The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-06-06
HEROIC VENTURE OF HoBSoN.
Continued from First Page.


Continued from First Page
as they passed the collier, before shutdown,
cheered her with The same spirit that the
British men-of-war s-unen cheered the
American sailors heroiSm at Samoa.
Lieut.. Hobson paid brief visit TO lhe
flagship shortly before midnight ana then
returned to the Merrimac on board IF
which craft he had been ell day.
AS he started down the sea ladder theirs
were many hands stretched out to grasp
his hand and many quiet-sDoken earnest
wishes for his success. and IL was thought
then that Hobson would take the Merri-
mac an early yesterday morning.
At 8 o'clock the Admiral and Flag fieut.
StauntOu got Into the launch 10 make an
inspection OF the Merrimac The working
gangs We're still on board of her and on
board the New York the officers of the
flagship stood on the quarter deck their
slas-ts focused on the big, black hun that
was to form an impossible obstacle for
Spains hes, ships.
The inmates slipped by, and the crews
mad not completed their work on the MeT-
rimac. But at last a boat-load of men,
black and tired out, came over to the dag
ship.
Last of ALL at 4:SO. 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"
Surely enough the seemingly deserted
collier was seen heading straight for
MORO Castle.
The torpedo boat Porter was lying near
the flagship. and, at the adtnirals order,
Lieut.. stanton snatched up the maya
phone and hailed the Porter, saying:
ttPOrfpr tbarpf Tell the MarVfD1ap m re-
turn Immediately"
Smoke quickly poured from the Porter's
smokestacks, and the dark little craft dart
ed toward the shore.
By that time darkness had quite 1Isap-
peared and quickly as the fast torpedo
boat tore through the water, il seemed a.
she would never head off the Merrimac.
AT last, when within range of the guns
of the Spaniards, the Porter crossed the
Mernmac's bows, and a sigh of relief went
up from the eager watchers, for they
thought it sure death for Hobson to vent
ure ia at that hour.
Some time after o'clock the Porter
came tearing back and the Merrimac, 10
every ones surprise, kept her position.
Admiral Sampson, Capt Chadwick and
Lieut.. Staunton could not understand I'M
til Lieut.. Fremont from the deck of the
torpedo boat, shouted: Lieut.. Hobson
asks permission 10 continue on his course.
He thinks she can make it."
But, in stern tones the admiral sent
Lieut.. Hobson a message 10 the effect that
the Merrimac must return at once, and, in
due course of time the doomed collier slow
ly steamed back her commander evidently
disappointed with the order received from
the admiral through the commander of the
Porter, Lieut.. Hobson's figure standing out
vividly on the lonely bridge of the Merri-
mac.
During the day Lieut.. Hobson went
aboard the flagship. His once white duck
trousers were as black as a coal heavens,
his old fatigue coat was unbuttoned, and
his begrimmed face deeped furrowed by
tense drawn lines, but resolution still
shOne in his eyes. So absorbed was he in
the task ahead of him that, unmindful of
his appearance and of all ceremony and ma
val etiquette, he told the admiral i'm a tone
of command that he must not again be in
terfered with.
ST can carry this thing through" said
he, but there must be no more recalls.
My men have been keyed up for twenty
four hours and under atremendous strain.
Iron will break at Fast.
Such was The indomitable will and cour-
age with which he faced death and glory.
when Lieut. Hobson left the ship and
the extended hands of his shipmates, more
than one of the latter turned hastily to
hide the unbidden tear But the lieuten-
ant waved them adieu with a smile on his
handsome face. OH .r..
All day yesterday the collier lay near the
flagship and more elaborate preparations
were made to carry out the mission of the
Merrimac successfully.
During these preparations, Lieut.. Hob
son was tireless, cool and confident super
vising personally every httle detail.
When finally Lieut.. Hobson went on
board the Merrimac last night he had
been without sleep since Wednesday, His
uniform was begrimed, his hands were
black. and he looked like a man who had
been hard at work in and about an engine
room for a long time
AS he said goodbye, the lieutenant re-
marked that his only regret was that all
OF the New YorE's volunteers could not
so with him.
Rear Admiral Sampson, speaking Of the
expedition, said: Il think he will have
fair chance to get out Yes, it is plucky,
Very plucky."
When the Merrmac started yesterday
morning on the trip she had on
board of her two men who had
no right to be there. They were Assist
ant Engineer Crank of the Merrimac and
Boatswain Mullin of the New York who
had been working on the collier all day
These two men refused to leave the Ship
and as their disobediepce was of the ma
ture which produced. Cushings and Farra-
CUTS for the American navy, IL was not
officially recognized.
The spirit shown by the men and officers
of the fleet in connection with che Merri-
mac expedition is really grand, and be-
yond being merely expressed in words
Under these circums tances one can i'm
agine the immense feeling of satisfaction
experienced when 1t became known that
Lieut. Hobson and che crew of the Merri-
mac were safe.
Later in the day boat with white Gag
put out from the harbor, and Capt IViedo,
the chief of staff of Admiral Cervera,
boarded the New York and informed the
admiral that the whole of the party lad
been captured. and that only two Of the
heroes had been injured Lieut.. Hobson
had not been injured.
1t appears that the Spanish admiral
was so struck with the courage of The
Merrimac's crew that he decided to inform
Admiral Sampson that they had not lost
their lives, but were prisoners of war and
could be exchanged.
The dingy portion of the programme does
not appear to have been carried out,
which leads 70 the belief that she may
have been smashed by shot, for il seems
Lieut.. Hobson and his men drifted ashore
on an old catamaran, which had been
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