could point out, and which, I think, can be entirely re- 

 movea in the new vessels now building. 



In conclusion he says : 



I take the liberty to express my firm opinion that 

 the obstructions can be readily passed with the means 

 already provided, and our entire fleet of ironclads pass 

 up successfully to the wharves of Charleston, and that 

 the Monitor vessels still retain sufficient enduring 

 powers to enable them to pass all the forts and batter- 

 ies which may reasonably be expected. 



The Passaic, which was one of the most bad- 

 ly damaged of the ironclads in this affair, was 

 sent to New York in May for repairs, and by 

 direction of. Secretary Welles a commission, 

 headed by Captain J. 0. Eowan, was appointed 

 to examine and report upon the amount of in- 

 jury she had received from the fire of the bat- 

 teries or from the effects of the gale which she 

 encountered on her passage north. They found 

 that but 4 shots had damaged any part of the 

 structure to an extent worthy of particular at- 

 tention, and that only one of these, a 10-inch 

 shot which disabled the working of one of the 

 guns, by deranging the gun slices, had affected 

 the fighting efficiency of the vessel. They also 

 reported that the Passaic had not been strained 

 or injured by the gale. 



From a recently published report of Admiral 

 Dahlgren, reviewing the service of the iron- 

 clads during 1863, we extract the following 

 table showing their capacity for endurance : 



NAVY, U. S. 



665 



He adds: 



What vessels have ever been subjected to such a 

 test? It is not surprising that they should need con- 

 siderable repair after sustaining such a severe pound- 

 ing for so long a time, but only that they could be re- 

 stored at all to a serviceable condition. The force of a, 

 10-inch shot must be experienced to be appreciated. 

 Any one in contact with the part of the turret struck, 

 falls senseless, and I have been nearly shaken off my 

 ^ feet in the pilot house when engaging Moultrie. All 

 ' the little defects of detail were marked by such a 

 searching process. Decks were cut through, cannon 

 were rooted out, side armor shaken, tops of pilot 

 houses crushed, &c. But all these were reparable, and 

 no vital principle was seriously touched. With such 

 . workshops and means as a northern navy yard in- 

 cludes, the repair of all monitors would have been 

 speedily executed. 



In respect to the powers of their ordnance 

 he says : 



In operations against earthworks, whose material 

 cannot be damaged permanently, but only disturbed, 

 and which are only to be dealt with by keeping down 

 their fire, a much lighter projectile would be prefer- 

 able, in order that the practice may be as rapid as 

 possible. Hence a piece of 16,000 Ibs. for 10-inch or 

 11-inch shot and shell. When a number of monitors 

 are brought together, it would be better also to have 

 guns of like kind in each turret, and bringing into ac- 

 tion whichever might be preferable. Each of the mon- 

 itors of this squadron had a 15-inch and a smaller gun, 

 11-inch or 8-inch rifle, and hence the rapidity 01 fire 

 which was most desirable was not attained. 



Of their sailing qualities he says: 

 The speed of the monitors is not great (seven knots), 

 but it is quite respectable with a clear bottom, and is 

 fully equal to that of the Ironsides. Their steerage is 

 peculiar, but, when fully understood and rightly man- 

 aged, not difficult of control. They pivot with celerity, 

 and in less space than almost any other class of ves- 

 sels. The number of men required to work them and 

 the guns is only eighty, which is very moderate. In 

 common with all ironclads the scope of vision is much 

 restricted, for the p_lain reason tnat in such vessels 

 apertures of any size must be avoided. There are 

 some other defects, but they are not inherent, and it is 

 believed are susceptible of being remedied wholly or 

 in part. 



The New Ironsides he considers a "fine, 

 powerful ship," but defective in having her 

 ends unplated. They are' consequently easily 

 damaged by a raking fire and involve to a cer- 

 tain degree the rudder and screw, while she 

 can return no fire in either direction. The 

 monitors, on the other hand, are almost equally 

 well defended on all sides, and can fire in any 

 direction. In summing up their respective of- 

 fensive qualities, he says that the Ironsides is 

 capable of a more rapid and concentrated fire 

 than the others, and that on that account her 

 guns are more effective than the 15-inch guns 

 of the monitors. 



On the other hand, she was restricted by draft to the 

 mid-channel, was very vulnerable to the raking fire, 

 and the direction of her own guns was very limited lat- 

 erally.- The monitors could operate in most of the 

 channels, could direct their fire around the whole cir- 

 cle, and were almost equally well defended on all sides. 

 The defects in both classes of vessels are susceptible 

 of being remedied partially or entirely. The defence 

 of the Ironsides could be made complete, and that of 

 the monitors equally so. The armament of the monitors 

 could be perfected so as to give all desirable rapidity 

 of fire, but by no contrivance could the Ironsides be 

 enabled to use much heavier guns than those mounted. 

 Yet when such changes were made as experience sug- 

 gested, there still would remain to the monitors the 

 fight draft, choice of guns from the heaviest to the 

 lightest, defensibility, and direction of fire around the 

 wnole circle ; consequently the ability to carry a heavy 

 battery into the least depth of water, with equal power 

 of offence and defence in any direction, and that with 

 half the number of guns carried in broadside by an- 

 other vessel. 



He observes, in conclusion, with reference to 

 the selection by the Government of vessels of 

 the Monitor type : 



It is evident that it was not designed to adopt any 

 one style exclusively, for of the three vessels first or- 

 dered, two were of the ordinary broadside class the 

 Ironsides and the Galena. The latter was quickly 

 proved to be absolutely inefficient, and so must any 

 armored steamer of that size. It is universally admit- 

 ted that plates of less than four and a half (4*) inches 

 cannot stand the shock of heavy projectiles, and ves- 





