New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-06-05
TIE HERO OF NANTIAGO.

An assistant naval constructor. hitherto OH
oged In the routine duties Of school-teachlhg'
and a dapdated tramp steamer lately nseu aS
n coal-hulk-these are not on the race Oh the
case promising material for the building OF an
heroic saga There is not in them much 'ha'
Is reminiscent of Nelson with the glass al MS
blind eye. or Farragut dashed to the rigging
One would instnctvely look elsewhfther Tor
stirring deeds These are only the fittings OF III
ooa Of commonplace in which veins are hiied
with water instead OF blood. and passions are
regulated by measure and weight. But IN that
instinct would be forever wrong. For III al
hour in Santiago Bay that man and that snip
gained Immortality Of fame for the sheer
splendor of deliberate daring such as King Oia1
and his Berserks might have loved 10 see.
Inside the bay WAS the Spanish feet halr 4
dozen superb fighting ships and the SHORES
were lined with batteries and the bottom uolieu
with mines and torpedoes like that which ue-
stroyed the Maine. Outside lay the Ahiericah
fleet. And the problem was I" block the MT
row gateway 50 that the Spaniards coulu not
get out 1t was TO that task that this man au-
dressed himself. with his sevep comrades ana
The old coalhulk. There was none VI the uash
and excitement Of battle in the job. no blazing
and laundering Of big guns and darting OF 'or-
pedoes. At least there was none on Hopsoh
side He and his men and their defenceless
ship sailed slowly into the awful trap without
q stroke In their own defence. A literal hail
of shot and shell swept down upon them. Inc
chances were that they would be riddied' or
blown TO atoms. But calmly and steadily the
shin was moved forward until the narrowest
part of the channel was reached. linen an an
Choir was cast out at the bow. In instant peru
of death they waited patiently, as inch 10y lhch
the tide swung the great hulk around Al lhst
she Law RICH. across the channel her iehe'h
reaching almost from shore to shore Iheh
they dropped another anchor at the stern 10
hold her fast in that position. Then as Grcn-
vile said afte- his immortal fight, the woru was
given. "Sink me the ship. Master Gunner. SINK
her, Split her IN twain And by the hands OF
her own crew the ship was sunk, enectuaiIy
barring the harbor against Cervera's exit or
Comara's entrance The work was done
Then seeing there was no escape In their open
skiff through the storm Of shot and shell that
fell about them, Hobson and his seven
calmly rowed straight to the nearest Spanish
chin whose guns were belrhing out death
against them. and gave themselves up as pris-
oners Of war.
That is the simple story, and you Will not
surpass it in all the tales Of chivalry. For that
discretion which is the better part OF valor, ana
that unfiinching valor which is the highest OF
all discretion, the deed commands recognition
among the most heroic deeds Of all time NO
wonder the Spanards, brave men themselves
appauded 1t and treated the prisoners as dis
tingulshed guests The human race applauds
an act that gilds mere clay with glory. ana the
navics of the world dip flags In salutation 10
the sunken coal-hulk. The name OF Hobson Is
added TO the list that already bears the names
of Dewey and Of Farragut, Of Perry and De
catur. 1t was a small proceeding, compared
with their great battles. But It's results are NOT
insignificant In themselves while the manner OF
its doing showed it's doors TO be possessed OF the
highest heroism known in mortal confct-thc
heroism that goes TO the performance OF sal
preme duty without single stimulus save the
fact that 1t is duty, and that in the face OF all
but certain death That in this case death did
not prove n certainty, but every one OF the
gallant eight came out from the fearful ordeal
unscathed, is cause for cxultation second TO
none In the whole Respondent drama.