The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-12-19

stupendous work now being issued by
the government, he declined the offer
OF the entury company to contribute
to their War series, and has returned
the same answer to many other peri
odicalS. He did this because he was
engaged in writing a BOOK on the sub
ject. This work is about done. and
when 1 called on him at his Office in
Baltimore a few days ago he willingly
consented to tell me the story of the
battle for The Herald.
COLONEL RAMsAY's STORY.
after our sanguinary encounter
with the Monitor said Colonel Ram
say, lighting a cigar, Admiral Farra-
sut was frank enough to tell Admiral
Porter that the A1errimac was the most
remarkable naval craft ever fioated,
and the results of her successful bat
ties with the Cumberland and CONGRESS
would revoiutionize the navies of the
world and would be felt for centuries
to come. Like all prophecies made by
grand old Farragut, it was correct.
The moment the Merrimac successfully
rammed the Cumberland and sent her
to the bottom with colors flying and
guns firing, the navies Of all Europe,
representing an investment of billions
OF money, were rendered Valueless.
Today wooden vessels are only used
for prison ships and training ships for
cadets and our naval militia.
Great Britain had her spies watch
ing the progress we were making in
building the Merrimac, and after our
first days fight, when she was a pro-
ven success, the news was cabled to
London instanter, and the admiralty
Office the very day the message was
received began preparations for re-
modelling the English navy.
Il was chosen by Secretary of the
Navy Mallory to work on the Merrimac
because I was one of her engineers
when she was in the United States
navy. and had made a number of
cruises on her prior to the war. l-aew
her every timber by heart You will
remember that when the federals eYac-
mated Norfolk they burned the Gas
port navy yard, destroyed all supplies
and applied the torch TO all the ship
ming they could not take away with
them. One of these vessels was the
Mer11mac. She could not be moved on
account of defect in her machinery,
so a detail of men from the navy yard
was sent aboard of her to destroy her
Now in that detail there were a num-
her of men who were loyal to the south
this fact has never before been pub
lished, and while they set her afire
as ordered, they went a little further
and wisely DDIGQ q GuE1DSE OIL nOleS
her bottom. AS a consequence she
sunk just about as soon as her rig
cling, masts and decks were burned,
while her machinery and all that por-
ton of her which lay below the water
line was entirely uninjured by the
flames. Had these men not thought of
letting the water in her hold the battle
between the Merrimac and monitor
would not have been fought
GORDON THE INVENTOR.
LAS a matter of fact, Colonel Ram
say, who first thought of converting the
Merrimac into an ironclad RAMP"
"I am very glad of this opportunity
to clear I'D that matter. We should
give credit where credit is due. That
Invention has been attributed to me
time and time again. Her inventor is
Colonel Gordon, now a professor in the
Virginia military institute He was in
the ordnance department of the navy.
and was the very apple of Secretary
Mallory's eye. Mallory thought the sun
rose and set on Gordon. The latter in