New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-06-23

final attempt Seaman Murphy. of the Iowa. came
aboard TO take his place
THE MEN GETTING REST.
The men lay around the ship most of the day al
tempting to get little rest. Some slight changes
In the original plans were made. Additional bat
teries were obtained and additional charge was
made ready on the port side AS the lifeboat had
got adrift on the first attempt the large cata-
maran OF the ship sung over the starooard
side by a single line. with towing and steadyihs
lines The lifeboat was sung In similar manner.
Just abaft the cltamaran. The boats on the port
side we're cast loose 30 that they would float when
the ship sank Mr. Hobson decided also that II
would b. safer to explode each powder charge sep
aratey. And the men In the sngine-room were
directed TO con. deck soon as they had COM
peted TIER S ,d due sna M HoSson spent
most Of the afternoon on the hagsnip p ne b .op
leaked so badly the previous day az to make
the engneroom nsueraby hot as well h as 70
make great deal Of noise This ooller was 9'S avn
down about o'clock the cock repaired ana s1e mres
h GSae BY M Mobson anne
about p m He went below 70 try 10 get ME ioe
r sf al and De got 5'oeq bears Of
the harbor before dark came on. me snip s'o S
nagship with steam launch. II had been decined
to follow the ship in with steam iauncn;, d ns
vas manned by the regular crew. As soon as a
good bearing OF the entrance had been obtained
an wbi'1h time Mr Hobson was to be called A
relief had come over in TIE aunGh rom me me
flagship 70 relieve the men at the WheeI anu III the
Aboyi 30 o'clock Mr. Hobson came on the bridge.
All the men who TO go In with the snip,
Montague Chcrett Phillips D.egnan. Murphy ana
tc ,hSr d giI ETeryhng was made ready
below The relief crew and myself were sent
aboard the Texas. The, ship was steaming IN
toward the entrance AT dead slow. SO As 10 en-
able the launch to go over 20 me texas anu "'''
TSn bic back hun Of the Merrlmac could be
easily followed from the other SHIPS. Need'ess 10
say nor progress toward tho mouth or me maroon
was watched with breathless interest. The moon
became parity obscured by Clouds ana me Tbe
lower shore line was lndisting'ishable \ hsnt
haze hid the entrance OF the haroor from view en-
ccpt through glasses.
THE FIRST SHOT FIRED.
At sl5 o'clock the first shot fred. coming
from one OF the guns on the hill to the eft (wesO OF
the entrance The shot was seen TO splash sea"aru
from the Mcrrmac. having passed over her The
firing became general very soon AFTER oeihS
especially fierce and rapid from the batteries inside
on the left Of the harbor, probably from batteries
on smith cay The flashes and reports were APP
parentiy those OF rapld-hre guns. ranging rom ON
small automatic guns 10 i-nch or larger TOE ~,
teen minutes pef s S s S SoSk had almost
ceased clio. watch was kept on the mouth OF
1Sers was l!til~ desultory drlng until about 345
o',,o,k when all became quiet Daylight came doou-
o clock AZ about Sis the launch WAS seen steam
ine, from west TO east near across the mouth OF
he harbor She steamed back from east TO ives.
and then began skirtins the coast TO the west OF
opened IRE her, but did not make good ptactce;
The launch continued her course as Iar "est"aiu
steaming at full speed several shots were fred at
Der from the battery on the LEFT as she steamed
out IL was broad daylight - this time.
CADET POwELLs OMNIBUS REPORT.
Mr. Powell came alongsi!c me Texas and report
ed that 40 one had com, vut Of the entrance OF
the harbor." His words Sd -nded Ike the death
knen OF all who had gone ia on the Merrimac. IL
seemed Incredible. almost impossible. that any OF
them could have lived through the awful IRE that
WAS directed at the ship adet Powell said that
hr had followed behind the snip AZ a distance OF
to or 500 yards Hohson missed the entrance OF the
,.1rd ne almost ran aground The launch picked
M the entrance and directed the Merriinac IN FROM
the launch the collier was >een until she rounded
he bend OF the channel ana until the helm had been
put to port swing her into position across the
channel. Apparently the inner batteries opened nEe
iust AS the collier rounded the bend and swing
ing into positon-prooably when she was hrst seen
10y the men ~ the batteries on smith cay II was
from this side thai the heaviest ire came. large
number OF projectes whistod over the launch Inc
batteries I'm Estrel.a Point kept up very hot hre
Powell heard or saw and counted seven explosions.
which were undoubtedly those OF the powder
charges under the collier Powell remained In the
entrance a. long as ne deemed II safe To do So No
wrcckage or bodies hoated out. everything being
swept inside by the strong hood tide. The enemy
evidently had a large number OF automatic and
rapld-nrc guns from the number ana rapidly OF the
shots
There was probably no one IN the feet who dd
not think that ali seven Of the men had persisted.
In the afternoon much to the surprise OF every one
a tug. flying the nag OF truce. WAS seen coming out
Of the entrance. The Vixen. lying table-cloth At
the fore. went TO meet the tHS. spanish onlcer
wen; aboard tho Vixen from the tug and was taken
aboard the flagship Not long afterward a signal
was q prisoner of war. About o'clock another
signal was made from the flagship: Colliers Grey.
prisoners OF war. Two slightly wounded All we'll
It can easily be imagined what relief this signal
brought to all hands who had been mourning the
death OF all the men
ADMIRAL CERvERA'S ADMIRATION.
The Spanish officer said also that the prisoners
were confined in Moro Castle. He said further
that Admiral Cervera considered the attempt 10
run in and sink the Merrimac across the channel
as an act OF such bravery and desperate daring
that he thought 1t only proper that our Admiral
should be notified OF the safety OF these men,
Whatever the motive for sending out the tug with
the flag Of truce the act was a most graceful one
and one OF most chivalrous courtesy. The Span
ish officer Is reported to have said; GU nave
made Il more difficult. but We can stil get out
From bearings OF the Marrmac whose masts and
smokepipes could be plainly seem. taken In the
bow to seward Just above Estrelia Point with
her stern swung around until she lies almost par
that she is completely submerged, except her
mts anS tte distance from the sS bank
However she is not lying across the channel.
CHANNEL NOT EFFECTUALLY BLOCKED.
So far as blocking the channel. the attempt can
not be said to be successful II is probable that
the anchor on the starboard quarter carried away
he stoppers on the chain and also the bits. which
were not very securely fastened in the deck And
the chain must have cut through the rail far as
the midship section OF the ship. This would have
permitted the stern to swing entirely around I'M
III the ship lay up and down the channel Accord
ing TO the Spanish report Of the affair sent TO
~ force the entrance OF the harbor. and had been
surk in rho channel by the batteries and that only
seven ~ her crew escaped Whether failure or
sUccessf,l the attempt OF the Merrimac will un.