744 



HISTORY OF THE SEA. 



the construction of an iron ship is such, that when the plates 

 are ready, it can be put together with wonderful rapidity. 



For constructing ships of war, iron is almost wholly used, 

 and the experience of our late war has almost entirely changed 

 the methods and theories of naval warfare. The enormous 

 frigate, carrying a heavy armament of numerous guns, and 

 manned by a thousand men, has been replaced by a small 

 craft — so low in the water as to project above it only a few 

 inches, carrying but a single gun, or at most only two, which 

 are of very heavy calibre, and are mounted in a revolving 



ST. LOUIS. 



lower in the middle of the craft. The general description ot 

 the Monitor, that it was a cheese- box on a raft, aptly describes 

 their appearance. 



By the introduction of the monitor as a war vessel, a com- 

 plete change was wrought in naval warfare. The large hulk 

 of the old ships afforded only a better target for the heavy 

 gunF of this new craft, while its own slight projection above 

 the Vfcter, and the fact that its engines and propeller were cov- 

 ered by the water, afforded it almost absolute security from the 

 enemy's guns. Even if it was struck, the round shape of its 

 Vor-clad deck, and its revolving tower caused the balls to 



