Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1898-06-08

and all of us will be in our undertaking,
with revolvers and ammunition in water
tight packing strapped around Our waists.
Forward there will be a man on deck,
and around his waist will be q line, the
other end of the line being made fast to
the bridge on which | Will stand. BY
that mans side will be an axe. When |
stop the engine | shall jerk this cord and
he will thus get the signal to cut the lash
ing which will be holding the forward
anchor. He will then Jump overheard
and swim to the four-Oared dingy which
we shall tow astern. The dingy is full of
life buOys and is unsinkable In it are
rifles. 1t is to be held by two ropes, one
made fast at 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 to leave the
ship will be the rest of the crew. The
Quartermaster at the wheel will not leave
until after having put it hard aport and
dashed it so; he will then jump overheard.
Down below the man at the reversing
gear will stop the engines, scramble upon
deck and get over the side as quickly as
possible.
THE man in the engineroom will break
open the sea connections with a sledge
hammer and will follow his leader into
the water. This last step insures the
sinking of the Merrimac, whether the
torpedOes work or not
hODSOu 10 the
by this time, | calculate the six men
will be in the dingy and the Merrimac
will have swung athwart the channel to
the full length of her 300 yards of cable,
which will have been paid out before the
anchors were cut loose Then all that is
left for me is to touch the button. l shall
stand on the starboard side of the bridge.
The explosion will throw the Merrimac
on her starboard side. Nothing on this
side of New York city will be able to raise
her after that" f.
And YOU expect to come out of this
alive" asked companion of the lieuten-
ant.
''Ah, that is another thing" said the
lieutenant.
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 frequent questions, Hobson
said: Il suppose the Estrella battery will
fire down upon us a bit, but the ships will
throw their searchlights in the gunners'
faces and they won't see much of US.
Even If we are tOrpedOed we should then
be able to make 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 dingy. | may jump before l
am blown up. But / don't see that it
makes much difference what I do. | have
a fair chance Of life either way. If our
dingy gets shot to pieces we shall then
try to swim for the beach right 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 SEN
tries or a squad until the last and we
shall only surrender to overwhelming
numbers, and our surrender will only take
place as a last and as most uncontem-
plated emergency"
All Wednesday night the crews worked
aboard the Merrimac, which then lay
close to the New York, and the other
ships as they passed the collier before
shutdown cheered her with the same
spirit that the British men-ofwarsmen
cheered the American sailors heroism at
Samoa.
Ernest Wishes for His Success.
Lieut.. Hohson paid a short visit to the
flagship shortly before midnight and then
returned to the Merrimac, on board of
which craft he had been all day. AS he
started down the sea ladder there were
many hands stretched out to grasp his
and many quiet-spOken, earnest wishes
for his success. as it was thought then
that Hobson would take the Merrimac
early in yesterday.
At o'clock the admiral and Flag
Lieut. StauntOn got into the launch to
make an inspection OF the Merrimac.
The working gangs were still on board
of her, and on board the New York the
officers of the flagship stood on the quar-
ter-deck their glasses focused on the
big, black hull that was to form an i'm
passable obstacle for SPANS best ships.
The minutes slipped by; the crews had
not completed their work on the Merri
mac, but at last a boatload of men, black
and tired out, came over to the flagship.
Last of all. at 80 came the admiral.
He had been delayed by a breakdown Of
the steam launch.
Dawn was breaking over Santiago de
Cuba and nearly everybody thought it
was too late for the attempt to be made
that morning.
Then somebody cried: "She's going
IN
Sure enough, the seemingly deserted
collier was seen heading straight for Nor
TO castle.
Hobson Called Back.
The torpedo-boat Porter was lying in
near the flagship, and at the admirals
order. Lieut.. Staunton snatched up the