The Globe-republican. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1889-1910, 1898-07-14
HoBsoN REcITEs HIS TALE.


Hero Of tho 1Gerrim.e Describes Thsls
Terrible Experieaee.
NEW York. July "a dispatch to
the New York Herald from of Santi-
ago says: Your correspondent saw Mr..
Hobson after he had made his report
to Admiral Sampson. He spoke in
glowing terms of the courage and
bravery of his crew.
1T was about o'clock in the morn
ing when the Merrimae entered the
narrow channel and steamed in under
the guns of MORO castle. The still
ness of death prevailed. It was so
dark that we could scarcely see the
headland. We had planned to drop
our starboard anchor at a certain point
to the right of the channel. reverse
our engines and then swing the Mer-
rimac around, sinking her directly
across the channel.
''This plan was adhered to, but cir.
cumstances rendered its execution i'm
possible. When the Merrimac poked
her nose into the channel our troubles
commenced. The deadly silence was
broken by the wash of small boat APP
preaching US from the shore. I made
her out to be picket boat.
''She ran close up under the stern of
the Merrimac and fred several shots
from what seemed to be 3-pound guns.
The Merrimac's rudder was carried
away by this fire.. That is why the
collier was not sunk across the chan
mel.
1--WE did not discover the loss of the
rudder until Murphy cast anchor. We
then found that the Merrimac would
not answer to the helm and were COM
PEELED to make the best of the situa-
ton.
''The run up the channel was very
exciting. The picket boat had given
the alarm and in a moment the guns
of the Vizcaya, the Almirante Oquen-
do and the shore batteries were turned
upon US.
Submarine mines and torpedoes
were also exploded all about us, adding
to the excitement. The mines did no
damage, although we could hear rum
blings and could feel the ship tremble.
I'VE were running without lights
and only the darkness saved us from
utter destruction. When the ship was
in the desired position. and we found
that the rudder was gone, l called the
men on deck While they were launch
ing the catamaran l touched off the
explosives.
''At the same moment two torpedoes.
fired by the Reina Mercedes, struck
the Merrimac amidships. / cannot
say whether our own explosives or the
Spanish torpedoes did the work. but
the Merrinac was lifted out of the
wather and almost rent asunder.
LAS she settled down we scrambled
overheard and cut away the catamaran.
A great cheer went up from the forts
and war ships as the hull OF the col
lier foundered, the Spaniards thinking
the Merrimac was an American war
ship.
1--WE attempted to get out of the
harbor on the catamaran, but q strong
tide was running, and daylight found
us still struggling in the water. Then.
for the first time the Spaniards saw
us. and a boat from the Reina Mer-
cedes picked us up.
1T was then shortly after o'clock
in the morning and we had been in the
water more than an hour. We were
taken aboard the Reina Mercedes and
later were sent to Moro castle.
Four days afterward they were
transferred to the Reina Mercedes hos
pital, on the outskirts of Santiago,
where they were kept until exchanged.
OF Admiral Cervera Hobson speaks in
the very highest.
Hobson was overjoyed at getting
back. He looked well, though some
what worn. On the whole, the Span
iards treated him better than might be
expected. Mr.. Ramsden, the British
consul at Santiago, was tireless in his
efforts to secure comfort for HobsOn
and his men. The young hero knew
nothing of the destruction of Cerveras
fleet until he reached the army lines.