Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-06-04
EFFORTS TO CLEAR THE CHANNEL
Reward for the Men Who Risked
Their Lives.
SIMPSONS REPORT RECEIVED

The cork is driven In the bottle" was
| the comment of the naval officers at the
Navy Department this morning upon the
| news of the sinking of the collier Merrimac
in the channel at the entrance of Santiago
harbor, described in the press dispatches.
They were satisfied that the ship had been
| sent in by design of Schley to close up the
channel and prevent the escape Of the
Spanish squadron, and that the undertake
ing was successful. II SO, this will rank
as one Of the boldest achievements in naval
history. 1t will almost equal Cushing's
famous attack upon the Albemarie with
his little torpedo boat. That was the opin-
ion at the Navy Department, at least. The
officers said that Gushing had fighting
| chance to escape after making his attack
| and he did indeed escape. There was no
such chance for the men who took the Mer-
| rimac 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.
The Brave Volunteers.
1t is not possible now to learn who made
up this crew that is destined to be famous
in American history. for the opinion at the
Navy Department is that Schley directed
that no man be ordered into such danger
GUS duty, but that volunteers be called for
There is no doubt however, that at least
two of the officers We're aboard namely
Commander ]. NJ. Miller of Missouri and
Assistant Engineer r. X. 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 Cranks character, he
would not be likely to leave the ship, being
the only commissioned engineer officer on
board. There is but one opinion at the de-
partment of the courage Of the man who
coolly stood at the engine levers down In
the hold and directly above the bottom Of
the ship that he momentarily expected to
come flying upward on the blast of a mine
or torpedo.
Worthless for Naval Uses.
One of the reasons that formed the basis
oe the conviction that the Merrimac was
purposely sunk in the channel is the fact
that the ship was of little value naval
vessel. She had broken down in her ma-
chInery, and was kept at work only with
difficulty. Some of Engineer Crank's let
ters are at once laughable and pathetic in
their recital of the trials and tribulations
the young officer suffered Che is about
twenty-five years old) in his efforts to
make the nachiLery work at all. She was
Just the kind of craft that would be select
ed to block up the channel. She was of
iron, so not likely to be easily removed by
the Spaniards. Then she was empty, and
SO of no further immediate value to the
fleet.
The letters received by the Navy Depart
ment from the Merrimac show that she
would be about the first ship chosen by the
American mmander to sacrifice. Owing
to her size and coal capacity she cost the
government considerable. something over
100000 But it speedily developed that her
boilers and engines were in such poor con-
ditfon that she was in good shape to be
condemned as worthless for naval uses.
One of the letters from Engineer Crank
describes in detail the first effort made %
start the engines of the Merrimac. Al
though an official report, it is made in 4
humorous vein to show the utter useless
ness of the Merrimac's machinery. On the
first start an eccentric band gave way,
and everything came to a halt. Then.
after the band was repaired, the letter re-
cited that the huge boilers began to wheeze.
snort and puff, and. with a mighty efforr.
the engine turned over with a groan. which
sent the newly recruited fremen flying
from the fire room to the upper decks. The
report, although ludicrous in its descrip-
ton. satisfied the officials here that the
Mcrrlmac could readily be spared from tie
American utcl. Inc ron Oh lne
Navy Department shows that the Merri-
mac carries forty-four men. not counting
officers. AS only six men were on board OF
her when she sank. this is taken as an ad-
ditional evidence that she was about TO be
abandoned and placed where she could
choke the Santiago channel.
There seemed to have been just enough tc
steer the ship and keep the engines moving.
The normal crew of the ship was about
forty men. So that the Others must have
been taken on in advance.
Prisoners An No PERIL
1t Is said at the Navy Department that
there is no possibility that the American
sailors captured by the Sraniards viii suf-
fer. They are not spies in any sense. but
prisoners of war, ard so far there has been
-ro disposition shown by the Spaa,ards to
mistreat such prisoners.
Substantial promotion 10 In store for tho
gallant men who took the Merrimac In, &C.
cording to tbs statement of one of the offi-
ciais competent to speak On this subject
and to pledge the Navy Department When