The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1900-09-29
HOBSON KNOCKS DEWEY
SAYS SPANISH SHIPS LITTLE
INJURED.
Dewey Points Out That Hobson is Tell
ing Nothing New-That He Reported
the Same Things.

VANCOUVER, (B. c., September ~.
Lieutenant Hobson of Merrimac fame
arrived from the Philippines by the
steamship Empress of india today,
where he has been inspecting the re-
construction of the Spanish war ships
sunk at Manila bay. Lieutenant Hob
son was met by a large crowd eager co
get a glimpse of the young American
hero. lie was introduced to largo
number of American citizens here, and
talked freely to all those who desired to
interview him.
To number of newspaper reporters
whom he arranged to see together, he
expressed himself as willing to answer
any reasonable questions. Asked as to
the conditions of the hulls of the Isla
de Cuba, the Isla de Luzon and the rest
of the Spanish craft that went down in
the fight of Manila bay, Lieutenant
Hobson stated that the damage TO the
hulls was mainly the result of six
months submergment in the water. The
upper works had been badly damaged
by fire, and the woodwork had been des-
troyed, while the iron was twisted into
every conceivable shape by the action
of the heat Lieutenant Hobson was
then asked what, in his opinion, was
the direct cause of the laundering of the
ships. Lieutenant Hobson replied:
"Why, the Spaniards pulled out the
plugs and opened valves. They sank
the ships themselves. Our shell fire did
very little damage"
Then they were not injured? Not i'm
| jured below the water line?" was ask
ed.
| Lieutenant Hobson replied: Very
little. We had practically done them no
damage at ALL"
Lieutenant Hobson left today for
Brooklyn, where he will report to the
/ n fIan ell frY. Of
absence, If he gets this he will go to
his home in Alabama. When in Van
couver he made a very good impression
| by his manly appearance and modest
| demeanor. He was as eager as a school
boy to enjoy himself, and drove alb rat
the city and went to the theater, saying
that 1t was the first time he had felt
free for three years.
! OAKDALE, q. -, September 90
Admiral Dewey is guest at the home
here of his brother-in-law, Admiral Nj
coll Ludlow. He was seen there this
afternoon regarding the interview with
Lieutenant Hobson, published this
morning. Admiral Dewey did not APP
pear disturbed by Hobson's remarks,
and said:
II hardly think the young man meant
to say anything unkind. The facts are
! briefly as follows: These three vessels to
which he refers-the Isla de Cuba, Is!a
! de LuZon and the Don Juan de Austria
were found to be the least injured Of
all the ten or twelve ships that were
sunk. Nevertheless. constructor Capps
a very able man. was with me, and with
the aid of his divers and experts from
| Hong Kong made an examination, ard
decided that these We're worth saving.
They were raised and temporary repairs
were made. The vessels proceeded un-
| der their own steam to Hong Kong and
had been there for some time, under
going repairs, before Hobson ever saw
| them.
"As a matter of fact, 1 never claimed
! that sunk the ships. / reported that
we destroyed them; but I did see with
I my own eyes an eight-inch shell strike
the stern of the Reina Maria Christina.
Admiral Montijo's flagship, and that
| destroyed her.
THE statement that the vessels were
not much injured below the water line
is probably true. Every, one knows that
| it is impossible for shells to do much
execution below the water line, or for
any thing but torpedoes to do much da-
mage.
II hardly thing it worth your while to
pay much attention to this" continued
the Admiral. You know it is human
nature to depreciate what others have
done"