Evening star., 1937-03-17
HObSON IS DEAD;
HERO OF SANTIAGO
Heart Disease Fatal to Navy
Man Who Won PIaudits
of World in '98.
BY the Associated Press.

/
BY the Associated Press.
NEW YORK, March l6-Rear Ad-
miral Richmond P. Hobson, the Span
American War hero who bottled
up the enemy's fleet in Santiago Har-
Dor, died suddenly yesterday of heart
disease He was 66.
The retired naval officer, who had
devoted his energies in latter years to
an unremitting war against the use
Of narcotics, was stricken as he pre-
pared to leave his Lexington avenue
home for his office.
Burial will be in Arlington National
Cemetery tomorrow afternoon after
| funeral services in the chapel there.
Hobson's chief exploit in the Span
ish-American War, the sinking of the
collier Merrimac in an effort to bottle
up the Spanish feet in Santiago Har-
Dor, Cuba, won him the Congressional
Medal of Honor and place among the
Nations naval heroes. With crew OF
| seven volunteers he ran the collier to
the harbor entrance under the oncen-
trated fire of the Spanish guns and
! sunk her.
Became National Hero.
| This feat immediately made him 4
national hero, topic for schoolboy
hero lovers for many years, but the
| action Of Congress in voting him the
Nations highest award did not come
until 35 years later. Presentation OF
the medal was made April 29, 1888, by
President Roosevelt
Hobson and his men, on June 3,
1898, entered the fortified harbor of
Santiago. The collier was to be sunk
in the narrow entrance, thus obstruct-
ing it and preventing the ~scape o. the
Spaniards.
The Merrimac steamed into the mar
row channel under Spanish gunnre.
Soon her rudder was shot away, max
ins it impossible to swing the vessel
around and sink her directly ac oss the
harbor entrance, as had been planned.
Explosives Roar Around.
Under heavy fire from the Spanish
ships and shore batteries, she con-
tinued her course up the channel. All
| about her, mines and torpedoes ex-
ploded. There seemed little hope, but
Hobson was determined to carry out
the project. A raft had been brought
along to carry the men back to the
flagship. He ordered it launched,
fired the explosives which were to sink
the Merrimac and jumped aboard the
raft with the crew as she sank
strong tide prevented their reach
ing the channel. For more than an
hour the men hung on the frail craft,
then an enemy boat picked them up
and took them prisoners.
They were confined four days in
MORO Castle, later transferred to a
| vessel used by the spaniards as hos
pital ship and on July were returned
to their own lines through an exchange
Of prisoners effected by Col John
| Jacob Astor OF the American general
stan. They were exchanged for a
Spanish lieutenant and II enlisted
| men.
All over the world went the news
| OF the heroic effort. Navy men praise
1t as one OF the most signal instances
OF courage in naval history.
Cervera Praised Bravery.
Admiral Cervera, in command Of
the Spanish feet in the harbor, dis
patched one Of his aides, after Hob
son and his crew were taken prisoner,
to give assurance OF their safety and
to praise their bravery.
Hobson received an ovation when
he returned to the United States. In
1899 President Mckinley gave him
the hero of the Merrimac," "the man
who bottled up the Spanish feet in
Santiago Harbor"-one of the greatest
promotions as a recognition of gall
lantry in the history Of the naval
| service.
His promotion, 'for extraordinary
heroism," placed him above all the
Lieutenant commanders and nearly at
the top Of the commanders' list. At
| that time Hobson was 20.
Admiral Hobson was born in Greens-
boro, Ala, the son OF James and Sarah
Hobson, and was descendant Of the
Admiral Hobson who planted tho
British nag In New Zealand In the
seventeenth century. He studied in
private schools, at Southern Univer-
sity and the United States Naval
| Academy.
He resigned from the Navy in 1908,
and went into politics. He was a mem
ber Of Congress from 1907 to 1915.
He was the first to introduce in Con-
gress and advocate a prohibition
amendment to the Constitution. He
believed prohibition should be world
wide.
He believed America should lead
an international movement for world
peace.
Fought Drug Evil.
In recent years, Admiral Hobson
devoted much of his time to organiza-
tons he founded TO stamp out mar
cotics. He organized the Interna-
tional Narcotic Education Association,
| the World Conference on Narcotic Ed
ucation and the World Narcotic De-
Tense Association.
He wrote many books IN addition
TO lecturing and taking an active part
In many movements.
He is survived by his widow and
three children, Richmond p, IT,:
! Lucia and George.