NAVY, UNITED STATES. 



600 



hang, while through the fore overhang is an 

 anchor well, 5 feet in diameter, and so ar- 

 ranged that the anchor a patent form, with 4 

 flukes can be taken up through it. 



Among the important changes from the plan 

 of the first Monitor introduced generally in the 

 new batteries, the following should be particu- 

 larly named : 1. While the former had the 

 sides of its lower hull sloping at an angle of 

 80 to the vertical, and a flat bottom, the latter 

 have more nearly an ordinary midship section, 

 with an ordinary rise of flow, and a round 

 bilge. 2. While, in the former, the turret re- 

 ceived the support of but a single bulkhead 

 running across the vessel, the turrets of the 

 latter receive support from 4 bulkheads, 2 

 transverse and 2 longitudinal, and which are 

 heavily braced with " angle bars." 3. The 

 overhang at the stern is greatly reduced in the 

 new batteries, so that in a seaway they are 

 correspondingly less subject to strain on this 

 account. 4. The new batteries only are pro- 

 vided with a heavy iron-plate chimney, which 

 rises about 6 feet above the deck. In these, 

 accordingly, the retraction of the chimneys 

 through the deck during an action is not re- 

 quired. 5. In them, also, the air supply is more 

 safely and effectually obtained through the top 

 of the turret, the blowers, driven also by blow- 

 er engines of larger size, being placed just be- 

 neath the turret flooring, and acting to force 

 air into the boiler room and other parts of the 

 hold. The guns within the turrets, moreover, 

 do not usually require sighting, since the di- 

 rection of fire can be found and kept by means 

 of the " turret sight," fixed parallel with the 

 guns before a small opening in the wall. 



Besides the 9 new Monitor batteries first 

 ordered, others involving further variations of 

 plan or dimensions have been commenced at 

 different places. In January, 1863, the Osage, 

 one of these, was launched at St. Louis, Mo. 

 This boat is 180 feet in length, having 1 turret 

 and 2 11 -inch guns, the deck oval and at the 

 edge only 12 inches above the water, and with 

 an oval pilothouse at the stern. The Caman- 

 che was constructed in sections, to admit of 

 being taken apart for transmission to California, 

 for protection of the coast of which country 

 she was designed. Another fleet, of 8 Moni- 

 tors of the first class, and of dimensions differ- 

 ing not much from those of the previous ten, 

 are now in course of construction. 



Improvements in Working the new Monitors. 

 In the first Monitor, the guns were run out 

 for firing, so as to project through the port- 

 holes ; and they were, of course, exposed for 

 the moment to increased danger of being struck 

 and disabled. Besides, it was becoming desir- 

 able to substitute guns of 15-inch for those of 

 11-inch caliber ; and while, when this change 

 was decided on, some of the turrets were al- 

 ready bored with portholes of the original 

 dimensions for 11-inch guns it was desirable 

 also, in view of saving the strength of the 

 turret and diminishing risks of entrance of the 



VOL. II 39 



enemy's missiles, to keep the portholes as 

 small as possible. All the ends indicated could 

 be subserved at once, if it were practicable to 

 discharge the guns within the turret. To this 

 important problem, involving such particulars 

 as the means of reducing greatly the recoil of 

 the piece on firing, as also the question of the 

 effect of the concussion and reverberation on 

 those within the turret, Capt. Ericsson diligently 

 applied himself. An apparatus for the gun's 

 was devised, the details of which have not 

 been made public, but which was intended to 

 control the action of the piece in the moment 

 of firing, especially in the way of allowing of 

 all needful recoil within the limits of the turret. 

 November 15, 1862, a short trip was made up 

 the Hudson river, with the Passaic, for the pur- 

 pose of experiments with the new apparatus, 

 among those on board being Admiral Gregory, 

 general superintendent of iron-clad vessels, 

 and chief engineers Stimers, Lawton, and Robie. 

 Three hollow shot weighing each 330 Ibs. were 

 successively fired, in the direction of the Pali- 

 sades on the west bank of the river, from the 

 15-inch gun within the turret; the first, with 

 a charge of 20 Ibs. of powder, the other two 

 with a charge of 35 Ibs. each ; and the recoil 

 was found to be brought wholly within con- 

 trol, being 17 inches for the first shot, 3 ft. 10 

 in. for the second, and 2 ft. 8 in. for the third. 

 It appears that the recoil is diminished by 

 means of a friction apparatus of peculiar form ; 

 and the excessive recoil of the second shot was 

 due to the circumstance that the screws or 

 " compressors " in the apparatus had not been 

 properly tightened beforehand. No inconve- 

 nient effect from the concussion was experi- 

 enced by those within the turret. Thus the 

 entire feasibility of discharging the piece within 

 the turret was demonstrated ; and a few days 

 subsequently orders were sent from Washington 

 directing that the turrets of all the Monitors be 

 at once completed with portholes of the origi- 

 nal dimensions. 



Again, in view of the ease with which the 

 great guns now employed on these batteries, 

 and especially as fitted with the new apparatus, 

 can be served, it results that a very great 

 economy in the requisite force of gunners, and 

 in expense is secured. Thus, while 25 men 

 have been found insufficient to serve a single 

 Armstrong gun on shipboard, its weight only 

 14 tons, it is here true that 6 men serve effi- 

 ciently and with ease the two guns of the Pas- 

 saic. the 15-inch one weighing 42,000 Ibs.. and 

 with a charge of 35 Ibs. of powder, throwing 

 a 450-lb. solid shot, or a shell of the weight 

 above mentioned. The total complement of 

 officers and men for each of these Monitors is 

 less than 100. 



Among other improvements in working the 

 Monitors, and, as well as the preceding, several- 

 ly by plans of Capt. Ericsson's invention, are 

 those by which the bed of the turret is ren- 

 dered watertight; the arrangement for using 

 the compass, when not in action, free from the 



