The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-06-06
crew were all green hands and shipped
recently for the war.
THE START.


The Merrimac had on board 600 tons
of coal when she was scuttled across
the channel.
Lieutenant Hobson started on his
daring errand. at {, O'Clock this morn
ing. The MeFrimac was lying to the
westward.r Under cover of the clouds
over the moon she. stole towards the
coast and made her way to the east
ward, followed by; a steam launch from
the New York with the following crew
on board Naval cadet j. w. Powell,
of Oswego, N. Y; P. K. Peterson, cox
swain, H. Hartford, apprentice of the
first class: j. Mullings,: coalSOasser; G.
L. Russell, nachinist of the second
class. In the launch were bandages and
appliances for the wounded.
From the crowded decks of the New
York nothing could be seen of the Mer-
rimac after she had got under the
shadows of the hills. For half an hour
officers and men strained their eyes
peering into the gloom, when suddenly
the flash of a gun streamed out from
MORO Castle and then the New York
knew the Merrimac was nearing her
end.
The guns from the Spanish battery
opposite MORO Castle answered quickly
with more flashes and for about 20
minutes flashes of fire seemed to leap
ship was too far away to hear the re-
ports and when the firing ceased it was
judged that Hebscn had blown up the
Merrimac. For an hour the anxious
watchers waited for daylight. Rear
Admiral Sampson and Captain Chad
wick were on the bridge of the New
York throughout.
AT O'Clock thin streams of smoke
were seen against the western shore
70 ole ,icl, J,o% 4
strong glasses made out the launch of
the New York returning to the flag
ship. Scarcely had the small craft been
sighted before a puff of smoke issued
from a battery on the western arm of
the harbor and a. shot plunged far over
the launch. Then for Is minutes the big
guns on shore kept up an irregular
fire on the little launch. AS the shells
fell without hitting the object they
were intended for, the men on board the
New York jeered at the Spanish marks
manship and cheered their shipmates.
HEROES WE'RE MISSING.
Ats6:15 a. m the launch came along
side the flagship, but she did not have
on board any OF the crew of the Mer-
rimac. Cadet Powell reported that he
had been unable to see any signs of
the Merrimac'S crew. 1t developed
that, with great bravery, the crew had
gone right under the batteries and only
board the crew of the Merrimac had
to be abandoned. Cadet Powell also
reported that he had clearly seen the
Merrimac's mast sticking up just where
Hobson hoped to sink her, north of
the Estrella battery and well past the
guns of MORO Castle. But of the heroes
who had penned the Spaniards in there
was not a sound or a sign.
Rear Admiral Sampson said: It am
pretty sure the attempt was quite sue
cessful. 1 hope all those brave fellows
are not captured"
Cadet Powell believes the torpedoes
previously fixed about the Merrimac
were exploded as planned, as Lieuten-
ant Hobson was well up the harbor be-
fore the Spaniards opened fire on the
Merrimac.
HOBSON'S PLANS.
What actually happened on the Mer-
rimac can best be judged from what
Lieutenant Hobson said just before
leaving the flagship.
Sitting in his cabin, his face Drowned
by the sun and his eyes flashing with
excitement, he remarked:
Il shall go right into the habor until
about 400 yeardS past the EStrella bat
y
do not think they can sing US before 1
reach somewhere near that point. The
Merrimac has 1000 buoyancy, and L
shall keep her full speed ahead. She
can make about ten knots. -A
when the narrOwest' part. of the
channel is reached 1 shall put her helm
hard aport, stop the engines, drop the
anchors, open the sea, connections, touch
off the torpedOes, and leave the Merri-
mac wreck, lying athwart the
channel, which is not as broad as the
Merrimac is long. There are ten eight
inch improvised torpedoes below
the water line on the Merrimac's port
side. They are placed on her side
against the bulkheads and vital spots,
connected with each other by a wire
under the ships keel. Each torpedo
81 pounds of gun powder. Each
torpedo is also connected with the
bridge and they should do their work
in a minute, and it will be quick work
even if done in minute and a quarter.
ION deck there will be four men and
myself. In the engine room there will
be two other men. This is the total
crew and all of us will be in our under
with revolverS and ammuni-
ton in water tight packing strapped
around our waists. Forward there will
be a man on deck and around his waist
will be a line, the other end Of the line
being made fast to the bridge, on which
I will stand. By that mans side will
be an axe. When I stop the engine I
will jerk the cord and will thus give the
signal to cut the lashing which will cut
the forward anchor. He will then
jump overheard and swim to the four
Dared dingy which we shall tow astern.
The dingy is full of life buoys and is
unsuitable. In it are rifles. 1t is to be
held by two ropes, one made fast at her
bow and one at her stern. The first
man to reach her will haul in the tow
line and pull the dingy out to star
board. The next to leave the ship are
the rest of the crew. The man at the
wheel will not leave until after having
put it hard aport and dashed it so; he
will then jump overheard.
Down below, the man at the revers-
ing gear will stop the engines, scramble
upon deck and get over the side as
quickly as possible. The man in the
engine room will break open the sea
with a sledge hammer and
will follow his leader into the water.
This last step insures the sinking of
he Merrimac whether the torpedoes
work or not.
by this time I calculate the six
men will be in the dingy and the
Merrimac will have swung athwart the
channel to the full length of her 300
Yards of cable, which will be paid out
before the anchors are cut loose. Then
t is my time to touch the button. 1
shall stand on the starboard side of the
bridge. The explosion will throw the
Merrimac on her starboard side. Moth
ng on this side. of New York City will
De able to raise her after that"
NO THOUGHT OF DEATH.
"And you expect to come out of this
llive?" asked q companion of the lieu
enant.
"Ah, that is another thing" said the |
lieutenant. He was so interested in the |
details of the scheme that |