The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-06-24
MISSION UNSUCCESSFUL

Mr. Mas Not Sunk in Ex-
.tIy the Right Spot
IA NOTIFIED SAMPSON
w.re safe and Added. "You
w.ac II More Difficult, but
We Can Get Out"
:, June GA dispatch to the
hom Washington says: The fo,-
,.crintion OF the heroic feat Of
!, uohson in sinking the Merri"'
.rtiaeo has been received at the
:, fom Assistant Engineer h, X.
,ormer shipmate and personal
ne gallant prisoner, whose ex-
!, Seen refused by the Spanlards.
,,ble as being an account OF the
.ion nv an officer OF a distin-
tachpical ability, who barely
Siring Hobson's fate, as he start
he harbor with the vessel when
,t,empt was made. but was not
IA accompany her on the second
splte Of his earnest protest against
cached after he had volunteers
accepted. 1t concluslvely shows
Merrimacs mission was unsuc-
been decided to try to block the
N the harbor in order to bottle
Epanlsh ships inside. On Wednes-
/. Naval Constructor R. Z.
cane aboard from the flagship with
ktliug announcement that the ad-
|id decided to run the Merrimac
entrance OF the channel leading
harbor Of Santiago and sink her
Hobson roughly outlined his plans
|psrations were Immediately begun
hing them into execution.
bur transverse bulkheads Of the
he located approximately and their
marked on the port side at the
he length of the Merrimac is about
her breadth of beam about A feet.
w as can b. remembered. A line
along the port side of the ship
TO the water-line. This line was
VI by "hogging lines" that We're
l. the rail outside. Along this limo
be suspended in eight Inch copper
b charges OF ordinary brown pris
uvder. each charge weighing about
pounds. Over this an ordinary ig-
kharge OF brown powder was placed,
whole was covered up with pitch
)tection against TIE water, with a
and wire for exploding the charges.
b at this time contained about zoos
coal AS far as nossihle all stores
kmoyed About dark the powder
we're brought on board and low
10 position over the port side. The
u exploding the charges was run
Snnected and the drv battery was
Ieady. The first nlan CONTEMPLATED
!e.Sianeous EXPLOSION of all ten Inch
!. II was found the battery on hand
|ihciept TO explode with certainty
y Of the charges so only six were
la.
|shile one of the ship's anchors had
ben aft 10 the starboard quarter and
lover the rail ready for dropping az
tbe lashes were cut The chain n,
kchor had been led aft forty five
J. led along the deck CLAIR for run.
hd the chain stonpered at the ate,
I'D bits. The siarioard bower an,
b chain were also made ready in a
manner for letting 90
cargo ports (of which there are tive
h side. one forward and one aftl
bened. The shin was drawing abou,
feet Of water All and there wa,
three feet Of frrehoard from III,
10 the lower edge az The cargo ports
j, In the engine room tho nuts hold
bonnets Of the main infection valy,
h sea suction valve of tho bie fire
kere slackened rsadv FOR instant re.
and wooden irons were wedged il
Of the bonnets an that after the
|ad been taken Off one blow with ;
would knock out the prop and ALLOW
DEMENT'S were also made for cuttinl
haller pines leading from the sea IL
|nps and dickey boilers All water.
Rsos were taken off from tn,
Fiihip bulkheads to give the waite
(cess to all parts of he shin
he ursnara,; p%,'I or 'ne sn'p p;,h N,
u haste as If was desired m sen,
b In before daybreek an the morn.
the "a. One of the ships llfeboat!
be towed nv Hne amidshins /,
h,hoard side Al cans coniainin,
xsm sr s,a., All cans CONTAINING
bthcers and crew with tho exception
plain Miller Assistant Engineer
Nachinist / Phill,ns ordinary Sea