Evening star., 1926-05-29
John Ericsson.

I'nveiiins today OF the memorial to
Jchn Ericsson in Potomac Park ac-
ruires an unusual Significance from
rhs presence Of the Grown Prince OF
sweden. the native land of the In
Vnntor. Ericsson was born at Werm-
land. Sweden. July 81. 1903. and be-
fore his arrival In the United States
in 1899 he had gained renown. as an
engineer through his remarka bic dis
eoveriAs in physical science. At the
age of twenty-five he made the Arst
appica ton to navisa ton Of the prin-
cirle NJ condensins steam and return
inS the water to the boiler. He had
also invented an automatic aunlOck
fnr the frinR OF naval cannon at any
elevation regardless OF The rolling OF
the ship Three wears before lea sving
his native lsnd he revolutionized nav
isation nv his evolution OF the screw
propeller. So that this Young Swede,
seeking the la nd OF larger opportunity.
came to these shores with q rema rk
sh,e record Of inventions of a piac-
teal nature.
The feat upon which the fame OF
Ericsson chiefly rests, however, was
q combination Of his own idea with
thai of Theodore r. Timby. to whom
patent had been granted by the
United States Government for re-
volving turret. EricssOn's contribution
was the almost submerged hull and
the use Of iron In it's construction.
Timbys turret, which he had pre-
viouslv urged upon the notice Of EN-
peror Napoleon III OF France, was
superimposed upon this virtual metal
raft.
In ordering the construction Of the
Monitor by company Of patriotic
citizens. the Federal Government
sought to defeat the aims of the Con
federate authorities, VINO were engae.
I'd in the construction Of an irOncisd
Al Norfolk. using the huil Of the frig-
ate Merrimac, sunk In the navy yard
there npon It's q bs ndonment. A race
ensued between the two shipysrds.
.. L.,
Ericsson. the engineer engaged BY the
construction company to perfect the
novel crsft wa . rushing to accomplish
the apparently impossible, and that at
Norfolk. where the Confederate naval
forces were rushing the armorins Of
the Virginia, as the former Merrimac C
was STYLED. The Confederates won
the race by a DAY, In terms of initial
sction. While the Monitor was MAX
ing hs way around to the CO pes the
Virginia. or Merrimsc. as 1t is most
~ rrjliarly known, was rsidins and
sinking Federal ships lying in Hamp-
ton Roa ds.
The battle Of the ironclads took
place the following day, for the Mon
itor srrived during the night. There
was pa mic in the North, owing to the
ease with which the new craft had
destroyed the hea Willy sunned Federal
vessels. Would the cheese box on
raft" as the Monitor was styled in
scorn by skeptics. prove equal to the
90 cement is history. The Monitor
proved it's worth and the hopes OF the
rcntederacy for naval supremacy were
DESTROYED.
John Ericsson's genius in the con
struction Of the Monitor In record
time, an experimental craft defyins
sN the known laws Of naviss ton, hs .
hsen universally recognized. Timby' .
contribution to the result has not been
adeauat teiy acknowledged. But 10
Ericsson this country 10 not unduly
grateful. not alone for this specific,
history ma king achievement, but for
his invslus BILE gifts TO the service Of
humanity In the sphere Of science and
invention. Tho memorial which rises
on the ba nks Of the Potomac Is a
tangible token Of the esteem In which
this adopted son of America is hold by
the present genera ton and will attest
dr the time to come to a remarkable
career Of the highest value.