The times., 1898-11-28
HoBsoN's FIRST PLAN.
Inc Merrimac to Fly Spanish C0iors
and Feign u Chase


Lieut.. Richmond Pearson Hobson Is
writing for the Century Magazine his sto-
~ Oh Inc Sinking Of the Merrimac" His
hrst paper appears in the December num-
Der. and is devoted to THE Scheme and
the Preparations" Lieut. Hobson saws
after telling of the decision to sink the
Merrimac in the harbor entrance:
various plans were considered. That
OF feisning chase suggested itself from
the fact that Spanish colliers were sun
posed to be on their way to Santiago
One had recently been captured bv the
st. Paul, and from her ii was learned
that others We're soon expected By this
method the Merrimac would approach by
night from the eastward; when about live
miles away she would be discovered by
biockading vessels. searchiights would be
thrown toward her and fire opened. care
being taken TO fire wide and throw the
nights in front and on the sides, to show
the splash of striking projeetiIes
The Merrimac. upon discovery would
bear IN toward the shore to within about
two thousand yards. apparently to seek
the shelter of batteries: she would throw
pitch on the fires to make heavy smoke.
as If forcing to the utmost She would
head in toward the ENTRANCE and turn
fun down the course for entering the
channel blowing her whistle in blasts as
of fright and distress. The searchIight
would flash across and show a Spanish
flag at her peak. On approaching, the
light would be thrown on the entrance
to facilitate her navigation. but carefully
avoiding resting upon her The shore
batteries opening on the chasing vessels
would be replied to and kept diverted IL
they opened on the Merrimac. search
lights would be thrown in the gunners'
faces
However. an examination Of the chart
showed the difficulties Of navigation to bt.
so great that no sane captain would at
tempt to take in collier at night or un-
der circumstances that did not admit of
the utmost deliberation. Ii was known
that tugs were used by single-screw YES
sells of any size on account of the turn
in the channel abreast EstreIla Point
The chances seemed to be against the en-
emy's being deceived, and navigation de-
pending upon searchiishts would entail
chances OF failure
This plan. and various other plans n
volving the cooperation of the heet.
were discarded in favor of the simpler
plan of going in alone by moonlight
just before the moon should set Sur
prise. under any condition could be only
partial at best. since a certain amount of
light was absolutely necessary for ravi-
CATION. The conditions for surprise would
be more favorable toward daybreak
Moreover, food tide must be chosen. 50
that. III case Of breaking the anchO--
gear. the vessel would be set into the
channel and have ample time for sinking
before the ebb could tend TO throw Eer
out. while the chances of being carried
by the tide through the whole length OF
the narrow channel into the inner harbp-
seemed improbable The establishment
Of the port or time Of high tide was
about eight hours and q quarter. 50 that
the tide would be- running stronl, Hood a.
the moon set The moon was then ap-
preaching full, and calculations showed
that it would set at Santiago about half
past on Thursday. June = We were
speeding at about thirteen knots-the
Oregon had demonstrated her ability to
maintain thar speed-and d We would
therefore arrive off Santiago cary " ed
nesday morning and have most OF the
day and night of "Wednesday for prepart-
lions. Thursday was therefore set for
entering, though the admiral expressed
the opinion that it would b. found m
possible to complete the preparations IN
time. The special advantage Of Thurs
day was that there would be an interval
Of darkness of about an hour ana a quar-
ter between the time Of moonset and day-
break. while on Friday this iute val
would be reduced to about halt an hour.
and on Saturday day would break before
moonset. 1t will be understood that an
Interval Of darkness, though short might
be found of advantage fo= completing me
work or for making escape
Preparations Were therefore begun at
once, the greatest amount of detail being
required for the prOce ss Of sinking.