Pike County Democrat, Volume 29, Number 5, Petersburg, Pike County, 10 June 1898 — Page 2

3hc §? ikt bounty Bcwocrat ILHeC. STOOPS. Editor and Proprietor. PETERSBURG. : : INDIANA. It was reported, on the 31st, that the departure of Admiral Camara's fleet from Cadiz had been delayed by defects discovered in the torpedo boats. Sshor J. F. Di Assis Bbasil, Brazilian minister to the United States, arrived at New York, on the 31st, on the Kaiser Wilhelm de Grosse from Breman and Southampton. An other bombardment of the batteries defending the approach to Santiago bay occurred on the 3d The American collier Merrimac entered the bay and was sunk by a torpedo and several of her crew captured.

A letter received in London fron Paris, on the 3d, said: ‘‘Considerable quantities‘of large and small ammunition are traversing the Pyrenees from France into Spain, and there is no attempt to stop the traffic. John Anderson, the elephant keeper with Wallace Bros.’ circus, was killed at Racine, Wi&, on the 3d, by one ol the elephants that became ugly. The animal broke away and chased the whole police force and an excited crowd of citizens. Brio.-Gen. Francis V. Greene, recently commissioned to go with Gen. Wesley Merritt to the Philippine islands, passed through Chicago, on the 1st, en route to ban Francisco. Gen. Greene is a graduate of West Point, class of 1873. It has been determined that the Thomas orchestra concerts at the Transmississippi exposition at Omaha. Neb., will be free. This is a most notable concession on the part of the Thomas people—a thing which was denied at Chicago. Thirty-nine Spanish prisoners captured on the Spanish steamship Rita, off Porto Rico, on May 8, arrived in New York city, on the 3d, on the Clyde line steamship Seminole. They were turned over to the Austrian consul for shipment back to Spain. The steamship Moana arrived at San Francisco, on the 1st, from Austral ian ports, via Honolulu. At the -latter 1 place everything was in readiness forc the reception of the troopson their way to Manila, the most elaborate prepara tious having been made. It wasdefinitely announced in Pekin, on the 31st, that Prince Koung, president of the tsuug-li-yainen (Chinese foreign office), was dead, and that the emperor had issued a proclamation ordering the Chinese court to go into mourning for a stated period. Tue English newspaper correspondents. Messrs. Whigham and Robinson, recently captured ou Cuban soil, after having been landed on the coast from a yaeht, were released from custody, on the 3d, owing to the representations made in their behalf by Mr. Alexander Uollan, the British consul. Lieut. Andrew S. Rowan, Nineteenth United States infantry, who recently returned from a successful mission to the iuterior of Cuba, where he met and conferred with Gen. Gomez, has been nominated by the president as lieutenant-colonel of the Sixth United States volunteer infantry.

Two Rumiax officers, accompanied by a member of the Russian legation in Washington, were at the war ami navy departments, on the 31st, to obtain permission to observe the opera* lions of the war. They were Col. VermololT and Lieut. £eienoy. They were granted the permission desired. Skn'atok Ukak. from the committed mi Pacific railroads, on the 2d. made a favorable report on the amendment to the deficiency appropriation bill, authorising the apppiutmeut of a commission to settle the indebtedness of the government, growing out of the issue of bonds in aid of the Pacific railroads. It ia reported that the agents of the Spanish government are buying cattle sad grain in Mexico, hoping to smuggle them out of the country in tramp steamers,wnich will attempt to run the blockade. The matter will be looked into by the Mexican government, which is determined to maintain a strict neutrality. Jouth Cistkluxm and Frank Miller, who are believed to be spies, were taken to Atlanta, Gs, on the 3d, from Tampa, Fla. Castellanos is a Spaniard, and had traveled all along the Atiautie coast. Miller is said to be an Rnglishanan. No papers were found on the®. The two men were locked op in the military prison at Fort McPherson. Tbs St. James liaxette says it learns that a proposal made in influential circles and backed by the liberal leaders is afoot, with the object of conferring ' a title on the widow of the late W in. £. Gladstone. It is suggested that Mrs. Gladstone be created coon less of Liverpool, and another member of the family be created Viscount liawarden. Ohpcks for the military invasion o Cuba were issued by Secretary Al gor on the 30th, and immediately all was bustle and hurry at Tampa, Fla. Mobile. Ala., and other camps on the coast Though the government; was reticent with regard to the movement. It is known that it will be in force with probably several objective points. ▲ dispatch from Port-au-Prince, Hayti. on the evening of the 31st, stated that 14 American warships bomluurded the fortifications defending the bar hot of Santiago de Cuba for nearly twe hours, during the afternoon, inflicting oerious damage. The reports come through Spanish sources, so the merit* of the bombardment can not yet hi told.

