Arizona republican., 1898-06-20
CADET JOSEPH POWELL.


 Cadet Joseph Powell of Oswego, N. Y., who commanded the steam laurch which carried Lieutenant Hobson and his brave crew from the New York to the Merri- mac. Then followed the Merrimac to the mouth of the harbor and cruised about for several hours under a heavy fire from the Spanish batteries, hoping to pick up HobSon and his men should they escape. Poweil's gallantry received complimentary notice from Admiral Sampson and no doubt will win for him deserved promotion.
 The following from the Oswego Daily Times includes Powelrs account of his excursion:
 When the Oswego boy graduated at An napoiis, third in class of ITO, he and the two men above him, Egbert of Michigan and Bubose of Georgia were assigned to the construction corps. This is the usual reward for high scholarship at the Naval Academy. Hitherto the three prizemen have been sent abroad to study naval construction. but France and England have withdrawn this courtesy and the Americans must now finish their post graduate course at home. Powell and his classmates accordingly took up the-r studies under Hobson, himself a gradu- ate of the Ecole Polytechnique at Paris
 When the war with Spain broke out Hobson and his three pupils volunteered their services. They were accepted at once and all four were assigned to the flagship New York. They have been with Rear Admiral Sampson throughout the Southern cruise. but their first op- portunity to distinguish themselves soc- cured last Friday. Cadet Powell thus tells the story of his share in the adven- ture:
 ..Lieutenant Hobson took a short sleep for a few hours, which was often inter- rupted At 1:45 o'clock he came on deck and made a final inspection, giving his last instructions. Then we had little lunch Hobson was as cool as cucum- ber About 2:3O o'clock I took the men who were going on the trip into the launch and started for the Texas, the nearest ship, but had to go back for one Of the assistant engineers whom Hooson was finally compelled to leave. l 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.''
 After leaving Texas I saw the Merri- mac steaming slowly in. It was only fairly dark then and the shore was quite visible. We followed about three quarters of mile astern. The Merrimac stood about a mile to the Westward of the harbor and seemed a bit mixed, turning completely around, finally heading to the east she ran down and then turned Tn. We were then chasing her. l thought Hobson had lost bearings. When Hopson was about 200 yards from the harpor the first gun was fired from the East biuI. We were then a mile off shore, close uh- der the batteries. The firing increased rapidly. We steamed in slowly ana lost sight of the Merrimac in the smoke which the wind carried off shore. II hung heavily. Before Hobson coliu nave blown up the Merrimac the Western pat tery picked us up and commenced firing. They shot wild and we only heard the shots We ran in still closer 10 the shore and the gunners lost sight or us- Then we heard the explosion or the tor pedoes on the Merrimac-
 Until daylight we waited just outsiGe the breakers half a mile to the west ward of the Morro keeping brlght LOOK ont for the boat or swimmers put saw nothing Hobson had arranged 10 meet us at that point but thinking that some one might have drifted out, we crossed in front of the Moro ard the mouth Of the harbor to the eastward. About hVe o'clock we crossed the harbor aga1n within a quarter of a mile and stood to the westward. In passing we saw one spar of the Merrimac sticking out or the water We hugged the shore just out side the breakers for a mile and then teries saw us and opened fire. It was then broad daylight. The first shot fired dropped thirty yards astern, but the other shots went wild
 "I drove the launch for all she was worth. finally making the New York. The men behaved splendidly.'' The news of Hobson's safety lifted a great load from Cadet Powelfs mind. Probably no other details of this mar velous trip will be known until Lieuten- ant Hobson gets back.