The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1898-06-14

o-aduated from the Academy second
ia his class.
Mr.. Hobson is not yet % years Of age.
he was born August II, 1870, in
Greensboro. Hale county, Ala, where
be attended the Southern University,
graduating at the head of his class.
Then he wanted to 60 to the Naval
Academy. and the chance was afforded
when Col. Hilary A. Herber, the Rep
resentative in Congress from the Mont
0omery district, had a vacancy at the
Academy to fill. Colonel Herbert and
Judge Hobson, of Mobile, the father OF
the constructor, were in the same regl-
ment in the Confederate army. They
fought side by side at the battle Of
s~harpsburg. Colonel Herbert held q
competitive examination and young
Hobson made the highest percentage.
He received the appointment and went
to the Academy in September, 1885.
After graduating, in 1889, the youngest
man in his class, he was sent as a cadet
on the flagship Chicago with a squad
ron of revolution, and cruised In the
Mediterranean and South American.
waters until October, 1890. Then he
was ordered to a special course in CON
struction at Paris.
Mr.. Hobson is of North Carolina
stock. He is a great nephew OF Gov.
John Morehead Of that State, q grand
SON of Chief Justice Richmond Pear
son, great grandson of Col. Williams,
Senator from Tenness, and Of Hugh
Lawson White, Of Tennessee, and a
nephew of Richmond Pearson, the
present representative in Congress
from the Asheville district of North
Carolina. His father vas q judge on
the Alabama bench.
The reasons for sinking the Merrimac
were these: 1t was impossible for our
feet to crawl into the rRthole in which
the Spanish feet had taken refuge.
The mines across the entrance and the
batteries which commanded it made
the mere contemplation Of it an act OF
folly.
Commodore Schley was inclined to
think the dynamite cruiser Veeuvius
might be able T. c-ountermine; but the
ships would have to go in single file,
and if one were sunk in the channel
the progress of the others would be
blocked. It was then that Lieut. Hob
son conceived the plan Of sinking
the big collier Merrimac across the
hArbor entrance, and asked to be al
lowed to execute it himself. Itseemed
certain death, andalmost certain failure
as the odds were Overwhelmingly
against reaching the entrance before
discovery, but Hobson was so enthusi
astic that his confidence was infectious,
and the Admiral finally reluctantly
gave his consent.
And here we will describe the Merri
mac. IS was a steel single ecreW
steamer, built at Newcastle, England,
in 1894. and rebuilt by John N. Robins
Company, New York, in November.
1897 She was of the highest class il
the British Lloyds and In the Ameri
can Record. Her principal dimensions
were: Length, $50 feet; beam, A feet
depth from side Of the deck to the tor
Of the keel, 90 feet 10 inches; load
draught, "a feet; load displacement
2, 500 tons, total dead weight capacity
ZOO tons; indicated horse power
1900; speed when loaded, 1O3 knots
speed with light load, Iii and coulc
make Ii knots in ballast. The Merric
mac had Two complete steel decks
steel top gallant ~forecastle, steel pilo
house, steel wheelhoUse aft, and wooC
bridge. Her construction was sucl
that she could be used for carry in,
cattle and ssores ia addition to coal
and would have plenty of space avail
able for hospital purposes. She wa
purchased from the Hogan line o
steamers running out of Baltimore.
Although Sampson gave his consen
when the Merrlmac steamed forwarC
on Thursday morning, it was reluC
family. Pacing the deck Of the fae
ship, he looked at his watch and at tn
streaks in the east, and decided tho
the Merrimac could not reach the en
trance before broad daylight. Conse
quently the torpedo boat Porter, which
was alongside, was dispatched to recall
the daring officer. Lieut.. Hobson sen
back a protest, with the request 70
permission to proceed. But the AID
miral declined to allow him to take tn
risk, and slowly the Merrimac swun,
about.
During the day Lieut.. Hobson wer'
aboard the hagship. His once whit.