Capt. John Ericsson

Capt. John Ericsson, pioneer of the modern battleship. - John Ericsson, a native of Sweden, directed his inventive genius to improvements in steam navigation. He claimed the invention of the screw propeller but was unable to prove priority. Coming to the United States in 1839, he built the first screw propeller warship, the Princeton. This was the first steamship ever constructed with her boilers and engines below the water line, and was the beginning of the steam marine of the world. The "Monitor." - Ericsson would probably have remained unknown to the nation at large had it not been for his achievement during the Civil War. Using the revolving turret patents of Theodore Ruggles Timby, he combined a structure with all machinery below the water line, leaving the turrets alone exposed to attack. This small vessel, known as the Monitor, called in derision "The Yankee Cheese-Box," in its victory over the Merrimae made Ericsson famous in a day. The navy and merchant marine. - This caused a revolution in naval development among the world powers, increasing the effectiveness of fighting ships, thereby greatly strengthening the offensive and defensive forces of nations in proportion to their naval tonnage. Through the genius of John Ericsson, the modern navy and merchant marine has become one of the greatest factors in the development and security of nations.