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

engines,
drop the anchors. open the sea connections touch
of the torpedoes. and leave the Merrmac q
wreck. lying athwart the channel which is not
as broad the Merrimac is long
There ten S-inch improvised torpedoes be-
low the water-lne. on the Merrmac's port side
They placed on her side against the bulk.
heads and vital spots, connected with each other
by wire under the ships keel. Each torpedo
contains eghty-two pounds Of gunpowder. Each
torpedo is also connected with the bridge, and
they should do their work in a minute. and IL
will be quick work even II done in a minute and
. quarter.
"On deck there will be four men ana -,,,se,f
In the engine-room there will be two other men.
This is the total crew. and all Of us will be In
our underclothing with revovers and ammuni-
tion in water.tight packing strapped around our
waists. Forward there will be a man on deck
and around his waist will be a line. the other
end OF the line being made fast to the bridge.
where shall stand. BY that mans side will be
axe.
PLAN TO REACH THE DINGY
when stop the engines / shall jerk this cord
and he will thus get the signal to cut the lashing
which will be holding the forward anchor. He
will then jump overheard and swim to the four
cared dingy which we shall tow astern The
dingy is full Of life buoys. and is unsnkable
In it rifles. 1t is to be held by two ropes.
one made fast az her bow and one at her stern
The first man to reach her will haul in the tow
line and pull the dingy out to starboard The
next 10 leave the ship are the rest Of the crew.
The quartermaster. at the heel, will not leave
until after having put it hard aport and lashed
1t so; he will then jump overheard.
Down below the man at the reversing gear
Will stop the engines. scramble up on deck and
get over the side quickly possible.
The man in the engine-room will break open
the sea connections with a sedgehammer. and
will follow his leader into the water This last
step insures the sinking OF the Merrimac
whether the torpedoes work or not
by this time I calculate the six men will be
In the dingy and the Merrimac will have swung
athwart the channel. to the full length OF her
three hundred yards OF cable. which will have
been paid out before the anchors were cut loose.
Then. all that is left for is to touch the
button l shall stand on the stavboard side OF
the bridge The explosion will throw the Merri-
mac on her starboard side. Nothing on this
side Of New York City will be able to raise her
after that"
CHANCES OF LIFE OR DEATH.
"And you expect to come out OF this alive?"
asked a companion OF the Lieutenant.
"Ah. That is another thing" said the Lieu.
tenant. He was so interested In the mechanical
details OF the scheme that he scarcely stopped
TO talk Of life and death But. in reply to fire.
quent questions. Hobson said:
II suppose the Estrella battery will fire down
on US bit but the ships will throw their
searchlights in the gunners' faces and they
won't see much OF us. Then. II we are tor
pedoed we should even then be able to mako
the desired position in the channel 1t won't be
so easy to hit us. and think the men should
be able to swim to the dngy.
II may lump before l am blown up. But
don't see that 1t makes much difference what
I do. have a fair chance OF life either way.
II our dingy gets shot to pieces we shall try to
swim for the beach light under MORO Castle.
We shall keep together at all hazards. Then
we may be able to make our way alongside and
perhaps get back to the ship.
we shall fight the sentries or a squad until
The last. and we shall only surrender to over
vhelming numbers and our surrender will only
AXE place as a last and almost uncontemplated
Lieutenant Hobson might have been lecturing
10 a class Of cadets on the theory Of how to