The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1898-07-15
Lieut.. Hos.on Tell. OF III. Brave Exploit,

New York, July S.-The Herald
prints this morning an interview with
Lieut.. Hobson, describing his expe-
rience on the Merrimac. 1t is as
follows:
l saw Mr.. Hobson later in the
evening, after he had made his report
to Admiral Sampson, and he con.
sented to give the Herald fuller
interview about his experiences. Be-
ing very modest, he does not fully
realize the great sensation his exploit
caused, but he spoke In glowing terms
of the courage and bravery OF his
crew.
"We have been 33 days in a Span
ish prison." said Mr.. Hobson, sand
the more / think about il the more
marvellous it seems that we are alive.
SIT was about 8 o'clock in the
morning when the Merrimac entered
the narrow channel and steamed in
under the guns of Moro castle. The
stiffness of death prevailed. 1t was
so dark that we could scarcely see
the headland. We had planned to
drop our starboard anchor at a GER
tain point to the right of the channel,
reverse our engines and then swing
the Merrimac around, sinking her di.
rectly across the channel.
"This plan was adhered to, but
circumstances rendered its execution
impossible. When the Merrimac
poked her nose into the channel our
troubles commenced. The deadly
silence was broken by the wash Of "a
small boat approaching us from the
shore. l made her out to be picket
boat.
"She ran close up under the stern
of the Merrimac and fred several
shots from what seemed to be three
FOUNDER guns. The Merrimac's rud-
der was carried away by this fire.
That is why the collier was not sunk
across the channel.
"We did not discover the loss OF
the rudder until Murphy cast anchor
We then found that the Merrima(
would not answer to the helm, anC
were compelled to make the best o.
the situation.
"The run up to the channel wal
very exciting. The picket boat hat
given the alarm, and in a momen
the guns of the Vizcaya, the Almi
rante Oquendo and of the shore bat
teries were turned upon us.
"Submarine mines and torpedoe
also were exploded all around us, ad
ding to the excitement. The mine
did no damage, although we coul'
hear rumbling and could feel the shi
tremble.
"We were running without light
, and only the darkness saved us fror
. utter destruction. When the shi
was in the desired position and W
{ found that the rudder was gone
called the men on deck. While the
were launching the catamaran
2 touched off the explosives.
r CAT the same moment two torpe
5 does, fired by the Reina Mercedes
E struck the Merrimac amidships.
/. cannot say whether our own explc
sives or the Spanish torpedoes di
the work, but the Merrimac was lift
I ed out of the water and almost ren
asunder.
"As she settled down we scramb BILE
, overheard and cut away the catama
ran. A great cheer went up fror
the forts and warships as the hold Q
. the collier foundered, the Spaniard
thinking that the Merrimac was a
, American warship.
"We attempted to get out of th
harbor in the catamaran, but a stron
tide was running, and daylight foun
r US still struggling in the water. The
t for the first time the SpaDiards sa,
US, and a boat from the Reina Mel
e cedes picked US up. 1t then wa
shortly after o'clock in the mornin
and we had been in the water NOR
than an hour. We were taken aboar
the Reina Mercedes and later wer
sent to Moro castle.
: SIN Moro we were confined i
cells in the inner side of the fortress
t and were there the first day the flee
i bombarded Moro. / could onl
hear the whistllng Of the shells an
the noise they made when they struc
but judged from the conversation {
the guards that the shells did consic
y cradle damage.
II "After this bombardment Nj
l. Ramsden, the British consul, protes
ed, and we were removed to the hos
pital. There / was separated frol
the other men in our crew, and coul
: see them only by special permission
Montague and Kelly fell i'll tw
weeks ago, suffering from malari.