The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1898-07-21
Speaks in~ Glowing Terms of
His Crews Bravery.
Marvellous it Seems That We Are Alive. II
Tells Why the Collier Was Net Sunk
Across the Channel.

miral Sampson and he consented to
give the Herald a fuller interview
about his experiences. He spoke in
glowing terms of the courage and BRAY
cry of his crew.
"We have been thirty-three days in
Spanish prison., said Mr.. Hobson,
''and the more / think about it, the
more marvellous it seems that we are
alive. 1t was about three o'clock in
the morning when the Merrimac en-
tered the narrow channel and steamed
in under the guns of Moro Castle. The
stiffness of death prevailed. 1t was SO
dark that we could scarcely see the
headland, We had planned to drop
our starboard anchor at a certain point
to the right of the channel, reverse our
engines and then swing the Merrimac
around, sinking her directly across the
channel
'This plan was adhered to but cir
cumstances rendered its execution i'm
possible. When the Merrimac poked
her head in the channel our troubles
commenced. The deadly silence was
broken by the wash of small boat ap-
preaching us from the shore. made
her out to be picket boat.
"She ran close up under the stern Of
the Merrimac and fired several shots
from what it seemed to be three-poun-
der guns. The Merrimac's rudder was
carried away by this fire. That is why
the collier was not sunk across the
channel.
eve did not discover the loss of the
rudder until Murphy cast anchor. We
then found that the Merrimac would
not answer to the helm, and were com
PEELED to make the best Of the situation
"The run up the channel was very
exciting. The picket boat had given
the alarm and in a moment the guns OF
the Vizcaya, the Almirante Oquendo
and of the shore batteries were turned
on us.
Submarine mines and torpedoes
were exploded all about us, adding to
the excitement. The mines did nc
damage, although we could hear rumb-
ling and feel the ship tremble.
eve were running without lights,
and only the darkness saved us from
utter destruction When the ship was
in the desired position and we found
the rudder was gone, called the men
on deck. While they were launching
the catamaran l touched off the explos-
| ives.
cat the same moment two torpedoes,
fired by the Reina Mercedes, struck
the M Merrimac amidships. cannot say
whether our own explosives or t! {
Spanish torpedoes did the work, but
the Merrimac was lifted out of the
water and sent almost asunder.
Gas she settled down we scrambled
overheard and cut away the catamaran.
A great cheer went up from the forts
and warships as the hull of the collier
foundered, the Spaniards thinking the
Merrimac was an American warship.
eve attempted to get out of the har.
Dor on the catamaran, but a strong
tide was running and daylight found
us still struggling in the water. Ther
for the first time the Spaniards saw us,
and boat from the Reina Merdedes
picked us up. 1t then was shortly af
ter o'clock in the morning and we
had been in the water more than an
hour. Wewere taken aboard the Reina
Mercedes, and later we were sent tc
Moro Castle.
"In Moro we were confined in cells
in the inner side of the fortress, and
were there when the fleet first bonn
barded Moro. could only hear the
whistling of the shells and the noise
they made when they struck, but ]
judged from the conversation of the
guards that the shells did considerable
damage.
'After this bombardment Mr. Rams
den, the British Consul, protested,
and we were removed to the hospital.
There was separated from the Other
men in our crew and could see them
only by special permission. Montague
and Kelly fell i'll two weeks ago, suf.
fering from malaria, and I was permit
ted to visit them twice.
"Mr. Ramsden was very kind to us
and demanded that Montague and Kel
ly be removed to better quarters in the
hospital. This was done
GAS for myself. there is little to say
The Spanish were not disposed to dC
much for the comfort of any Of The
prisoners at first, but, after our army
had taken some of their men as prison
ers, their treatment was better. FOOD
is scarce in the city, and l was tolt
that we Jared better than the Spanish