CURRENT TOPICS. THE HEWS IN BBIEF. FIFTY-FIFTH CONGRESS. U( the senate, on the 31st. the entire day's Session was consumed in speech-making, in which several senators took pare No progress whatever was made with the war revenue bill. which was under consideration..la the house several private bills were passed, as was a bill authorizing the construction of a bridge across Lake Francis, near Lake City. Ark., and a joint resolution directing the codifying and submission of a code of civil law and procedure for Alaska. S' Is the senate, on the 1st. marShl progress was made toward the final disposition of the war revenue measure. The Gorman amendment, levying a tax of one-quarter of one per cent, on the gross receipts of corporations, was offered in two or three modified forms and defeated until it was made to read “upon all cor. porations engaged In the refining of sugar or petroleum." when it was passed—33 to 36.. Iu the house the feature of the session was a bill to permit Oeh. Joe Wheeler to serve as major-general of volunteers without resigning from the house. The Mil was passed unanimously. la the senate, on the 3d. the war revenue measure, so tar as the finance committee was concerned, was completed, with the exception of the bond provision and the amendments pro- ' posed by the democrats in lieu of the bond paragraph, and Senator Allison announced tha. he would ask the senate to remain in session. on the 31. until a vote was reached.In the house the urgency deficiency bill, providing for emergency expenses of the army and navy departments, incident to the war, was passed without debate, It carried items contemplated In the Pailippine expedition and the early movements upon Cuba. Is the senate, on the 3d, an amendmeut to the war revenue measure directing the secretary of the treasury to coin the silver bullion in the treasury and to issue silver certificates against it was agreed to—ft* to Si. The bond a uendment was also incorporated in the bill as a substitute lor the amendment to issue legal tender notes, the vote being 45 to 31..-la the house, during a short day session. ■»# private pension and relief bills were passed. An eveulng session was held, devoted to bills granting pensions and correcting military recoKis, more than 6U of which were acted upon, one of th.-tn grantin g a pension to Nancy Burger, of Pennsylvania, aged lUi. widow of a soldier of the war of 1913. • PERSONAL AND GENERAL. The cook of the limited States aux- . iliary gmuboat Hawk, amative of Msj nilA; who deserted his post recently,was j arrested ashore at Key West, Fla , J on the 30th. Tuk Spanish bark Marla Dolores, of I Bilbao, was overhauled by one of the ■ American cruisers, six miles off Porto j Rico. She was bound from Rio Janeiro I to San Juau de Porto Rico with coat Frederick Hall, a crate maker, livj ing at Burslem. the principal town in the district called "The Potteries" in Staffordshire, England, while insane, | murdered his wife and five children [ with a billhook and then committed | suicide by cutting his throat. I Potter Palmer, of Chicago, arrived | at New York, on the 31st, from Europe. George West, alias Charles Rivers, I has sawed out of jail at South Bend, j Ind., and escaped. West was con j victed of robbing the Sonth Bend naj tional bank of $15,600.

