Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-04-23
BROOKE REAL DESIGNER
OF |RONCLAD VIRGINIA
To Him Belongs Honor of Famous
Vessel Which Revolutionized
Worlds Naval Warfare.
PROOFS ARE INDlspurABLE
Credit Has Been Given by Many to
Constructor John l.. Porter, &. S.
~, As Ii Was He Who Wrote Out
Specifications.

Specifications.
70 the Editor Of The Times Dispatch:
An article III a recent issue 81 the
Confederate Veteran claims for Con-
structor John l.. Porter. Confederate
states army, the honor OF having made
the original design whereby the United
states Eriratc Ncl rinac was CONVERT
ID into the ironclad Virginia This
matter has been up for discussion and
a. number of times, notably in the Rich
mond Dispatch, lS?l: Battles and lead
ers Of the Civil WAY Century Com
pany. 1881: Southern Historical So
ciety Papers, Volumes NIN. and NN).
More recently in Historical Sins of
Omission and Commission" Miss Mil-
dred Rutherford. historian general
United Daughters of the Confederacy.
has given il attention in tentative
fashion. and il has been the subject
Z, special stud: in NJ. raEe Andrcwss
beautiful and scholarly History of
the United States" Lippincott, 1918.
should like TO bring 10 the attcn-
zion Of your readers the following OK
tracts from pamphlet published by
ti1s late John Mercer Brooke. com
lnander Confederate states navy, and
for MANY years professor of ceodcsy
at the Virginia Military Institute. in
Ls Nineton. Va. and. as Will he seen,
the real protector OF the Mcrrimac.
Brooke Southern Historical Society
Papers, Volume XlN), "Mr Mallory,
Secretary Confederate states navy.
asked me TO design an ronclad
The first idea presenting itself was
a shield Of timber two feet thick,
plated with three inches OF iron, in
clined to III. horizontal plane at the
least angle that would permit work.
ing the guns. this shield To u" sup
ported by hull Of equal length. But
it was apparent. on inspection, that
TO support the massive shields. the
ends of the vessel would be so full
ana bluff as 10 prevent the attainment
of speed II then occurred to me that
ineneSs or line, buoyancy and Drotcc-
ton OF hull could bc obtained by cN
tending the ends of the vessel under
water. beyond the shield. To prevent
she banking UP OF water OF these sub
merged ends. ! erected upon them a
Superstructure OF shipiron. correspond
ing in form with tho huh hollow but
not hieher than would permit the free
use OF bow and stern cuus these SUI
ptrstructures Ia tie doCllcd.
"Of this design | submitted outline
,lra wings, body. sheer ami dock plans
Ito Mr. Mallory who approved ANA
adopted them. then asked that chief
Engineer Williamson and Constructor
Porter should he sent 70: from the Nor
folk MAYNARD Ia put tho plan in exc
cution. This the secretary declined
doing, but ordered q practical mechanic
to be sent MP from thc \orfulk yard
The mechanic came. aided in the state
meut Of timber, ctr.. hut ,sns unable
TO make the WORKING Drawings ana
was permitted to return to lie yard.
Constructor Porter ana chief Enri-
Heer Williamson were then ordered 10
report They camc and W. met III con-
sultatiop with tn. secretary. Mr.. i'ur-
ter brought and presented for consid-
eratiol, model Of an ironcl,,d OF the
same form as that which | had re-
jected for reasons above stated
when We had examined tho model
the secretary said lie wished to show
McSsrs. Porter and Williamson a plan
proposed by Lieutenant Brooke. The
plan was then placed before them, aud
the rc2.ons for extending tn" euds Of
til" 'uill beyond the shield and under
the water were stated and they APP
proved the plan. 1t had been as stated
above, previously adopted Ivy tn" dc
partment
Nh Mallory then directed McSsrs.
WILKINSON and Porter to ascertain it
suitable engines au1 boilers could hc
had To nm" he said. Make q ulonu
drawing IN luE 81 Noui plan ir =" Died
IN the departments As placed Ito
naprr ON TIE tnble and was about 10
he gin. AIR. rorter SAID to me: YOU
had better let mo q" that | AIN n",,.
familiar than YOU arc with that sort
OF work Accepting his otter went
With Williamson 10 the Tr.dcgar
WORKS, where VIC learned that no suit
able engine could he he'd Williamson
Then said that thc engines of the Mcr-
rimaC could, D." thought. bc put in
working condH.n on, hi!t that the vessel
would neCessa;-lr have as great n
iraugh, as The M-rrimac. and that il
would be useless TO build new hull,
a. the lower part of the old one had
= p1an
;oe applied 10 her. In view of these
facts. Constructor Porter. who also
knew what the condition of the YES
sci was agreed with va that the plan
could be carried out on her We all
thought the'drauGht TOO great. but we
could not do better. We reported YER
hally to the secretary; the subject was
discussed. and his opinion coincided
with ours. He then. in order that n
record might be preserved, directed us
TO make a written report in accordance
with the results OF the discussion.
AS the plan proposed by me had
been adopted, I though, it but proper
that should leave the wording OF the
Export 10 Nessrs. Williamson and Por-
tei. noticed that iu designating the
ulan to be adopted. the expression used
was The plan submitted for the APP
prevail of the department., which plan
was not stated"
Professor Brooke. here ending his
preliminary statement, now quotes
gcriatim from Lieutenant Robert d.
Minor, wounded on board the Virginia
during the fight; from Secretary Mall
lnry, In his official report given by re-
quest 10 the HcuSe OF representatives
Richmond MARCH -" 1859" from his
own letters patcnt granted ny the c.
= y Patent once. ~ Patent No 700 :
1862 with fun specifications and plans
attached. All OF these confirm his state