gunboat of this class was ever finished--that the system was abandoned
as utterly worthless and impracticable.

Had the large sum thus wasted been applied to the purchase of swift and
reliable cruisers--or to the speedy and energetic completion of one
iron-clad at a time--it would have read a far more telling story to the
enemy, both in prestige and result.

But even in the case of these, energy and capital were divided and
distracted. On completion of the "Merrimac," there were in the course
of construction at New Orleans, two mailed vessels of a different
class--one of them only a towboat covered with railroad iron. There
were also two small ones on the stocks at Charleston, and another at
Savannah. The great difficulty of procuring proper iron; of rolling it
when obtained; and the mismanagement of transportation, even when the
plates were ready--made the progress of all these boats very slow.
Practicality would have concentrated the whole energy of the Department
upon one at a time; not have left them all unfinished, either to prove
utterly useless at the trying moment, or to fall a prey to superior
force of the enemy.

The plan of the "Merrimac" was unique, in the submersion of her
projecting eaves; presenting a continuous angling coat of mail even
below the water-surface. She was built upon the razeed hull of the old
"Merrimac," of four-and-a-half-inch iron, transverse plates; and
carried an armament of seven-inch rifled Brooke guns, made expressly
for her. There was much discussion at one time, as to whom the credit
for her plan was really due. It finally was generally conceded,
however, that her origin and perfection were due to Commander John M.
Brooke; and the terrible banded rifle-gun and bolt, she used with such
effect on the "Cumberland," was his undisputed invention.

Much wonder had the good people of Norfolk expressed in their frequent
visits to the strange-looking, turtle-like structure. Day by day she
slowly grew; and at length, after weary work and weary waiting, took on
her armament; then her crew was picked carefully from eager volunteers:
her grand old captain took his place, and all was ready for the trial.

During all this time Hampton Roads had been gay with Federal shipping.
Frigates, gunboats, transports and supply ships ran defiantly up and
down; laughing at the futile efforts of the point batteries to annoy
them, and indulging in a dream of security that was to be most rudely
broken. The