work of de-
struction had not been stopped Just when and
where 1t was, and the wave Of enthusiasm which
swept over the loyal States when the story Of
that day was told is justified in the light Of
history. Ericsson himself probably esteemed
many Of his inventions-the screw propeller
which revolutionized navigation; the Princeton.
which revoluhonized marine architecture; the
locomotive Novelty, which competed on even
terms with George stephenson's design and
combined several features which are still re-
tanned In universal use, and even the sun
motor to which bis last years were devoted
as inherently more useful and important than
the creation of the Monitor; but still any man
might well be satisfied to know that he would
be identified through all time with feat which
saved the Union.
Apart from the specific service rendered by
the Monitor, her arrival at the precise place
and moment Of o critical emergency suggests
some Of the characteristics which made Erics-
son eminent. Except for his persistent en-
ergy abe would have been built too late, and
except for his all-conquering faith in himself
she never would have been built at all. The
same unweariea devotion to the work in hand
distinguished him from the beginning to the
end of his life. Moreover, his powers were
unsel6shly employed for practical and beneA-
cent purposes. In recent years he has di-
versifed his labors by the study of scientific
problems and possibly by abstract speculation,
but his last days were devoted TO an invention
which he believed would prove to be his crown
ing service TO his fellow-men. He was stead
fast and simply heroic character, and fit to be
held in perpetual honor.