Evening star., 1925-09-06

feet of water, she withdrew for the
day TO return to her work Of destruc-
tlon with the morning and the tide.
THE Confederates were jubilant; they
saw the hated blockade raised. and
they hoped that England would now
DO more than smile in a friendly
fashion upon their cause. In Wash
ington CONSERVATION and despair
reigned. Secretary Stanton actually
went to the windows of the White
House, expecting to see that fantastic.
death-dealing craft steam up the
Potomac to do impossible damage.
But fortune is ever tickle. A vol
unteer crew was manning a stronger
craft than the Merrimac, that, on
hurried orders, was stesming toward
Hampton Roads. It arrived in the
night and stationed itself close be-
meath the lofty sides of the Mime
sofa. a veritable watchdog, strangely
capable of sure defense.
In the morning the Merrimac
bore down upon the great Minnesota
with the eagerness of assured victory.
for she was confident of repeating her
success OF yesterday. She was ac-
companied by Confederate vessels.
But her little, unknown antagonist,
ike a wasp with a swift and deadly
sting, darted out toward her, and, at
signal, the Confederate vessels with
drew to a distance, that the two iron
clads might have a clear field for
their epoch-making struggle. Between
those two groups of war vessels, the
Monitor fought the Merrimac,
equally matched strength.
Broadsides from the Merrimac
ratified against the iron turret of the
Moniter, whose turntable made her
two guns do the work of the others
ten, while the iron plates shed the
stinging hail of balls with little dam
age to the boat
The fight went on for hours.
Finally the Merrimac tried TO ram
the Monitor, the attempt falling, :.
unwieldly was the larger boat and so
quick the nnaneuvers of the smaller
At last, like wearied antagonists.
the two ironclads seemed TO realize
that neither could conquer the other
The Merrimac Joined her sister
ships and the Monitor returned to
the guardianship of the Minnesota ..
for 1t was fully expected that the
morrow would see the struggle re
neWed.
That expectation remained unful-
filed, however, and the battle re
mained drawn one, so far as the
fight of the ironclads was concerned.
Why the Confederates did not return
to reap the fruits of their victory is
one of the mysteries of the war. The
Merrimac could have destroyed the
Minnesota, but she did not make the
attempt.
1t has been declared of that battle
that Its thrill was in it's novelty; its
results, in the reconstruction of the
navies of the world"
The Government at Washington
breathed again, and maintained its
blockade of the Southern ports TO the
encouragement of English interven-
ton. Ericsson was right; his little
craft could save the destiny of a
great Nation. Wooden ships were
doomed. Nations henceforth would
put their faith no longer in wooden
walls, but in walls of iron, magnifi
cent fleets, whose giant guns fear
| little save the sudden thrust of the
stilettos Of the sea, the submarines.
/ A century and a quarter have
| slipped past since the birth of Erics
son, and today the alphabet of his
genius is made of ironclads, while his
greatest monument dreams beside the
shrine of Lincoln like a pilgrim thai
follows in his footsteps, bearing in his
hands some of the requisites to the
greater mans fame. The monument
is worthy of his contribution to his
ladopted land; it is nobly executed like
his service to our flag.