The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-06-06

stacle for Spains best ships.
not completed their work on the Merri-
mac but at last a boat load of men, black
Last of ali. at 4:so, came the admiral He
had been delayed by a breakdown of the
Dawn was breaking over Santiago de
CUBA and nearly everybody thought it was
too late for the attempt to be made that
Then Somebody cried: shes, going in.
Surely enough. the seemingly deserted
collier was seen heading straight for Nor
The torpedo, boat Porter was lying in
near the flagship, and at Admiral samp-
ed up the megaEPhone and d., hailed the the Por-
Smoke quickly poured from the Porter's
smokestacks and the dark little craft
By that time darkness had almost disap-
PeatFetd d.. and quickly as the fast torpedo
II she would never head off the Merri-
At last, when, within range of the guns
Of the Spaniards, the Porter crossed the
Merrimac'S bows and a sigh of relief went
thought 1T was sure death for Hobson to
venture in at that hour;
came can tearing back and the Merrimac. to
AdmiraI S S5 a Kept hep PG5iuSeh
and Iieutenant Staunton could not under
deck of the torpedo boat, shouted: Lieu
tenant hoDson ASKS PERMISSION to con-
IT, fH"e his course He thinks he can make
But, in stern tones, the admiral sent
Hobson message to the effect that the
Merrimac must return at once and in due
course of time the doomed collier slowly
steamed backher commander evidently dis
appointed with the order received from
the 3dmiral through the commanc1 of
wildly on the lonely bridge of the NIerri-
mac.
All day yesterday the collier lay near
the flagship, and more elaborate prepar-
atoms We're made to carry out the mis-
sion Of the Merrimac successfully. Dur
ing those preparations Hobson was tire
less, cool and confident. supervising per-
When finally Hobson went on board the
Merrimac last night he had been without
sleep since Wednesday morning. His uni
form was begrimT med, his hands were, black
hard at work in an engine room for
marked that Only regret ans @as that a
of the New York's volunteers could not go
with him. Rear Admiral Sampson, speak
ing Of the expedition, said:
I think he will! have a fair chance to
When the Merrimac Started yesterday
morning on the trip for which she was
who had no right to be there. They We're
assistant tam En- Engineer Crank l of the MsrrI
York, who had been working on the collier
These two men refused to leave the ship,
and as their disobedience of the ma
ture that produced Cushings and Farra-
quits for the American navy, it was not
officially recognized.
The spirit shown by the men and officers
of the fleet in connection with the Merrf-
mae expedition is really grand and beyond
Under these circumstances one cannot
imagine the feeling of satisfaction expert
enced when it became known that Hob
son and the crew of the Merrimac were
safe. Later in the day a boat with a
Cpfn 6deo the e8ef t 6f starr of Ad
miral Cervera, boarded the New York and
the party had been captured and that only
two of them had been injured.
1t appears that the Spanish admiral was
macs crew that he decided to inform Ad-
lives but We're prisoners Of war t ana nd could
be exchanged. The dingy portion of |
been carried out, which leads to the be !
a shot for it seems Hobson and his men |
drifted ashore in an old catamaran, |
which had been slung over the Merrimac's |
side at the last moment as an extra pre- |
caution. hey were captured and sent to |
transferred to Moro castle, where they are
now understood to be confined
prisoners through Captain Ovideo and it |
is believed Rear Admiral Sampson is taxi |
ing steps necessary to bring about their |
The fleet tonight is in state of delight
ed enthusiasm and the admiral is just as |
happy as the youngest sailor. The gen.
erad opinion is is that no man eyer deserved
than Iieutenent Hobson 1''i'
Cadet Powell, who was the last man to
and who had charge of the launch during |
its perilous trip, after much needed sleep |
Lieutenant Hobson took a short sleep !
for a few. hours which was often inter-
on deck and made a final Inspection. Civ
il y, his i final instructions Then we had
cumber. At about o'clock l took the /
board, and started for the Texas, the hear
est ship, but had to go back for one of
finally compelled to leave. 1 shook hands
with Hobson last of all, He said: Powell,
harDOr- cracks. |
80 strokes to the minute
After leaving the Texas I saw the Mer-
fairly dark then, and the shore quite
visible. We followed about three-quarters
of a mile astern. The Merrimac stood
about mile to the westward of the har-
Dor and seemed bit mixed, turning COM
pletely around and finally heading to the
east, she ran down and then turned in.
though Hobson had lost his bearings.
When Hobson was about 200 yards from
the harbor the first gun was fired from the
east bluff; We We're then about half a
mile nils. off shore and nearing the batteries;
in slowly and lost sight of the Merrimac i
in the smoke which was carried off shore
before Hobson could have blown up, the
Merrimac the western battery picked
Wild I hoWeHer and We only heard sf fhe
shots. We ran in still closer to the shore
on the Merrimac.
the breakers, half mile to the westward
of MORO, keeping a sharp lookout for the
Hobson had arranged to meet US at that
point, but thinking that someone might
have drifted out crossed in front of
MORO and the mouth of the harbor to the
eastward.
AT about o'clock we crossed the har-
Dor again, within quarter of mile, and
stood to the westward. In passing we
saw one spar of the Merrimac sticking out
of the water We Rugged the shore just
outside of the breakers for 3 mile and
turned towards the Texas, when the bat
teries saw US and opened fire. 1t was
then broad daylight The first shot fired
dropped thirty yards astern, but the other
shots were wild.