New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-06-06
Two Great Soaps
CASHMERE BOUQUET
and WORKS

=
wishes for his success. as it was thought 'ne"
that Hobson would take the Merrinac In early
yesterday morning.
AT o'clock the Admiral and Flag-Leutenant
Staunton got into the launch TO make an IN
spection Of the Merrmao. The working gangs
were still on board Of her. and on board the
New-York the officers of the flagship STOOD on
the quarterback their glasses focused on the
big black hull that was to form an iFnpassapie
obstacle for SPANS best ships.
The minutes slipped by, and the crews had not
completed their work on the Merrimac but AZ
last q poatload of men. black and tire1 OUT,
came over to the flagship Last OF all al sou
o'clock. came the Admiral. He had been delayed
by a breakdown Of the steam launch
Dawn breaking over Santiago de Cuph
and nearly everybody thought it was TOO late
for the attempt to be made that morning. Then
somebody cried
she is going In
Surely enough. the seemingly deserted collier
was seen heading straight for MORO Castle
The torpedo-boat Porter was lying near the
flagship, and at the Adnirars order Lieutenant
Staunton snatched up the megaphcne ana
hailed the Porter. saying:
Porter. there, Tell the Merrimac to return
Immediately"
Smoke quickly poured from the Porters
smokestack and the dark little craft daried
toward the shore. BY that time darkness had
quite disappeared. and as quickly as 'he iaSl
torpcdo-boat tore through the water it seemed
as If she would never head off the Mcrrmac.
At last when within range OF the guns OF the
Spaniards the Porter crossed the Merrlinacs
Lows. and a sigh Of relief went up from the
eager watchers for they thought it cure death
for Hobson to venture in al that hour
ORDERED BACK BY SAMPSON
Some time after o'clock the Porter came
tearing back and the MArrimac. to every ones
SURPRISE kept her position. Admiral Sampson
Captain Chadwick and Lieutenant stanton
could not understand. until Lieutenant Fremont
from the deck Of the torpedo-boat. shouted;
Lieutenant Hobson asks permission to con-
tnue on his course. He thinks he can make IL
But in stern tones the Admiral sent Hobson
a message to the effect that the Merrimac must
return AT once and in due course Of time. the
doomed collier slowly steamed back. her com
mander evidently disappointed with the order
received from the Admiral through the COM
mander Of the Porter. Hobsons figure standing
ont wildly on the lonely bridge OF the Mer-
rmac.
All day Yesterday the collier lay near the flag
ship and more elaborate preparations were
made to carry out the mission OF the Merriinac
successfully. During these preparations HoDson
was tireless. cool and confident. supervising
personally every little detail
When. finally Hobson went on board the
Merrmac last night he had been without sleep
since Wednesday morning. His uniform was
begrimed his hands were black and he looked
like man who had been hard at work in and
about an engine-room for a long time. As he
said goodby the lieutenant remarked that his
Ia. al n
volunteers could not go with him. Rear-Admral
Sampson. speaking OF the expedition, said:
II think he Will have a fair chance 10 get out.
Yes il is plucky. very plucky
When the Merrinac started yesterday morn
ing on the trip from which she recalled she
had on board Of her two men who had no righ;
70 be there. They were Assistant Engineer
Crank Of the Merrimac. and Boatswain Mullin,
Of the New-York, who had been working on the
collier all day.
These two men refused to leave the ship, and
as their dsobedience was OF the nature which
produced Cushings and Farraguts for the Amer
lean Navy, it not officially noticed
The spirit shown by the men and officers Of the
feet in connection with the Merrimac expedi-
ton is really grand Under these circumstances
one can imagine the immense feeling OF satisfac'
ton experienced when 1t became known that
A MESSAGE FROM CERVERA.
Later In the day boat with white flag put
out from the harbor. and Captain Oviedo. the
| chief of staff Of Admira! Cervera. boarded the
| New YORK; sind Informed the Admiral that the
| whole party had been captured and that only
| two Of the heroes were injured. Lieutenant
Hobson was not hurt. 1t appears that the Span
| sh Admiral struck with the courage OF
| the Merrimac's crew that he decided 10 inform
| Admiral Sampson that they had not lost their
| lives but were prisoners Of war, and could be
| exchanged.
The dingy part Of the programme does not
| appear to have been carried out. which leads
| to the belief that she may have been smashed
| BY a shot for II seems that Hobson and his men
| drifted ashore old catamaran which had
| been slung over the Merrimac's side at the
last moment extra precaution They
were captured and sent 10 Santiago under
| guard. previous 20 being transferred to MORO
Castle where they are now understood to be
confined.
| Money and provisions were sent to the pris-
oners through Captain Oviedo, and 1t Is believed
| Rear-Admiral Sampson is taking the steps
necessary to bring about their exchange.
| Like Cushng's deed Hobson's desperate un-
dertaking was conceived by him who exc
! cufed It,
| When Rear Admiral Sampson Joined Con;mo-
| dore Schley Wednesday the latter had al
| ready ascertained that II would be impossible
| for the feet to crawl into the rathole I'm which
| the Spanish fleet had taken refuge. The mines
across the entrance and the batteries which
| commanded II made the mere contemplation OF
| 1t an act OF folly.
Commodore schley was inclined to think the
! dynamite cruiser Vesuvius might be able 10
! countermne, but the ships would have 10 go In
single file, and II one were sunk In the channel
| the progress Of the others would be blocked. II
was then that Lieutenant Hobson conceived the
scheme Of sinking big collier across the har
Dor entrance and asked TO be allowed to execute
Il himself 1t seemed &c tain death. and almos:
certain failure as the odds we're overwhelming
| ~ against reaching the entrance before discoy
cry. but Hobson was so enthusiastic that his