Editing USS Monitor (section)

==Approval==
[[File:John Ericcson, designer of the USS Monitor - Charles D. Fredricks & Co., "Specialité," 587 Broadway, New York LCCN2016646196 (cropped).jpg|thumb|John Ericsson designed ''Monitor'']]
After the United States received word of the construction of ''Virginia'', [[United States Congress|Congress]] appropriated $1.5 million on 3 August 1861 to build one or more armored steamships. It also ordered the creation of a board to inquire into the various designs proposed for armored ships. The Union Navy advertised for proposals for "iron-clad steam vessels of war" on 7 August and Welles appointed three senior officers as the [[Ironclad Board]] the following day. Their task was to "examine plans for the completion of iron-clad vessels" and consider its costs.<ref name=r5>[[#Roberts99|Roberts, 1999]], p. 5</ref>{{efn|Members of the Ironclad board included Commodores [[Joseph Smith (admiral)|Joseph Smith]], [[Hiram Paulding]] and [[Charles Henry Davis|Charles H. Davis]]. The board lacked experienced shipbuilders but was compensated by the fact that two of the members had years of shipyard experience.<ref name=r5/>}}

Ericsson originally made no submission to the board, but became involved when [[Cornelius Bushnell]], the sponsor of the proposal that became the armored [[sloop-of-war|sloop]] {{USS|Galena|1862|6}}, needed to have his design reviewed by a [[naval architect|naval constructor]]. The board required a guarantee from Bushnell that his ship would float despite the weight of its armor<ref>[[#Roberts99|Roberts, 1999]], p. 7</ref> and [[Cornelius H. DeLamater]] of New York City recommended that Bushnell consult with his friend Ericsson.<ref>[[#Baxter|Baxter, 1933]], p. 253</ref> The two first met on 9 September and again on the following day, after Ericsson had time to evaluate ''Galena''{{'s}} design. During this second meeting, Ericsson showed Bushnell a model of his own design, the future ''Monitor'', derived from his 1854 design. Bushnell got Ericsson's permission to show the model to Welles, who told Bushnell to show it to the board.<ref name=t4/> Upon review of Ericsson's unusual design, the board was skeptical, concerned that such a vessel would not float, especially in rough seas, and rejected the proposal of a completely iron laden ship. [[President Lincoln]], who had also examined the design, overruled them. Ericsson assured the board his ship would float exclaiming, "The sea shall ride over her and she shall live in it like a duck".<ref name="Ward-p99">[[#Ward|Ward, Burns and Burns, 1990]], p. 99</ref> On 15 September, after further deliberations, the board accepted Ericsson's proposal.<ref name=t4>[[#Thompson90|Thompson, 1990]], p. 224</ref> The Ironclad Board evaluated 17 different designs, but recommended only three for procurement on 16 September, including Ericsson's ''Monitor'' design.<ref>[[#Roberts99|Roberts, 1999]], pp. 7, 16–17</ref>

The three ironclad ships selected differed substantially in design and degree of risk. ''Monitor'' was the most innovative design by virtue of its low [[freeboard]], shallow[[draft (hull)|-draft]] iron hull, and total dependence on steam power. The riskiest element of its design was its rotating [[gun turret]], something that had not previously been tested by any navy.{{efn|British trials of a turret designed by Captain [[Cowper Coles]] on board the [[floating battery]] [[Aetna-class ironclad floating battery|HMS ''Trusty'']] began the same month.<ref>Brown, pp. 41–43</ref>}} Ericsson's guarantee of delivery in 100 days proved to be decisive in choosing his design despite the risk involved.<ref name=r711>[[#Roberts99|Roberts, 1999]], pp. 7–11</ref>