The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1897-06-09
OLD MONITORS.
Brought Out to Aid in Our Sea-
Coast Defense.
They Are Not Considered Valuable
for Sea Fighting, But MaH Prove
OF Good Service In the
Quiet Waters.

HE arrangements now in progress
to utilize the survivors of our old mon
itor fleet, which rendered such inval-
liable service during the civil war, for
purposes of coast defense, revive popu-
lar interest in vessels of this class. Not
Uithstanding the fact that the type of
these boats is now somewhat obsolete,
the historic fighting machines seem
well adapted to the use contemplated,
and may prove of great service in case
of need.
No less than "a of them were fitted
out by the government after their eff
ficiency had been demonstrated in the
famous fight at Hampton Roads, which
inaugurated a new era in maritime war;
fare and ultimately revolutionized the
nayies of the world. Most of them were
of the single turret class, of which the
Passiae furnishes good example, and
were designed chiefly for use in rivers,
harbors and sounds; but ten were
equipped with double turrets, and two,
the Dictator and the Puritan, were sea-
going vessels of more than 5000 tons.
From this they ranged downward to
about coo tons. Four more of the
largest size were in process of eonstruc-
ton when the war ended, but were
never brought to completion. They
have since been broken up.
OF this formidable fleet, which in its
day was by Ear the most powerful arma-
ment afloat not more than IS vessels
are now extant. Four-besides the orig
nal Monitor-were lost during the war,
the Weehawken laundering at sea, and
the Patapsco, the Milwaukee and the
Tecumseh being destroyed by tore
pedoes. The fest have been retired
from time to time. OF these still in
the service four-Amphitrite Monad-
mock, Puritan and Terror-haye been
considerably modified to meet modern
requirements.
Craft of this description are especially
adapted for use in quiet and shallow
waters, where the low deck, over which
the waves sweep with terrifying Yio-
lence in starm, is not a serious draw
back, and their light draught gives
them a great advantage, as was made
evident in the epochmaking conflict
with the Merrimac in 1862.
For the open sea they are not so well
suited, even in the improved models;
although it is said that in consequence
of being so nearly submerged they are
| much steadier than ordinary vessels,
/ thus rendering it possible to use the
guns with greater precision. Neverthe-
less it will be remembered that the
original Monitor barely escaped sink.
ing on its first voyage to Hampton
Roads, and subsequently went down of
Cape Hatteras, taking with it consid.
cradle portion of the crew, while the
remainder were saved only with the
utmost difficulty. The inventor, it is
true, alleged that proper precautions
were not taken; but the fact remains
that it has been found very difficult tC
keep the water from flooding the hole
under such circumstances, aud wher
once the fires are eXtinguished tht
craft is helpless.
Another serious disadvantage is tn,
lack of speed resulting from deep i'm
mersions-the original Monitor and it
immediate successors being able t.
make only four or five knots an hour
So far as sustaining heavy fire is con
cerned, however, they have successful,
endured the seyerest tests. The clain
of the inventor, that "the least quan
tity of thickest armor does most wor
in protecting the ship, engines, boil
ers and magazine" is well sustained b
experience. Unquestionably, thes
veteran warriors are entitled to tn
greatest respect for what they hay
achieved in the past, and it is probabl
that they will hold their own for cel
tain purposes for a long time tocome.-
Detroit Free Press.