HOW THE CREW OF THE MONITOR FELT.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 189, 24 June 1862, Page 5

HOW THE CREW OF THE MONITOR FELT.

One of the crew of the Monitor, describing the passago of that vessel froni New York to Portress Monroe, says :—

" The vessel Droceeded safely and comfortably until the afternoon of Friday, March 11, when the weather, which had been for some hours threatening; broke into a severe gale; this the vessel itself did not mind at all, but unfortunately the pipes which lead to the blowers were not quite high enough, and the water came- down in torrents, entirely destroying the draught, and driving the gas in large quantities into the fire and engine rooms. .This proved nearly fatal to Assistant-Engineer Campbell, and the Chief' Engineer, Isaac Newton; both these gentlemen wero taken from the fireroom insensible. The chief engineer, Isaac Newton, appreciating the urgency of the case, after being restored by a draught of fresh air, very injudiciously returned, to endeavor to do what was possible to remedy matters. He 'fell/overcome by the noxious gases, and was removed by a fireman. Chief Engineer Stimers now took charge, and after some hard work, the sea in tlie meantime subsiding, succeeded in righting matters." , Of the engagement, he says:— "The noise on board the Monitor was terrific, — the striking of shot against her sides and the turret, the awful noise of her own guns, the whizzing of shot over the docks, and the explosion of those enormous rifle shells when they, struck, made a terrible din. When the guns recoiled, the noise of the massive pendulums swinging by and closing the ports reverberated throughout therVessel. Themen on board worked like heroes, covered with perspiration and begrimed with powder. Once or twice during the action all hands ' spliced the main brace.' "

On her voyage to Fortress Monroe, the Monitor was all but lost; the waves broke overiher and extinguished her fires, and, but for the assistance of a steamer that took her in tow, she would have sunk.' Her success in the contest with the Merrimac, or Virginia, as she is now called, was negative. Her crew narrowly escaped suffocation, their situation being thus described: —"The inside life in these iron-clad vessels is a sort of Calcutta Black-hole existence, at best. The ventilation is close, and the fire and smoke, with the bad, confined air, are : almost intolerable. The Merrimac had to endure this with 4.00 men. The Monitor's men suffered even more, the vessel being so much smaller. The, eyes and nose of almost every man at the guns literally'shed blood;" The concussion of shot upon the tower containing the armament is so severe as to disable the1 men inside, and several were rendered senseless-by it. ...-.'..