The daily morning journal and courier., 1898-07-09
SINKING OF THE MERRIMAC
HOBSON'S GRAPHIC DESCRIPTION
 OF HIS DARING ADVENTURE.

Struck n Mine Which Aided Greatly ina
 the eSinking-ShelIs and Bullets Whis-
 tied Around-Six Inch Shells From the
 Vizcaya Passed Clear Through the
 StiII on the Deck Until a Spanish
 Launch Appenred-AdmiraI Cervera
 Was on It.
 [Copyrlght, 1898, The Associated Press.l
 Off Santiago de Cuba, July ', by the Associated Press dispatch boat Daunt- less via Port Antonio, Jamaica July &, and Kingston, July 8, 9:15 a. m.-The return of Assistant Naval Constructor Richmond P. Hobson of Merrimac fame, to his ship, the flagship New York, last night, was marked by wild shouts of enthusiasm. On the super structure clambered the crew, ten deep and on the quarter deck the officers clustered around the sea-ladder and a hundred hands were stretched out to grasp Hobson's. It was not until he was safe on deck that the crew of the New York cheered, and then they broke out into wild yells which went up over and over again until the men were hoarse. Numbers of the crew rushed f ot,l ,tA N1Jr great group of men struggled around the tall figure of the man who had dared so much.
 Behind Hobson came Colonel John Jacob Astor, and the first thing Hobson tried to do was to introduce him to the officers, but Colonel Astor got lost in the crowd which surged around, insist ing upon shaking Hobsons hand. The transports blew their whistles. Hob- son at once more among his mess- mates and told the story of his exper- fences, his marvellous escape and his imprisonment in Morro Castle, Santia- go, watching the shells explode outside his cell under a murderous fire.
 q did not miss the entrance to the harbor," he said, "as Ensign Powell In the launch supposed. I headed east until got my bearings and then made for it straight in. Then came the fir ing. It was grand, flashing out first from one side of the harbor and then the other Troops from Santiago had rushed down when the news of the Merrimacs coming was telegraphed and soldiers lined the foot of the cliffs firing wildly across and killing each other With the cross fire. The Merri- macs steering gear broke as she got to EStel Point. Only three of the tor pedoes on her side exploded when touched the button. A huge sub-ma- rine mine caught here full amidships, hurling the water high in the air and tearing a great rent in the Merrimac's side. Her stern ran upon Estrolla Point Chiefly owing to the work done by the mine she began to sink slowly. At that time she was across the chan mel, but before she settled the tide drifted her around. We were all aft, lying on the deck. Shells and bullets whistled around. Six-inch shells from the ViZcaya came tearing into the Merrimac crashing into wood and iron and passing clear through, while the plunging shots from the fort broke through her decks.
 Not man must move" said land it was only owing to the splendid discI- pline of the men that we all were not killed as the shells rained over us and minutes became hours of suspense. The mems mouths became parched but we must lie there till daylight I told them Now and again, one or the other of the men, lying with his face glued to the deck and wondering whether the next shell would not come our way would say, Hadn't we better drop off now sir?' but l said, Wait till dayIight!' "It would have been impossible to get the catamaran anywhere but onto the shore where the soldiers stood shouting, and I hoped that by daylight we might be recognized and saved. The grand old Merrimac kept sinking. I wanted to go forward and see the damage done there. One man said that if I rose it would draw all the fire on the rest. So l lay motionless. It was splendid the way these men behaved. The fire of the soldiers batteries and the Vizcaya was awful. When the water came up on the Merrimacs 8 deck, the catamaran floated amid the wreckage, but she was still made fast to the boom and we caught hold of the edges and chung on, our heads only being above water. One man thought we were safer right there; it was quite light; the firing had ceased except that on the New York launch, and feared Ensign Powell and his men had been killed.
 "A Spanish launch came toward the Merrimac. We agreed to capture and run. Just as she came close the Span iards saw us, and half a dozen marines jumped up and pointed their rifles at our heads sticking out of the water Is there any officer in that boat to receive a surrender of prisoners of war? l shouted An old man leaned out under the awning and waved lis hand. It was Admiral Cervera. The marines lowered their rifles and we were helped into the launch. Then we were put in cells in Moro Castle. It was grand sight few days later to see the bonn bardment, the shells striking and burst ing around Fl Moro. Then we were taken into Santiago. l had the court martial room in the barracks. My men were kept prisoners in the hospital From my window I could see the army moving, and it was terrible to see those poor lads moving across the open and being shot down by the Spaniards in the rifle pits in front of me. Yesterday