Spin About

A reconstruction of the turret of the USS Monitor, open to allow a view of the mechanism and one of the two 11-inch guns. The turret was designed by American inventor Theodore Timby, and the rest of the ship by the Swedish-born John Ericsson.

A problem with the turret was that there was no brake— if the mechanism was engaged the turret would keep turning, one full turn in a little more than two minutes. There was no way for the gunners to see the target except by looking out through th...