The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-06-06
lEROlC VENTURE OF HOBSON.
nan INTO THE NARROW PASSAGE
IN a STORM OF SHELLS.

e,tt No Figure at All in Influencing
u.hrir Decision to GO-HohsOn Had
l{ts Plans Figured to the Minutest
s3etniI.
Coavright, 1898, by the Associated Press.
or Santiago de Cuba, June s. a. M,
via Port Antonio, Jamaica, June 4, Per
toa Associated Press Dispatch Boat
Daunuess. delayed in Transmission)-
T1e Spanish feet is now helpless, being
held captive in Santiago de Cuba harbOr.
Tee narrow channel leading into the her
bor was completely blocked early this
morning, when the United States collier
Rerrimac was sunk across its entrance.
IL is now impossible for the Spaniards to
get out, and it is equally impossible for
any vessel to get into the harbor.
Therefore the Spanish frst-class armor-
e5 cruisers Maria Teresa, Cristobal Colon,
yizcaya and Almirante Oquendo with the
two torpedo boat destroyers, Furor and
Pluton, are no longer of any use to Spain.
This result was accomplished through
the heroism Of Lieut.. Richmond p. Hoo-
son. assistant naval constructor, and Dan
iel Montague, George Charette, j. c. Muir
rhy, oscar Deignan, John P. Phillips,
John Kelly and H. Clausen.
The latter a coxswain of the New York,
took part in the expedition against or
der=.
Montague Is chief master-at-arms of the
New York. He has served four years in
the navy, is 20 years of age, and his home
is in Brooklyn.
George Charette is a gunner's mate of
the first class, on board the New York. He
has served fourteen years in the navy, is
81 years old, and resides al Lowell. Mass.
D. c. Murphy is a coxswain of the Iowa.
oscar Deignan is a coxskain of the Ner-
rlmac and is about "a years Old
John P Phillips is a machnist of the
first class, belonging to the Merimac He
is 36 years of age and his home is in Bos-
ton.
John Kelly is water tender about 95
years Old. His home is near Glasgow,
Scotland.
H. Clausen, who slipped on board the
Merrimac without permission in order to
take part in the expedition, is a coXswain
on the New York.
The three men froms the Merrimac's
crew were all green hands and shipped re-
Gently for the war.
The Merrimac had on board 800 tons Of
coal when she was scuttled across the
channel.
Lieut.. Hobson started on his daring err
rand at o'clock this morning.
The Merrimac was lying to the west
ward Under the cover of the clouds
over the moon, she stole in toward the
coast and made her way to the eastward,
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, coxswain
H. Handford, apprentice of the first
ciass.
). Mullings, coal passer.
G. L. Retzell, machinist of the second
class.
In the launch were bandages and appli-
ances for the wounded
From the crowded decks of the New
York nothing could be seen of the Merri-
mac after she had got under the shadow
OF the hills For half an hour officers ana
men strained their eyes peering into the
sreamed out from Moro castle, and then
all on board the New York knew the AIer-
nmac was nearing her end.
The guns from the Spanish battery oppo-
site MORO Castle answered quickly with
more flashes, and for about twenty min
ules flashes of fire seemed to leap across
tle harbOr entrance.
HE flagship was too far away to near
lilc REPORTS " ba 6rip
D. was judged that Lieut.. Hobson had
h'oWn up the Merrimac.
or an hour the anxious watchers wait
'd for daylight Rear Admiral Sampson
ana Capt. Chadwick were on the bridge of
lA% New York throughout.
AT O'clock thin streams of smoke were
seen against the western shore quite
close to the Spanish batteries, aud strong
taSses made out the launch of the New
Aolk returning to the flagship Scarcely
mao the small craft been sighted before a
lNI of smoke issued from a battery On
the western arm of the harbor ana a shot
plunged far over the launch.
men, for fifteen minutes, the big guns
ashore kept up an irregular fire on the
little launch
As the shells fell without hitting the
ooJeot they were intended for, the men on
board the New York jeered at the Spanish
craftsmanship ana cheered their ship
mates.
A 6l5 n m. the launch came alongside
tae flagship; but she did not have on
board any of the crew of the Merrimac.
adet Powell reported that he had been
unable to see any signs of the Merrimac $
crew. 1t developed that, within great
'IHNory, the cadet had gone right under
tHe batteries ana only returned when all
none of taking on board the crew Of the
Nerrimac had to be abandoned.
Cadet Powell also reported that he had
clearly seen the Merrimae's masts stick
'us up just where Lieut. Hobson hoped to
suk her. north of the Estrela battery,
ANA wen past the guns of Moro Costle
Rut Of the heroes who had penned the
rplniards in there was not a sound OF
sign.
Rear Admiral Sampson said: 81 am
ln'tiy sure the attempt was quite sue
ressful 1 hope all those brave fellows
are not captured"
Cadet Powell believes the torpedoes
previously fixed about the Merrimac were
gloded as planned. as Lieut. Hobson
"as wen up the harbor before the Span
hrls opened fire upon the Merrimac.