The herald., 1898-06-06
lie the Nero contemplation Of it an act


sa' $780, ...s wss,,,.;,,s ,,,,,r,,t 49,
-. - '.. 49,, 49, sh,,,s ,o,,,d
.o'e ~ .oeA ~ s,o 5 80 -
.s. ~ ~, .sanne, 80 rrorrass of tha
49,. a',,s ~ h,oarad +, Nos nv
that I,a',t uohsor concs;ved Tho scheme
- s,o,,,vs 40 ooi,,sr across Tho harhor
.,,raroa ora asLad 20 he a,Iouad 20 axe-
o,,ta a. h,r,,sa,f +, saev,ad oar,air dao+b
ana aIros, certa;p sailura nc tho chances
wars overwbs,minglv AGAINST enteriny
+ha barhor hefor. dis,overv bu+ uohson
was so entbusiastic that his confidence
was infections and the admiral finally re-
1uctantIv pave lis consant
Iieut. Hobson,s chief anxiety was that
In the dark he might miss tho narrow eut
and run onto the shoals at the west of the
entrance. To nrevent the nossibilitv Of
this. the plan of allowing the Merrimac TO
run in under the snanisb flag with the
f1eet in feiened pursuit firing blank cart
ridges and blazing the natb to the harbor
entrance with searchliphts. was consid-
cred hut abandoned becansa among 9TH
er reasons Iieut IJobson and his vo,,n-
teer crew did NOT want to die if their lives
should be sacrificed under false co,ors.
When the admiral,s consent was oh
tanned. Lieut. Hobson became imnatient of
ALI delav and that vary NIGHT after tho
moon went down be set the time for the
ATTEMPT. Volunteers were called for on all
the ships of the fleet. and. to the credit Of
the American navy. NAV # he said that
few finched. With cheering, crowds
stepped forward at the summons of the
hazardous duty. About 800 on board the
New York, some 40 on board the Iowa and
a like proportion from the other ships vol
unteered. but Lieut.. Hobson, like the hero
he is, decided to risk as few lives as posi-
BILE. He picked three men from the New
York and three from the Merrimac. The
latter were green in the service, but they
knew the ship and pleaded hard to go, and
one man slowed away on board the collier
Six other men, selected from various
ships, with Ensign Powell in command
manned the launch, which was to lie at
the harbor mouth and take off those who
escaped. The Merrimac was made ready.
Six torpedoes were strung along her port
side, with wire connections to the bridge.
Her anchors were dashed at the bow and
stern. Her cargo OF coal was shifted, and
ner cargo ports were opened, SO that she
came 10 cut ner anchor iashlngs, open the
sea COCKS ana torpedo her pulkheaas.
Ihe work was not completed until after
O'CLOCK THURSDAY morning, but' with the
SKY paling IN the east Lieut.. Hobson head
Gu IN on MS desperate mission.
On board the ships of the fleet picketed
outside the entrance, every officer and
man, with many warm heart-beats for
their brave comrades, awaited the issue,
with eyes anxiously fixed on the jutting
headlines that marked the entrance of the
harbor. Just as the Merrimac steamed
FORWARD aneao' Admiral SAMPSON pacing
the deck OF the flagship, looked at his
watch ana at the streaKs IN the east and
uecloed tnat the Merrimac could not
reach the entrance pe1ore oaylight. Conse-
quentiy' the torpedo boat Forter' ~nlcn
was alongside, was ulspatcned 10 recall the
Harins omcer-
Lieut.. Hobson sent back protest, with
request for permission to proceed. But
the admiral declined to allow him to take
the risk, and slowly the Merrimac swung
about.
During the day Lieut.. Hobson went
aboard the flagship. His once white duck
trousers were as black as a coal heavens:
his old fatigue coat was unbuttoned, and his
begrimed face was deep furrowed by tense
drawn lines, but resolution still shone in
his eyes. So absorbed was he in the task
ahead of him that, unmindful of his APP
pearance and naval etiquette, he told the
admiral in tone of command that he must
not again be interfered with.
II can carry this thing through" he
said, "but there must be no more recalls.
My men have been keyed up for "a hours
and under a tremendous strain. Iron will
break at last"
Such was the indomitable will and cour-
age with which he faced death and glory
When Hobson left the ship and the ex-
tended hands of his shipmates, more than
one lad turned to hide the unbidden tear.
But the lieutenant waved them adieu with
a smile on his handsome face.
This morning the Merrimac started in.
shortly after o'clock. The full moon had
disappeared behind black cloud bank in
the west. 1t was that calm hour before
dawn when life is at its lowest ebb and
the tide runs out, carrying mortals with Il.
Slowly the seconds of fate licked on. and
for an hour 5000 strained ewes stroye TO
pierce the deep veil of night.
Suddenly several hlood.red toneues Of
flame shot down from the rocky eminencs
upon which MORO is situated They were
followed bv lets and streams of fire from
the batteries opposite. The Merrimac had
reached the entrance of the harbor. She
must have passed so close that a stone
loosened from the frowning parapet of the
20 ctIa would boxa 70 IIa,, ,,,,o,, bor ao.,,