The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-06-07

fell without hitting the object they were
intended for, the men on board the
| New York jeered at the Spanish marks
manship and cheered their shipmates.
AT 6:15 a. m, the launch came along
/ side the flagship; but, she did not have
on board any of the crew of the Mer-
rimac Cadet Powell reported that he
had been unable to see signs Of the
Merrinac's crew. 1t developed that,
with great bravery the cadet had gone
right under the batteries and only re-
turned when all hope of taking on
board the crew Of the Merrimac had to
| be abandoned.
Cadet Powell also reported that he
had clearly seen the Merrimac's masts
| sticking up just where Hobson hoped
| ITO sink her, north of the Estrella bat
| terry and we'll past the guns of Morro
| castle. But of the heroes who had
penned the Spaniards in there was not
| a sound or a sign.
| Rear Admiral Sampson said: 81 am
pretty sure the attempt was quite sue
| cessful I hope all those brave fellows
are not captured"
| Cadet Powell believes the torpedoes
| previously fixed about the Merrimac
] were exploded as planned, as Lieuten-
| ant Hobson was we'll UP the harbor be-
fore the Spaniards opened fire on the
| Merimac.
What actually happened on board
| the Merrimac can be best judged from
| what Lieutenant Hobson said just be-
| fore leaving the flagship. Sitting in
| his cabinet, his face Drowned by the
| sun and his eyes flashing with excite
| ment. he remarked:
| IT shall go right into the harbor un-
til about 400 yards past the Estrella
battery, which is behind Moro Cas-
tie. / do not think they can sink me
f.! before 1 reach somewhere near that
| point. The Merrimac has 1000 tons
| buoyancy and I shall keep her full
| speed ahead. She can make about ten
knots. When the narrowest part Of
| the channel is reached I shall put her
! helm hard apOrt, stop the engines,
| drop the anchors, open the sea con-
| nections, touch off the torpedOes and
! leave the Merrimac a wreck, lying
| across the channel, which is not as
broad as the Merrimac is long. There
| are ten 8-inch improvised torpedoes
below the water line, on the Merri-
| macs port side. They are placed on
| her side against the bulkheads and
| vital spots, connected with each other
by a wire under the ships keel. Each
torpedo contains eighty-two pounds of
| gunpowder. Each torpedo is also con-
| nected with the bridge, and they
it will be quick work, even if done in
| a minute and quarter.
ION deck there will be four men and
myself. In the engine room there will
| be two other men. This is the total
crew and all of us will be in our un-
| derclothing, with revolvers and am
munition in water-tight packing strap
ped around our waists. Forward there
| will be a man on deck and around his
| waist will be line, he other end of
the line being made fast to the bridge
| on which will stand. By that man S
side will be an axe. When I stop the
engines I 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 unsuitable.
| In it are rifles. 1t is to be held to two
| ropes, one made fast at her bow and
| one at her stern. The first man to
| reach her will haul in the two line and
| pull the dingy out to starbOard. The
next to leave the ship are the rest of
the crew. The quartermaster at the
wheel will not leave until after having
| put it hard aport and lashed it so; he
| will then jump oveboard.
| Down below, the man at the revers-
ing gear will stop the engines, scram-
| BILE upon deck and get over the side
| as quickly as possible.
! "The man in the engine room 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.
| by this time I calculate the six men
viii be in the dingy and the Merrimac
viii have swung athwart the channel
| to the length of her 800 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 but
| ton. I shall stand on the starboard
side of the bridge. The explosion will
| throw the Merrfmac on her starboard
side Nothing on this side of New
York city will be able to raise her af-
ter that"
"And you expect to come out of this
alive?" asked a companion Of the lieu
tenant.
"Ah! That is another thing said
the lieutenant.
He was so interested in the mechan-
ical details Of the scheme that he
scarcely stopped to talk of life and
death. But, in reply to frequent ques-
tions, Hobson said:
Il suppose the Estrella battery will
fire down on us a bit, but the ships
will throw their search lights in the
gunners' faces and they won't see
much of u.s. If we are torpedoed we
should even then be able to make the
desired position in the channel. II
80 . - oonv fo hit nS and think