Mrs. L Z. Letter, of Chicago, has ! presented the Chickamauga Park hotel, I at Crawfish Springs, to the United ! States soldiers. The building will be used as a hospital, and will accommodate 700 patients. The purchase price is 510.U00. | Intimations are given in Washing* j ton that the present military rnove- | incut will be directed against Porto | Rico as well as eastern Cuba Among the reecnlt nominations by the president was Hirst Lieut. Andrew I S. Rowan. Nineteenth United States in- ! fan try, to be lieutenant colonel of the | Sixth volunteer infantry. This promo* j tion was in ibcoguitiion of Lieut. Rowi an's daring visit to Cuba, and was made 1 at the instance of lien. Miles. The British government has purchased .in the * United Slates for delivj erv at Kingston. Jamaica, 130.000 bar- ! rels of flour for the army and navy stores The order was placed with the Consolidated Milling Co., of Minneapolis. The transaction is significant as showing British preparations for an emergency. The press censorship at Tampa. Fla., and at Key West is daily growing more rigid. Nothing but minor camp gossip is permitted to be sent out either by mail or wire. The government is determined that the movements of army and fleet shall not be given too wide publicity. A special from Washington says the Mouadnock, the Pacific coast-defense vessel, has been ordered to Honolulu. This is ssid to be a preliminary step, taken at the president's direction, toward what may be the taking possession of the Hawaiian islands. Samckl Plimsoll, known as “The Sailor's Friend,” originator of the famous “PlimaoH mark.” to prevent the overloading of ships, is said to be dying at Folk stone, England. In Madrid tbe condition of the Bank of Spain is considered as more serious than any reverse of the war. If it can not help the government the w ir can not be continued. Secretary Alger, in a letter to congress, on the 1st, said that 1VW0 or 30.000 troops would go to Cuba a l once, and be followed as soon as possible by 50.000 more. The war department is massing rations for 30 days for the troops that are assembling at Jacksonville, Fla., under command of May-Hen. Lee. Use. Nelson A. Miles, cccompanie 1 by bis family, staff and a force of slarka. arrived at Tampa. Fla., on the latL from Washington.

A decree has been publisheo it* Franc© provisionally extending the benefits of the minimum tariff to various American products. The statementof the condition of the treasury issued on* the 1st showed: Available cash balance, $195,754,815. gold reserve. $171,818,054. Thomas K*kxk, the «ctor, died in New York on the 1st. The Transmississippi and International exposition at Omaha, Neb., was I formally opened on the 1st. Rev. Dr. I Niccolla, of St. Louis, delivered the invocation, and President McK'nley, at | Washington, touched the button that started the wheels of the machinery. ! Fully 100,000 persons were present at the opening.

The Spaniards in Havana are revel- | ing in the delusion that Americans are | starving in the big cities, where soup j houses have been established to relieve the popular^ distress; that Boston has been bombarded and the inhabitants driven into the interior, and that New York is to be next attacked by Spain’s victorious fleet. The monthly statement of the public debt shows that at the close of business, May 31,189$, the public debt, less cash in the treasury, amounted tc $1,037,773,760. an increase over last month of $19,341,106. This increase is due to expenditures on account oi the war. It is reported at Key West that Capt. Sigsbee, with the St. Paul, has cap tured the big Spanish troopship Alfonso XI11. with 1,300 soldiers and a large amount of stores on board, after an ex citing chase. The value of the prize including head money, is estimated a+ over $600,000. A New York World's Port-au-Prince special, on the 2d, reported that the American fleet had again attacked Santiago, and that 3,000 insurgents were attacking the city on the land side. The British tramp steamer Bengal, of Glasgow, was sighted off the Florida Keys ou the 1st. As she did not hoist her colors when signalled, she was hove to by a shot. The United States cruiser San Francisco arrived at Boston, on the 2d, with ten of her seamen ill. The men were transferred to the naval hospital at Chelsea. The statement of the condition of | the treasury, issued on the 2d. showed: i Available cash balance, $195,274,096; I gold reserve. $171,623,552. I The most territie wind storm in the j history of Aberdeen, S. D., struck that place, on the 3d, about 1 a. ui. Many ! windows aud minor buildings were | wrecked, and the Wisconsin house was unroofed and the Northwestern rail* ; road coal sheds totally demolished. Great damage was done, also, in the surrounding country. A terrific downpour of rain occurred between St. Cloud and Hinckley, Minn., on the Great Northern railroad, on the 3d. A piece of track 9t feet long aud five deep was washed away; a bridge three miles east ol Hinckley and a smaller one a mile west were washed out, and there was great damage to the roadbed in numerous places. A skxsation was created in official circles in St. Petersburg, ou the 3d, by the news of an unexpected attack by 1,000 natives on a Russian post garrisoned by 300 infantry, at the town of Andijan, province of Ferghana, Turkestan. It is said that 20 of the soldiers were killed and 18 wounded. Mr Frederick Adam, first secretary of the British embassy in Washington, accompanied by Mrs. Adam, sailed for London, on the 3d, where he will bs absent for two months on leave.

