Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1900, volume 2).djvu/389

Rh an instrument for measuring fluids by the velocity with which they pass through definite apertures; and a self-registering deep-sea lead, still in use by the U. S. coast survey, the principle of which was adopted in constructing the sounding apparatus used by the &ldquo;Challenger&rdquo; expedition. For these philosophical exhibits Ericsson was awarded the prize medal of the exhibition. Previous to 1836, Ericsson conceived the idea that was put in practical shape when, in 1854, he presented to Emperor Napoleon III. plans of a partially submerged armored vessel, with guns in a revolving shot-proof cupola placed centrally on the deck. This was the first suggestion of the &ldquo;Monitor,&rdquo; which was designed and built by him in Greenpoint, N. Y., in 1861, for the U. S. government, under very arbitrary conditions. When the proposition to build this vessel was accepted, the only drawing completed by the designer was a mere outline and section to illustrate the stability of the structure; but, by extraordinary energy and executive skill, calculations and working-plans were made, and the &ldquo;Monitor&rdquo; launched, with steam machinery complete, in one hundred days from the laying of the keel. She arrived in Hampton Roads just in time to defeat, on 9 March, 1862, the Confederate iron-clad &ldquo;Merrimac,&rdquo; which, on the day preceding, had destroyed the &ldquo;Cumberland&rdquo; and &ldquo;Congress,&rdquo; and was about to sink or disperse the rest of the

government's wooden fleet. But for the victory of the &ldquo;Monitor,&rdquo; the result of the war might have been changed, and European interference attempted. A fleet of monitors was then quickly built, which defeated several Confederate iron-clad batteries; and Ericsson's system was taken up by European maritime powers and carried out by them on a large scale. In 1869 he constructed for the Spanish government a fleet of thirty steam gun-boats, which was intended to guard Cuba against filibustering parties. In 1881 his latest war-vessel, the &ldquo;Destroyer,&rdquo; was devised. It carries a submarine gun of sixteen inches calibre, which discharges 300 pounds of gun-cotton, in a 1,500-pound projectile, against an iron-clad's hull beneath the water-line. During many years Ericsson devoted much time to scientific investigation, including computations of the influences that retard the earth's rotary motion. His &ldquo;Sun Motor,&rdquo; erected at New York in 1883, develops a steady power obtained from the supply of mechanical energy stored up in the sun. This motor was intended by the designer as a contribution to applied science. Ericsson contributed numerous papers, on scientific, naval, and mechanical subjects, to various journals in America and Europe. In &ldquo;Contributions to the Centennial Exhibition&rdquo; (New York, 1876) he described the scientific apparatus devised and employed by him in experiments which determined all important practical questions relating to radiant heat, and numerous novel instruments by which he

demonstrated the intensity of solar energy and the temperature of the solar surface; it also contains a description of his principal engineering constructions during his residence in the United States. Many honors were bestowed upon him. Besides receiving royal favors from Sweden, he was knight commander of royal orders in Denmark and Spain; recipient of the grand cross of naval merit from the late King Alfonso of Spain, and of a special gold medal sent by the emperor of Austria in behalf of science; he received the thanks of congress, and was a member of various scientific institutions in Europe and America. Wesleyan university gave him the degree of LL. D. in 1862. In 1867 a huge monument, quarried in one piece from the neighboring granite-mines, was set up in front of his birthplace, bearing the inscription, in the Swedish language, &ldquo;John Ericsson was born here, 31 July, 1803.&rdquo; In 1890 his &ldquo;Life&rdquo; appeared, written by William C. Church, and in April, 1893, his bronze statue was unveiled on the New York Battery.

ERNST, Oswald Hubert, soldier, b. near Cincinnati, Ohio, 27 June, 1842. He entered Harvard in 1858, and two years later was appointed to the U. S. military academy, where he was graduated in 1864, becoming at once 1st lieutenant in the engineer corps. In July, 1864, he became assistant engineer of the Army of the Tennessee, and served throughout the Georgia campaign. After a short service at the U. S. military academy as assistant professor of engineering, he was appointed assistant engineer in constructing fortifications on the Pacific coast, and remained so occupied till 1868. He was promoted captain in March, 1867, had command of an engineer company at Willett's Point, N. Y., in 1868-'71, and in 1870 was sent as astronomer with the government expedition to Spain, to observe the solar eclipse of that year. Later he was appointed instructor of practical military engineering, military signalling, and telegraphy at the military academy, performing also the duties of architect for the more important structures of the place. In 1878 he became assistant engineer on western river improvements, and in 1880 was given charge of the improvements of the Mississippi river, between the Illinois and Ohio rivers. He received his commission as major in May, 1882, lieutenant-colonel, March, 1895, and since 1893 has been superintendent U. S. military academy. Col. Ernst has written articles on engineering subjects, and has also published &ldquo;A Manual of Practical Military Engineering&rdquo; (New York, 1873).

ERRANI, Achille, musician, b. in Faenza, Italy, 20 Aug., 1823. When seventeen years of age he entered the conservatory of Milan, and studied singing under the famous Vaccai. About five years later he made his first appearance as a leading tenor at Reggio di Modena, In 1859, after singing often in Italy, Spain, and Greece, he went to Havana under the management of Max Maretzek. He came to New York in 1860, sang at Winter Garden with Fabbri, Gazia, and Fressolini, and in 1861, when Adelina Patti sang Violetta in &ldquo;Traviata&rdquo; for the first time, he took the part of Alfredo. He went to Mexico in 1863, and after the civil war made a tour through the southern states as first tenor of an opera company. He then settled in New York as a teacher of the Italian style of singing. His most famous pupils are Minnie Hauck, Miss Thursby, Mme. Durand, and Stella Bonheur.

ERRÁZURIZ, Federico (er-rah'-thu-rith), Chilian statesman, b. in Santiago, Chili, 27 March, 1825; d. there, 20 July, 1877. He studied law in