Evening star., 1898-06-06
Detail Story q the Sinking of the
Merrimac at Santiago.
CHANNEL COMPLETELY BLOCKED
All the Chances Carefully Weighed
by the Daring Officer.
CHI HEERED BY SHIPMATES

! Hei Oh santiago narDor: The narrow chan
mel leading into the harbor was completely
| blocked early this morning when the
United States collier Merrimac was sunk
| across its entrance. 1t 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
| first-class armored cruisers Maria Teresa,
! Crstobal Colon, Vizcaya and Almirante
| Oquendo, with the two torpedo boat de-
| stroyers, Furor ard Pluton are no longer
of any use to Spain. This result was ac-
| complished through the heroism of Lieut.
| Richmond P. Hobson, assistant naval con-
| structor, and Daniel Montague, George
| Charette, ]. c. Murphy, Oscar Deignan,
John P. Phillips, John Kelly and H. Clau-
| sen. The latter, a coXswain of the New
| York, took part in the expedition against
| orders. They were all captured by the
| Spaniards but the Spanish admiral in
| recognition Of their bravery sent word to
| the American admiral, under a flag of
| truce that he was willing to exchange the
| prisoners and assuring the American COM
| mander that they would be treated with
| the greatest kindness. Money and pro-
| visions have been sent to them and the
| necessary steps are being taken to bring
| about their exchange.
| The three men from the Merrimac's crew
were all green hands and shipped recently
| for the war.
| The Merrimac had on board six hundred
| tons of coal when she was scuttled across
! the channel.
| Started at , A. NJ.
| Lieut.. Hobson started on his daring er-
rand at 3 O'Clock this morning. The Mer-
| rimac was lying to the westward. Under
cover of the clouds over the moon, she stole
| in toward the coast and made her way
to the eastward followed by a steam
| 1anpch be New York wit ba o1
| lowing crew on board:
Naval Cadet J.. w. Powell Of Oswego,
N. Y.
P. X Peterson, coxswain
H. Handford, apprentice of the first class
j. Mulings. coal pasSer.
G. l.. Russell, 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 Merrimac after
| she had got under the shadow Of the hills.
For half hour officers and men strained
| their eyes peering into athe gloom when
suddenly. the flash of a gun streamed out
from Moro Castle, andiIthen all on board
the New York knew the Merrimac was
| nearing her end The guns from the Span
ish battery opposite MORO Castle answered
quickly with more flashes, and for about
twenty minutes flashessof fire seemed to
leap across the harber entrance
The flagship was too far away to hear
the reports, and when the firing ceased 1t
was judged that Habson had blown up the
ers waited for daylight Rear Admiral
Sampson and Captain chadwick were on
the bridge of the New York throughout.
Fired on by Batteries.
AT o'clock thin streams of smoke were
seen against the western shore, quite close
| to the Spanish batteries, and strong glasses
made cut the launch of the New York re-
! turning to the flagship Scarcely had the
small craft been sighted before a puff of
smoke issued from battery on the west
ern arm of the harDor and a shot plunged
far over the launch. Then. for fifteen min
utes, the big guns ashore kept up an irreg-
ular fire on the little launch. AS the shells
fell without hitting the object hey were
intended for, the men on board the New
York jeered at the Spanish craftsmanship
and cheered their shipmates.
At 6:15 am. tho launch came alongside
the flagship, but she did not have on board
any of the crew of the Merrimac. Cadet
Powell reported that he had been unable
to see any signs of the Merrimac's crew.
1t developed that. with great bravery, the
cadet had gone right under the batteries.
and only returned when all hope of taking
on board the crew of the Merrimac had to
be abandoned.
| clearly seen the Merrimac's mests stick
ing UP just where Hohson hoped to sink
her, north of the Estrella battery and we'll
past the guns of Morro Castle. But of the
there was not sound or sign. q
Rear Admiral Sampson said: - am pref
ty sure the attempt was quite successful
hope all those brave fellows are not cap
tured."
Cadet Powell believes the torpedoes pre-
Vlousiy hXed about the Merrimac were ex-
ploded as planned, as Lieut.. Hobson was
well up the harbor before the Spaniards
opened fire on the Merrimac.
Mr.. Hobson's Plans
What acfuaIIV han +bo
Merrimac can best be judged from what
Lieut.. Hobson said just before leaving the
flagship. Sitting in his cabin, his face
oroWEed by the sun and his eyes flashing
with excitement he remarked: Il shall
go right into the harbor until about four
hundred yards past the Estrella battery
Which is behind MORO Castle | do moi
think they can sink me before 1 reach
somewhere near that point. The Merrimac
mas seven thousand tens buoyancy and l
1l snail Keep her full speed ahead. She can
make about ten knots. When the narrow
est part OF the channel is reached l shall
put her helm hard aport. stop the engines
drop the anchors, open the sea connections
touch OH the torpedoes and leave the Mer-
rimac a wreck, lying athwart the channel
Whlch is not as broad the Merrimac is
iohg. Ihere are ten ieight-inch improvised
Iepr;n, sI9epeaoes s. below the water line. on the
ner side against the bulkheads and vital
spots connected with each other by a wire
uioei Tue shlpS keel. Each torpedo con-
Ialhs eighty-two pounds of glnpowder
tach torpedo is also connected with the
bridge and they should do their work
III minute. and it will be quick work
even IL cone in a minute and a quarter
On deck there will DE four men and
ihyseif. IT the engine room there will he
Two other men,. This is the total crew,
ana all OF US will be in ,,our underclothing
with revolvers and Ammunition in water
tlsht packing strapped around our waists
forward there will be a man on deck, and
around his waist will be- line, the other
END OF the line being made fast to the
priage' on which I'wilfS stand. By that
mans side will be an axot When I stop the
engine l shall jerk oehis cord, and he will
mus get the signal to cut the lashing which,
VIII be holding the forward anchor He
WIN then jump overheard and swim to the
1our-oared dingy which we shall tow
astern: The dingy is full of lifebuoys and
IS unsuitable. In 1T are rifles. 1t is to be
held by two ropes, one made fast at her
DOW and one ut her stern. The first man
70 reacn her will haul In the tow line and
pun the dingy out to starboard. The next
70 10 ieave the ship are the rest of the crew.
me quartermaster at the wheel will not
leave until after having put 1t hard aport
ana !asned 1t SO. He will then jump over
board.
Stop the Engines and Jump:
r.