The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-04-03
THE MONITOR TYPE.
The Present Crisis Rcnews Official In
tercst i'm This Craft.

The activity OF the naval authorities
made necessary by the critical condition
of international affairs now prevalent has
caused a renewed interest In the subject
OF the monitor type Of lighting craft not
only for the defence Of coast cities ana
harb0rs, but for sea-Going purposes as
well The seawOrthiness oil the monitcT5
has long been denied by the naval officers
of what Is known as the new regime ln
the service VINO have been ardent ln their
championship of the battlcship and the
cruiser. but with the appearance OF
threatening clouds on the peaceful horizon
there has been investigation into the
question, which Is sull in progress Oid
naval officers Of fame and brilliant record
such as Rear Admiral Jouett for in
stance. who wore 20 service The wcH-won
soubriquet Of Fighting Jim Jouett,' arc
very favoraUly inclined toward the
monitor, and Admiral Jouett has ire
auently declared that the monitor Puri-
tan is the finest fighting machine IN the
world.
AS to the ssaworthiness Of the monitor
the authorities are being convinced Of
their superior qualifications In this respect
bv testimony Of both recent and remote
date. A particularly striking proof ci
tbfs wss shown iu The behavior Of the
double-tty.reted monitor Amphiinte on
The occasion Of her voyage from Ne"
York TO the blockade maneuvers bsioIe
Charleston. 5. c. last year. There was
a storm prevailing for twenty hours our
ing the trip. but the Amphiirite went
thTourh the heavy cross-seas easily, and
the remarkable statement was made by
ono Of the officers ON board Of her thal
"v,hile a man would be a fool 10 nght MS
chin in n storm. there was not a moment
when the Amphltrite's batteries could mol
have been worked TO advantage.
This fact is now IN the possession OF
the Navy Department
Very valuable additional evidence OF
the same sort has been given By Captain
Noses Sherwood Stuyvesant, a retired
naval officer IN pager read In 81. Louis.
March 9Th, before the Military Order OF
the LOYAL Legion. Captain Stuyye5ant
was educated at Annapolis. served during
the war on the monitors Wechawken and
Mian.onOmOh. and was retired as ueu-
tenant commander. His paper was an ar
gument in favor Of the monitor as against
the battle ship
In the course 0 fhis remarks Captain
Stuyvcsant gave the following interest
Ing information about monitors;
THE dou5le-turreted monitor draws
fifteen feet. and can 80 into Port Royal
Charleston. Savannah, Fernandra, Mo-
bile. New Orleans and Galveston. day or
any OF our Northern harbOrs. This might
be q valuable feature II our ships should
be seriously damaged In action, or be
storin-GriNen or In need of coal or re-
pairs. Such ships n we had enough OF
them. could be regularly stationed m any
OF our ports. and be available at any mo-
ment for defensive purposes.
what is the matter with the monitor?
The two-turreted monitor is q nghting
ship pur ct simple, stripped - the waist.
and has no solar peXus. She does not
require a man OF Cast-steel 20 get out Of
her an she is capable or Her main deck
Is only twelve to sixteen inches above
water presenting an armored target that
high. and about 30 feet long. on top Of
this are TWO low turrets containing each
two heavy rifles. On top Of them Is a
light superstructure. in which are few
light guns for rcpelling boaTders torpedo
boats. etc. with equal guns. she can
whip any battleship aGoat
1.-THE turrcts are not piled up together
amidships, but are placed 100 feet or so
apart The target IS. therefore, d.
vided not doubled The turrets are so
placed that the four guns can be nred
ahead or astorn as well as In any other
direction. The weight Of her turrets and
armamCnts T. distributed. not concentrated
and Il IS practicable 20 make the struc-
ture strong enough 20 sustain the weight
OF her armament the strain OF rolling and
pitching IN heavy seas and the shock OF
battle.
such craft. taking nosition IN shoal
water cannot be followed by battleshlps.
because they draw too much. She could
not be rammed by them, nor tOrpcdoad.
~ provided with proper netting. The
doubie.turreted monitor Is never out Of
date so long as she can float. IT, IN the
progress OF arms. heavier guns arc deslr-
able. q derrick can lift out the old ones
and put In the new. This contingency
should be considered In designing now
monitors.
at is popularity supposed that the nnonl-
tor IL not adapted TO sea-going or sea
fighting. This Is a mistake In both par
hcuiars The writer has served IN gun
boats and frieates screws. side-wheslers
and sailing sh'Ds. and about eighteen
months I'm monitors The douh'e-turretoi
monitor Mlnntonomoh. in which | made
a cruise 10 Europe In aSJ7. was the best