The age-herald., 1898-06-06

York jeered at the Spanish marksmanship and cheered their shipmates.
 At 6:l5 a. m. the launch came alongside the flagship, but she did not have on board any of the crew of the Merrimac Cadet Powell reported that hs had been unable to see any signs of the Merrlmac's crew. It developed that with great bravery the ca- det had gone right under the batteries and only returned without hope of taking on board the crew when the Merrimac had been abandoned. Cadet Powell also re- ported that he had clearly seen the Mer- rimac's masts sticking up just where Hob- son hoped to sink her, north of the Estrada batteries, and well past the guns Morro Castle. But of the heroes who had penned the Spaniards in there was not sound or sign.
 Rear Admiral Sampson said: "I am pretty sure that the attempt was quite successful. hope all those brave fellows are not cap tured."
 EXPLODED AS PLANNED.
 Cadet Powell believes the torpedoes pre- viously fixed about the Merrimac were exploded as planned, as Lieutenant Hob son was we'll up the harbor before the Span- iards opened fire on the Merrimac.
 What actually happened on board the Merrimac can best be judged from what Lieutenant Hobson said just before leaving the flagship. Sitting in his cabin his face Drowned by the sun and his eyes flashing with excitement, he remarked "I shall go right into the harbor until about 400 yards past the Estralla battery, which is behind Morro castle. l don't think they can sink me before I reach somewhere near that point. The Merrimac has seven thousand 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 an- chors, open these connections, touch off the torpedoes and leave the Merrimac a wreck, lying athwart the channel which Is not as broad as the Merrimac is long. There are two eight-inch improvised torpedos be- low the water line on the Merirmac's port side. They are placed on her side against the bulkheads and vital spots connected with each other by wire under the ships keel. Each torpedo contains eghty-two pounds of gunpowder. Each torpedo is also connected with the bridge and these should do their work in a minute and it will be quick work even if done in min ute and quarter.
 On deck there will be four men and my self. In the engine room there will be two other men. This is the total crew and all of us will be in our underclothing with re- volvers and ammunition in water-tight packing strapped around waists For ward there will be a man on deck and
  of the line being made fast to the bridge on which I will stand. By that mans side will be an axe. When I stop the engine I shall jerk this cord and he will thus get the signal to cut the flashing, 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 unsinka- ble In it are rifles It 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 onto starboard. The next to leave the ship are the rest of the crew. The quartermaster at the wheel will not leave until aftr having put it hard aport and dashed it so he will then jump aboard.
 Down below the man at the reversing gear VIII stop the engines, scrambling up on deck and get up the sides as quick as possible. The man in the engine room W Il break open the sea connections with a sle ge hammer and will fo.'ow his leader into the water This last step insures the sinking of the Merrimae whether the to- pedo works CT not
 CANNOT BE RAISED.
 By ths time calculate the six men will be in the dingy and the Merrimac will have swung athwart the channsl 10 the full length of her 3O) yards of cable. wh oh will lave been plaid out fore the anchors were cut loose Tehn all that l. left for me is to touch the button. I s all and on the starboard side of the bridge. The e plo ion will throw the M 1rmae on her s board side. Notlins on tn sd4 of New York city will he able to raise her after that"
 And y u exp ct to cone cut of this aalive?" ask d d c mpanion of the ieuten- at.
 An that's ano her thing said the lieutenant. He was so interested in the me- oh 4nical deta Is of the sch me tat he scarcely stop ed to talk of lie and death.
 But in reply to frequent qu ss tioas Ho1- son sa d: "1 su. pose Ue EstrI attery wi fire down on us a tit. b~t tae S ips will throw their searchllghts in the gum ners faces and they won't much of us. Then if we are tofpedoed, we shoald en then be able to make the desired positi n in the cham l. It won't b. so asy t. hit us and l think the men should be able to swim to the dingy. I may jump Def re am blown up. But l don't see that it n a es mu diIereace what l do. l have a fair chance of life either way. If cur dingy gets shot to pieces we shall then try to swim for the seai light LII der Moro Caste G. We st all k CD together a all az ards. Then we may be able to axe our way alon S sde an1 erh ps gel b lok to t snip. We shall fight the sen.fie or squad until the last and We shall only surreid to oysiwh Inn ng numbers d our slir>n- der will only-take place as last and as a most unoo te1 plated emergency
 Lieutenant Hobsan might have been iec- turing to a class of cadets on the theory or how to build ships, so deliberate was his manner. He was lately at Annapolis Tn