including a fellow, cornelius bushnell.o was acting as an agent for another design and when they looked at the plan bushnell presented they said, i don't think it will float. you have far too much iron and iron sinks and it is heavy, so you better talk to somebody who is an expert on this and find out and the person he was told was an expert was john erickson the swedish immigrant living in brook -- brooklyn and he took it to him and said will it float and he said yes, it will and do you want to see my plan for an ironclad and he said yes. and brings out the model stloefsal that became the monitor and bushnell knew there would be opposition and he made his way first to see secretary of the navy welles and president lincoln and these were simple times and you could walk into the white house, is the president busy, i want to show him something and in you'd go and there is a wonderful scene bushnell describes and i can envision in me mind's eye of bushnell bringing out this gadget and lincoln, 6'4" lincoln bending over and loo