Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-06-06

enemy at the guns, and blew her up.
Discovery at the END of his journey
| was inevitable and death was almost
| certain. No name, therefore, can be
written -igher on wars temple of fame
than his.
Like Cushing's deed, Hobsons des-
| p9raIe undertaking was conceived by
| him who executed it.
When Rear Admiral Sampson Joined
Commodore Schley on Wednesday, tn:
latter had already ascertained that it
would be impossible for the fleet ID
crawl into the rat hole in which the
Spanish fleet had taken refuge. The
mines across the entrance and the bat
teries which commanded it made the
mere contemplation of it an act of folly.
Commodore Schley was inclined to
think the dynamite cruiser Vesuvius
might be able 10 cOuntermine, but the
ships would have to 60 in single file,
and if ore were sunk in the channel
the progress Of the others would be
blocked 1t was then that Lieut.. Hob
son conceived the scheme Of sinking
big collier across the harbor en-
trance, and asked to be allowed to exc
cute it himself. 1t seemed
CERTAIN DEATH
and almost certain failure, as the odds
were Overwhelmingly against reaching
the entrance before discovery; but
Hobson was so enthusiastic that his
confidence was infectious and the adj
miral finally reluctantly gave his cor
sent.
Lieutenant Hobson's chief anxiety
was that in the dark he might miss the
narrow channel and run into shoals at
the west OF the entrance. To prevent
the possibility Of this, the plan OF al
lowing the Merrimac to run in under
the Spanish flag with the fleet in feign-
cd pursuit, firing blank cartridges and
blazing the path to the harbor entrance
with searchlights, was considered, but
abandoned because, among other rea-
sons, Lieutenant HobsOn and his yolun-
teer crew did not want to die if their
lives should be sacrificed, under false
color. They wanted to go down with
the stars and stripes foting proudly.
On Thursday morning a start was
made. but as the Merrimac steamed for
ward, Rear Admiral Sampson pacing
the deck Of the flagship, looked at his
watch and at the streaks IN the east
and decided that the Merrimac could
not reach the entrance before broad
daylight. Consequently the torpedo
boat Porter, which was alongside, was
dispatched to recall the daring officer.
Lieutenant Hobson
SENT BACK A PROTEST,
with a request for permission to pro-
coed. But the admiral declined to al
low him to take the risk and slowly
the Merrimac swung about.
During the day Lieut.. Hobson went
aboard the flagship. His once white
duck trousers were as back as a coal
heavens, his old fatigue coat was I'M
buttonad, and his begrimed face deep
furrCwed by tense drawn lines, but
resolution still shown in his eyes. So
absorbed was he in the task ahead Of
him that, unmindful Of his appearance,
and of all ceremony and naval Ell
uuette, he told the Admiral in a tone
of command that he must not again be
interfered with. Il can carry this
thing through" he said, ''but there
must be no more recalls. My men
have been keyed up for twenty-four
hours and under a tremendous strain.
Iron will break at last"
Such was the indomitable will and
courage with which he faced death and
glory.
When Hobson left the ship and the
extended hands of his shipnates, more
than one of the latter turned hastily to
hide the unbidden tear. But the lieu
tenant waved them adieu with a smile
on his handsome face.