Stars & Stripes Forever by Harry Harrison

Bushnell said. "I always felt that three months, from design to completion, was very little time. Are you sure that ten more days will be enough?"
    "Ericsson says that she will be launched after one hundred days—and I have never known him to be wrong."
    "That is good news indeed. And now—may we see this remarkable vessel?"
    "That will be a little difficult. The hull is still under construction and there is very little that can be seen at the present time. I feel that if you will look at these drawings you will understand something more of this wonderful invention." He spread the large sheets out on the table. "The bottom of the hull is made of iron plate and is 124 feet long and eighteen feet wide. It is stiffened with angle iron and transverse timber beams to support the decking above which is much bigger, all of 172 feet long and forty-one feet abeam. And armored, heavily armored on top and on the sides that extend below the water to protect the thin hull. Engines here in the hold to drive the propeller screw. And all of this has but a single purpose—to bring this turret into battle."
    "I am sure of that," Fox said, turning the drawings about. "But I must admit that my experience in understanding the designer's craft is less than perfect. The ship is apparently made of iron, with some wood to reinforce it. But is not iron heavier than water? Will it not sink when launched?"
    "Have no fear of that. There are a number of iron ships afloat—and iron warships as well. The French have one—the British too. The hull will certainly support the massive firepower of the turret, the new engines will bring it into battle."
    "Then we shall see the turret itself—and the man who designed it."
    The large building echoed with the clamor of metal on metal. Overhead winches swayed up a load of plate iron to be fitted onto the growing hull. Following Roland they made their way toward the rear of the hall where the circular form of the turret was beginning to take shape. A tall, gray-haired man with mutton-chop whiskers was supervising the assembly of a small steam engine. Although he was almost sixty years old Ericsson's strength was still phenomenal; he easily lifted and slid into place a rocker beam that weighed over ninety pounds. He nodded to his visitors and wiped the grease from his hands with a rag.
    "Und so, Bushnell, you come to see what you spending the navy's $275,000 on." Although he had been an American citizen for many years he had not lost his thick Swedish accent.
    "I do indeed, John. You have met Mr. Fox before?"
    "I have. In the office of the Secretary of the Navy—and joost the man I want to see. I want my money!"
    "I am afraid that appropriations are not my responsibility, Mr. Ericsson."
    "Then talk to someone to pay up. My good friend Cornelius here has received nothing—even though he is building my ship! He pays for the iron plate out of his own pocket. This is a situation that should not be. The navy commissions this battery so the navy must pay."
    "I promise to talk to my superiors and do what I can to alleviate the situation." Not that it will do much good, he thought to himself. The navy was tight-fisted and loath to pay any debts that could be avoided. "But for the moment I would dearly like to discover how this vessel's marvelous turret will operate."
    "It will operate in a manner never seen before, I assure you." Ericsson patted the black metal affectionately, financial matters forgotten for the moment. "Deadly and impenetrable. This armor is eight inches thick and the gun has not been made that can send a shell through that much iron. Now around here—you see these openings. Through them will fire two 11-inch Dahlgren guns. Remember—this vessel has been designed to work in the coastal waters of the South, to penetrate up narrow rivers in search of its prey. Turning the entire ship to fire the guns, the way navy ships are built now, will no longer be necessary. That is the genius of my design—for