The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1898-06-10
SENT IN BY DESIGN.
The Golfers Going Into Santiago
Harbor Part OF Schley's
Programme.

The Golfers Going Into Santiago
Harbor Part OF Schley's
| Programme.
Washington, d. O., June 4.-"The
cork is driven in the BOTTLE" was the
comment of the naval officers ut the
navy department this morning upon the
news of the sinking of the collier Mer-
rimac in the channel at the entrance of
Santiago harbor. They are absolutely
satisfied that the ship was sent in by
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 his
tory. 1t will outrank even Cushing's
famous attack upon the Albermarle with
his little torpedo-boat. That is the opin-
ion at the navy department at least.
fighting chance to escape after making
his atteck, 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 re-
port described as of great power and
over nests of submarine mines, any one
of which was sufficient to crush in the
now to learn who made up this crew that
is destined to be famous in American
history, for the opinion at the navy de-
partment is that Admiral Sampson d.
rected that no man be ordered into such
dangerous duty, but that volunteers be
called for.
1t Took Courage.
There is no doubt, however, that at
least two of the officers We're aboard,
namely, Commander J. NJ. Miller of Mis-
souri, 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 Crank's character he would not be
likely to leave the ship, being the only
commissioned engineer officer on board.
There is only one opinion at the depart
ment of the courage of the man who cool
" 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
mine or torpedo.
One of the reasons that form the basis
Of the conviction that the Merrmac 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 ma
chinery and was kept at work only with
difficulty.
Some of Crank's letters are at once
iaughable and pathetic in their recital of
trials and tribulations the young officer
suffered Che is about Is 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 chan
mel. She is of iron and therefore not like
~ to be easily removed by the Span
iards. linen she was empty, and so of no
| further immediate value to the feet
Prisoners will Not be Shot.
Another reason for believing that the
Merrimac was purposely sunk is the
small number of the crew aboard, accord
ing to reports. There seems to have been
just enough on her to steer the ship and
keep the engines moving. The normal
crew of the collier was about forty men,
SO So that the others must have been taken
off in advance. 1t is said at the navy de-
nartment that there is no possibility that
the American 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 Spaniards to mistreat pris-
| oners.
AS to the change wrought in the situa-
ton by this bold exploit, it is said that
| it will now be possible to draw off the
larger part of the American fleet for serv-
ice elsewhere than at Santiago, perhaps at
San Juan de Porto Rico or Havana, for
instance. A small force of, say, two mon
guard at Santiago, for all that is neces-
sary now is to be able to bring enough
guns to bear upon the channel to prevent
the Spaniards from attempting to clear
away the wreck by the use of torpedoes
and to prevent the escape of the small
torpedo-boats that might be able to pass
over the Merrilnac's hull.
| Drawbacks to the Situation.
| Of course it must be remembered that
there are drawbacks to the present situa.
ton, for while the Spaniards cannot get
out, our ships cannot get in the harbor,
/ and any land attack upon Santiago would
be made at great disadvantage for lack
of the support of the American fleet.
oo Inc Mer1 ri complement Of officers
Lieut.. w. w. Gilmer. executive officer
Ensigns ]. r. Y. Blak kelly and J. NJ. Luby
and Assistant Engineer r. X. Crank
Miller is from Missouri, Gilmer from Vir-
ginia, Blakely from Pennsylvania, Luby
and Crank from Texas. 1t is expected
that reports will be received today from
Admiral Sampson which will give details
of the Merrimac's destruction and the
names of the eight men who have been
captured.
The Merrimac was purchased by the
government from the Lone Star Steamship
company. The transfer was made in Bal.
timore carly in April. She was formerly
the Norwegian steamer Solveig and was
nearly DESTROYED by fire at Newport News
! in 1896. She was built at Newcastle.
England, in 1894, was $50 feet long, IL
feet beam and had net register of 219:
tons. The Merrimac left Norfolk, where
! she was fitted for government purposes.
| about a month ago.
Planned a Week Ago.
It is now known that the navy de.
| partment about ten days ago was con-
sidering plan for closing the harbor at
Santiago very similar in general scope to
| that apparently put into execution yes
terday. 1t was proposed to get two large
hulks or scows and fill them with big
boulders such as could easily lie obtained
in the neighborhood of New York. These
were to be dashed on each side of tue
and run into the harbor and at the proper
point were to BE- scuttied. Provision was
to be made for the safety of the crew by
attaching to the tug torpedo-boat stern
foremost. At the proper moment the
crew was to 60 aboard the torpedo-boat
vance and cutting lose from the hulks
make rush for liberty and the open sea-
There are signs that yesterdays project
was development of this idea. Probably
the plan of taking in scows was re-
jected because Sampson could not waste
BILE time in waiting for such craft
to be brought from the United States.
Couldn't Dynamite the Wreck.
AS to the prospects of the Merrimac be.
ported to be under way at Santiago, the
officials at the navy department declare
that this is likely to be a difficult, danger.
GUS and time-consuming operation. The
hulk could be blown up by the use of dy.
Mantle charges which would not be diff
cult to place in the shallow water where
the Merrimac lies, for the reports say the
top of the funnel is above water, indicat
ing depth of about forty or fifty feet, but
it is believed the wreck lies i'll sight of the
sea and it is not doubted that Sampson
will post some Of the heavy ironclads in
such position as to be able to command
the site with her heavy guns and pre-
vent the Spanish wreckers from working
At Mi ht something might be accomplished
by the wreckers, but even that work
would be full of danger.
Promotion for the Volunteers.
Substantial promotion is in store for the
gallant men who took the Merrimac in,
according to the statement Of one of the
OtticialS cOmpetent to sneak ON thiS 9Th