The San Francisco call., 1898-06-05
0RIFTED ASHORE ON
 AN OLD CATAMARAN.
How Hobson and His Brave Crew
 Escaped After Sinking the

tenant HObSOn appears to have car ried out his plan to the smallest de- tails. except as regards the methods of escaping. The rowbOat, in which the crew were to attempt to escape. was either blown up or shot to pieces, for Lieutenant Hobson and his men drifted ashore on an old catamaran, "which was slung over the ships side at the last moment as an extra precau- ton. Upon reaching shore the men were taken prisoners and sent to San tiago City under guard. Later they were taken to Morro Castle, where they are now.
 Captain Oveido, Admiral Cervera' s chief of' staff, who boarded the New York under a flag of truce. does not give further details of the capture.
 The bravery of the Americans evil dently excited as much admiration among the Spaniards as it did among the men of the American fleet The prisoners will be perfectly safe and will probably be well treated while they re- main in Morro Castle. The fleet is wild with delight tonight over the termina- tion of the most daring expedition since the destruction of the Confederate iron clad Albemarle by Lieutenant Cush- ing in 1864. The admiral is just as glad as the youngest jackie.
 Captain Chadwick of the flagship New York, who is usually conservative, in speaking of the incident said: Splendid, splendid. Too much cannot be said about it."
 The general opinion Is that no man q 1x- for personal bravery more than does Lieutenant Hobson. His work was well done and his men are safe. When he started on the expedition a few thought he could accomplish his object. Off, cers of the fleet who were questioned as to whether Captain Oviedo could have had any ulterior design in visit ing the New York under a flag of truce secuted the suggestion, saying that the visit was prompted by pure chivalry on the part of the Spaniards and was no- ble of them.
 Clausen, the New York's coxswain, went on the Merrimac against orders. Nothing could have kept him from that trip into the jaws of death. It is probable that the Spaniards will try to blow up the Merrimac, but improbable that they will succeed. Speculation is rife as to the exact details of how Lieutenant Hobson managed to blow himself and ship up and live to tell the tale. His heroism has cleared up the situation we'll The Spaniards are now doubly hemmed in.
 At quarters of the New York last evening Chaplain Royce, praying be- fore the bareheaded crew on deck, thanked God for having preserved Lieutenant Hobson and the men under him.
 Cadet Powell, who was the last man to see Lieutenant Hobson before his start and who had charge of the launch during its perilous trip, after much needed sleep told the story of his ex- perience. He said:
 Lieutenant Hobson took a short sleep for a few hours, which was of ten interrupted. At a quarter of 2o'clock he came on deck and made final in- spection, giving his last instructions. Then we had a little lunch. Hobson was as cool as a cucumber About 2:30 o'clock I took the men who were not going on the trip into the launch and started for the Texas, the nearest ship, but had to go back for one of the as sistant engineers, whom Hobson finally compelled to leave. I shook hands with Hobson the last of all. He said: Powell, watch the boats crew when we pull out of the harbor. We will be cracks, rowing thirty strokes to the minute"
 a Merrimac steaming slowly in. It was only fairly dark then, and the shore was quite visible. We followed about three quarters of a mile astern The Merrimac stood about a mile to the westward of the harbor and seemed bit mixed, turning completely around, finally heading east, then ran down and turned in. We were then chafing because I thought Hobson had lost his bearings. When Hobson was about 200 yards from the harbor the first gun was fired from the eastern bluff. We were then half mile off shore close under the batteries. The firing increased rapidly. We steamed in slowly and lost sight of the Merrimac in the smoke, which the wind carried off shore It Hung neaVlIy.
 Before Hobson could have blown up the Merrimac the western battery pick ed up and commenced firing. They shot wild, and we only heard the shots. We ran in still closer to shore and the gunners lost sight of us Then we heard the explosion of the torpedoes on the Merrimac.
 Until daylight we waited just out side the breakers, half mile to the westward of Morro, keeping a bright lookout for the boat or for swimmers. but saw nothing. Hobson had arranged to meet us at that point, but thinking that some one might have drifted out, we crossed in front of Morro and the mouth of the harbor to the eastward. About o'clock we crossed the harbor again within quarter of mile and stood to the westward
 In passing we saw one spar of the