The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-06-04
That is the View Taken by
Naval Officials
Regarding the Sinking Of the
Merrimac at Santiago.
A BAND OF HEROES.
Crew of the Vessel Will Live in
History.
Theirs Was an Act of Bravery
Rarely Equalled.

Washington, June 4-'The cork is
driven in the BOTTLE" was the comment
of the naval officers at the navy depart
ment on the news of the sinking of the
Merrimac in the channel at the entrance
of Santiago harbor. They are absolute
ly satisfied that the ship was sent in by
design of Sampson to close the channel
and prevent the escape of the Spanish
squadron and that the undertaking was
successful. If so this will rank as one
of the boldest achievements in naval
history. 1t will outrank even Cushings s
famous attack upon the Albemarle with
his little torpedo boat. That is the
opinion at the navy department at least
for the officers say that Cushing had
hght1ng chance to escape after making
his attack and he did indeed escape.
There was no such chance for the men
who took the Merrimac into Santiago
harbor under the guns which Schley's
report described as of great power and
over nests of submarine mines, any one
of which was sufficient to crush in the
bottom of the ship. 1t is not possible
now to learn who made up this crew
that is destined to be famous in Amer
lean history, for the opinion at the navy
department is that Admiral Sampson
directed that no man be ordered into
such dangerous duty but that Volun-
teers be called for. There is no doubt,
however, that at least two of the Off
GERS were aboard, namely Commander
]. NJ. Miller of Missouri, and Assistant
Engineer r. K. Crank of Texas.
The captain could be relied upon, it
is said, to stick to his ship to the last,
and from what is known of Crank's
leave the ship, being the only commits
stoned engineer officer on board. There
is only one opinion at the department
of the courage of the men who stood at
the engine levers down in the hold and
6ir6pt1V a hove If ha cLoi
that was mOmentarily expected to come
flying upward on the blast of a mine or
a torpedo.
One of the reasons that form the
basis of the conviction that the Merri-
mac was purposely sunk in the channel
is the fact that the ship was of little
value as naval vessel.
She had broken down in her rnachin-
cry and was kept at work only with
difficulty. Some of Crank's letters are
at once laughable and pathetic in their
recital of the trials and tribulationS the
young officer suffered, Che is about 25
years Old) in his efforts to make the
machinery work at all. This is just the
kind of craft that would be selected to
block up the channel. She is Of iron
and therefore not likely to be easily re-
moved by the Spaniards. Then she was
empty and of no further immediate
value to the fleet.
Another reason for believing that the
Merrimac was purposely sunk is the
small number of the crew aboard, ac-
cOrding to the reports. There seems to
have been just enough men on her to
steer the ship and keep the engines
moving.
The normal crew of the collier was
about forty men so that the others
must have been taken off in advance
1t is said at the navy department that
there is no possibility that the Amer
lean sailors captured by the Spaniards
will suffer.
They are not spies in any sense but
prisoners of war and so far there has
been no disposition shown by the Span
iardS to mistreat such prisoners.
AS to the change wrought in the sit