New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-06-07
SINKING OF THE MERRlMAC.
STORY OF HER COMMANDER.
TELLS HOW TIE PLAN WAS DEVISED
AND CARRIED OUT BY HOBSON.
lEY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE.

AND NAhhlEb w i III
lEY TELEGRAPH THE rnInuxEl
Key West, Fla, June 6.-Commander James
NJ. Miller who was in command Of the collier
Merrlmac which now lies in the channel OF the
harbor Of Santiago de Cuoa. arrived here this
afternoon on the auxiliary gunboat Mayhower
which brought Admiral SIMPSONS official re-
port OF the engagement In Santiago. Before
telling The Tribune's correspondent the story
Of Tobson's exploit, he requested that denial
be made of the repor. that Constructor Hobson
had spoken dIsrespectfully to Admiral Sampson
after he had been ordered back from his FIRST
attempt TO enter the harbor.
when Admiral Sampson felt sure that Ger
vera's fleet was inside the harbor." Commander
Miller said he determined that 1t should not
Ne permitted To escape. Owing to the narrow
ness of the channel and the excellence OF the
Notifications with which the entrance Is de-
Tended it was apparent that We could not enter
to engage the enemy. Likewise. The Admiral
knew that Cervera far too able an officer
to attempt 10 run out and encounter our fleet.
The only thing possible then was to bottle him
up in such q way that he could not escape. and
leave a part Of feet TO in other places
II necessary.
The only feasible plan to sink hulks
across the channel. Not having any hunks
available. the Admiral decided to sacrifice the
Merrlmac and he called upon Assistant Naval
Constructor Richmond p Robson to devise the
plan. Hobson soon arranged all the details. and
submitted them to Admiral Sampson. who gave
them his approval. Word that the Merrimac
was to be run past the forts and sunk spread
through the feet, and instantly there was
general clamor for places In the expedition.
1T is no exaggeration for me 10 say that near
" every enlisted man and every officer In the
fleet volunteered his services. though every man
knew that his chances OF escaping alive were
almost innntesimal.
HOW THE MEN WERE CHOSEN.
For such a pcrilous undertaking 1t was de-
cided not to permit more than bare suihc'ency
of men to go with the fated ship. Announce
ment was made that only Lieutenant Hobson
and seven men would he selected. AZ com
mander of the Merrinec 4, devolved on me to
choose some Of these men on account OF their
knowledge Of the vessel. and I selected Cox
swain Deienan. the best helmsman OF the Mcrr-
mac; Machlnist Phillips and Water Tender
Kailv All If these men knew 10 lie most com
petent. The other four were taken from Var'-
ous vessels IN the feet by the Admiral himself.
originally It was planned TO sink the M''''-
mac on the night OF June .. but later 1t was
de cided 10 do II the following night remained
on the ship until Just before she left her moor
ings at O'Clock on Friday morning Every
thing had been made ready for the exploit Zen
Whitehead torpedoes had been placed apoaru'
and all the freight ports and ventilaiors mad peeh
opened so that no time would be lost IN ac-
compllshing the feat.
when the hour for the start came the Mer-
rimac was started. with all her lights out 'o'
the harbor She made her way rapidly ana
without moiestation until she passed the MOTTO
Then we. on the flagship. cav a flash from
gun The Mcrrmac had been seen by Inc
watchers at the fort. and the gun was signai
TO the other forts. instantly shower OF shot
and shell was directed at the ship as she SPED
along her way.
Every gun In :he harbor de:ences seemed to
he firing at he- for the intervals between the
flashes were 80 short that II seemed TO us That
they were almost continuous. We could not
hear the reports on the flagship 40 we Inferred
that no large guns were used. IL was so DARK
that we could hardly make out the Merrlmac MS
she moved along. but occasionally an extra
bright fash would show her to Finally she
passed entirely out Of sight.
WHERE THE VESSEL LIES.
81 should have said that the spot where she
was 10 be sunk had been previously selected.
The channel ut this point bends toward the
westward and II is there jast 800 feet wide.
when the Merrinac reached that point Lieuten-
ant Hobson ordered her engines stopped and i'm
Inodiately cast anchor. AS the tide swung her
around he let 80 another anchor go that the
vessel lay almost directly athwart the channel
For tho next few minutes the eight men on
the ship had busy time OF H. Presenting that
uobson's plans were carried out they first
opened all the sca-cocis and then the Kingston
and injection valves. which are IL inches In
diameter These alone would have sunk the
ship in n sh )rt time but Lieutenant Hobson's
plan was t. so wreck her that she could not he
raised.
The ten torpedoes were slipped overheard
and down to point about ten feet below the
water-lIne. These torpedoes had been electric
ally connected go that they could he fired from
tn, life raft on which all hands embarked when
the other parts OF the Job had been accom-
pllshcd. The circuit was then completed and the
torpedoes were exploded, tearing out the trans
verse bukheads SO that the vessel be re-
moved from the channel only by the employment,
OF better methods than the Spaniards have avail
able.
when the ship was blown up the life-raft
was put off In effort TO return to the feet
but she captured by several boats from
shore. and all hands were made prisoners. Two
OF them. | learned later. were slightly wounded.
but do not know In what manner.
The passage Of the forts by the Merrimac and
the destruction Of the vessel In the face OF n
furious cannonade is. 1 think. one OF the most
valorous exploits ever performed in any war
None OF the men who volunteered expected to
come out alive. and their escape is almost mlrac-
ulous.
Lieutenant Oviedo Cervera's chief Of staff
called on the Admiral Friday afternoon and ex-
pressed appreciation of the valor manifested by
the American sailors. lie told us that they
would be confined In Moro Castle. and that