Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1909-03-05
FATE Of MERR|MAC
LEFT IN UNCERTAINTY
Boat Still Lies in the iiarbor at
Santiago Where She Was
Sunk by Hobson.
HULK MAY NEVER BE REMOVED
Notable Naval Incident of the War
with Spain Which Now Seems
Almost Forgotten.

1t is doubtful if anyone in the United
States outside Of the few directly con-
nr"tri with the administration or az
fairs in SrnIirgn know what ever be
came of the MrrrimAr. Indeed, many
people will have to think a second time
to rrrollect whether the Mrrrimac re
fcrrCd to was the first of the ironclads
or the collier sunk at Santiago. rms
at the time was one of the most eNcit-
ing Incidents Of the war. The country
rang for days with the exploit OF Lieu
tenant IIohson and his hardy crew or
six men. who ran the collier under the
guns of the Santiago batteries and sank
her with intent to block the channel
and prevent the escape of the Spanish
fleet.
That the purpose vas not quite ef-
fccted was due to the fact that the
rudder of the collier was shot away
just before llobson exploded the tor
ppdoes that were to sink her. She went
down, partly blocking the channel, but
did not obstruct it enough to prevent
Cervera's fleet from coming out to de
~struction on the memorable July 3. But
since that time the Merrimac has been
limos forgotten. AS a matter of fact.
the most of her is still at the bottom
of Santiago entrance, though the Amer
lean authorities, when Santiago was in
their hands. dynamited that part Of her
that overhung the channel and was a
menace to navigation.
The Merrimac was a commercial YES
,1 l-...l4 II: 81 tIo @,,&J.nol-
of the war. It was said that a good
round price was paid for her. If she
had beer the finest sort of a private
yacht and had been the only thing
available she probably would have been
sunk there just the same. AS it was,
the old collier had never been any good.
She had been a .'lamc duck ever since
she had been in the service. When 1t
came to blocking up Santiago she could
be more cheorfully spared than any
thing else. She was stripped Of every
thing movable on her. T~Orpedoes We're
strung around the outside; ten eight
inch ~torpeIoeS were placed against her
bulkhcadS, calculated to open her up
rapidly and effectively when fired.
Attempt 80 Bottle Up Ccrvern.
1t was thought that If the Spanish
fleet could be bottled up in the harbor
it would not only prevent its coming
out and fighting or running, but would
save it intact when the American
forces captured the city. The fact that
IIObsOn was chosen to command the
forlorn hope makes it seem probable
tho idea was his.
Til" Mcrriniac Wcn into the harbor,
followed at Il distance by a steam
launch from the New York. commanded
by Ensign Powell. The mission of the
launch was. if possible; to pick up the
survivors of the Merrimac's crew after
the collier had been sunk. Powell ran
close under the shore batteries and
waited around till daylight, but could
lind nOnc of the vcnturesome crew.
Or the blockading feet it was an
anxious night also. The Merrimac did
not run in tin about , O'Clock, and
then. except for a Pickering fire from
the batteries on shore, there was moth
ing to tell what the outcome of the cx-
plot had been.
1t was found later that the collier
had gotten well into the channel when
her steering gear was shot away by the
shore batteries. Though the tOrpedocs
were fired and the sea valves opened
she driftcd out of the channel before
she could be sunk. Hobson and his
whole crew were picked up unframed
by the Spaniards.
That was the end Of the Merrimac.
h was blown up sufficiently to clear
the channel. and the remainder of her
is still there at the bottom of the har-
Dor entrance. There has been no at
tempt to raise her.