The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-06-06
Dexter Horton Bank Building. ! ~
Ave, So. and vasbington 81.


place a. a asss and as a most Gac0a~
gezapaasea emergency.
Lieut.. Hsbs7n Eaaght base been isetaT-
sug 10 8 class Of cadets on shs theory q
how 70 build ships 50 deliberate was hss
mariner. lie was sAteEy at AnDaps.S. in
charge Of IRE post gresiuass course n naval
construction and = accounted one OK the
most able naval constructors IN Tbs sesv-
h. being entirely wrapped ap in hts pFs-
ses4sson
TIE preliminary work Of thlz desperate
undertaking was strain ugea the Officers
and usen On Wednesday morning. directly
after Rear Admiral Sampson arrival and
as scoa ~ he Was certain the Spanish
feet was H. The barber, the preparations
10 scuts1e the Merrlmae IN the channel
were commented Al day long eress
from the New YORK. and Brookiyn were on
board the collier. never resting ia shstr
efforts 10 prepare her. she lay alongside
The Massachusetts, aischarging coal. when
the work was first began.
The news OF the intended expedition
travelled quickly through the feet. and il
soen became known thai volunteers were
nseded for desperate undertaking. From
tha Iowa's signal yafd autfesed the an
nouncemeni that she had 10 volunteers.
asd The other ships were nos far behind
on the New York The enthusiasm vas
insense over 80 members OF tie crew
volunteered 10 so snia the narrow harbor
and face death, The junior officers liter
ally Jumped over each other II their eager
ness 70 get their names ON tie volunteer
list.
Commander Miller. of TIE MerEiGae,
p.eaded with the adfaifa! 10 let him go.
hut the latter thought he had better not.
When il was learned that only six men
and Lieut.. Hobson we're TO 90, there was
considerable disappointment ola al sides.
and when the New YoFk'y contingent went
over the side late on Wednesday night,
some 81 those who were left were almost
ready. brave ana strong as they were, to
sit down and cry.
Al "Wednesday night 1ha crews worked
aboard the Merrimsc. which lay Close. TO
the New York, and the other ships. as.
they passed the collier before shutdown
chesred her with the same spirit tbat the
British men-of-w ar s-rsleu cheercd the
American sailors herolsm at Sanlaa.
Lieut. Hobsoa paid a short visit 10 the
flagship shortly before midnight. and then
returned 10 too, Merrlmac on board Of
which craft he bad beeu all day. As ne
srafted down the sea ladder there were
riany hands stretched cut to grasp his.
ard many quiet spoken earnest wlslles for
his success, 1t was thought then that
Hohson would take the Aierrimag IN cary
IN Eae morning. AZ o'clock the admiral
aad Flag Lieut.. stanton got into the
launch 10 make an inspection Of the Mor-
rinsc. The working gangs were stHi On
board Of her. aud on board The New York
the officers OF the aagship stood oR the
quarter deck their glasses focused on
the big black hull thar was 10 form an
impossible obstruction for Spain's best
ships
The minutes slipped ~. the crews had
not completed their work on tae Merit
mac, bat at last boat load o. men, black
and tired oat. came over u the nagship.
last Of all. a. s1o o'clock. came the adj
mlrai. HE had been delayed by a break
DOWN OF the steam launch.
nawa Was breaking over Santiago de
Ca'ba and nearly everybody thqught Il
vas TOO late for tae attempt 70 ~ made
that morning Then somebody cried.
she : going in
/ s'ir.ly enough tire seemingly deserted
collier was seen heading straight Ter More
| caste. TAc torpedo baa; Porter was IS
/ tax in, nssr tae Gagseip, aud Admiral
Simpsons flag lseutaaaas. ssauat8n.
/ sna,csed sp the megsphoae ana ha.Ied he
/ regter. saying: Porter. saere. tel sne
Msrrtmac TO return Immediately
/ Smoke quickly poured fscm tae Por'er's
snokest&oks, ANA iae dask H.le craft
/ dartsd toward the shore
/ fiy that tine dae&aess hAa qalte 3.sep-
/ peared and uuiealy as yAe gas, torpedo
boat tore through sae water. H. seemed as
/ i she Mould never Aoad OF ,h5 Mo;sl-
MAJ
/ a; last waen uadss tte range ~ tae
/ saas ~ tas sunartz sns rSetsr eroSst /
( 'a~ Mev,mae's hsswe. auss ~3sa Il rsgies
! vrut up srasu ths esEsr watchers. FOR ,hee
] .aauehs shss ga ras sufs Geata fos tss-
/ sen ta soaeus iu AZ 5.sas har
Sos}. lDe af'tv 3 5'-issek .Ae Porter
/ eaase tearing @aek ard sae Mers.aae.. 81
{ s>-ceyeac's surprise. f<s. soy naN.ltaa.
. Aife.r5 SaFnpsan s-=ps caa8N * 4-i
( f}e.t &-u5etea eoas5 nae au8s~r~..-4
ua I-eas i-ysweat. fra,u tae asck ~ spa