LATE NEWS ITEMS' lx the senate, on the i*h, after eight hours of deliberation, during which wore than a score of amendments were offered, but two or three of which were adopted, the war revenue measure was passed—38 to 33... .In the house but a short session was held, and the only measure of general interest adopted was senate bill to protect homesteaders who may enlist and serve in the forces of the United States. The Northern Pacific liner Victoria, from China and Japan, arrived at Tacoma, Wash., on the 5th, bringing news that the spirit of rebellion and riot pervades many parts of the orieut. Five thousaud robbers are assembled in one band in th§ mountains of Loyange, Kinchou district, near Canton. They commit crimes of every description, plundering, robbing and killing as their fancy dictates. The United States gunboat Marietta arrived at Key West, Fla, on the 4th, from San Francisco, which port she left on March 16. The trip was uneventful, and there was not even a case of sickness aboard. Much of the voyage was made in company with the ! battleship Oregon, and the first question of the Marietta's officers on arrival was as to the Oregon's whereabouts. WhkX Rear-Admiral Sampson called for volunteers to go to almost certain death in the expedition to sink the collier Merrimac in the neck of Cervera's bottle at Santiago, 4,600 men responded. Eight were chosen, and they did the work well nnder a perfect torrent of shot and shell from the Spanish forts and land batteries. The statement of the associated banks of New York city for the week ended on the 4th showed the following changes: Surplus reserve, lecrease, Sl.454.yU0; loans, increase, $11.1*80.000; specie, increase, $1,640,UW; legal tenders, increase, $358,300; deposits, increase, $13,413,300; circulation,decrease, $5,500. - A racxAGE was received at the New York city post office, on the 4th, addressed to Mayor Van Wycls. The package happened to break and a dynamite cartridge four inches long was exposed. A fuse was attached to one end of the cartridge. . Thk navy department received a cablegram, on the 5th, announcing the death at Kobe, Japan, qn the 4 in. of Capt. Chas. V. Gridley, or the cruiser Olympia, Admiral Dewey’s flagship. It is rumored that President denreaux of ban Domingo has been assassinated.

H00S1ER HAPPENINGS Told in Brief by Dispatches from Various Localities. tVunt to Raise Com pa ales. Indianapolis, Ind„ June 4.—The pressure upon the "overnor to accept companies continues. Nothing very definite comes from the war department, but Indiana will be permitted to furnish under the second call, in addition to 1,324 recruits for the existing requirements, one regiment of infantry of 1,272 men, exclusive of officers, and in addition to these men one battalion of colored men for the immune service. Gov. Mount says the following counties will be drawn upon to furnish a company each under the new call: Third district—Clark. Harrison, Fourth district—Jefferson. Bartholomew. Dearborn. 9txth district—Wayne. Henry. Shelby, Rush. Tenth district—Lake, Porter. L&porte. The towns that will In all probability be selected to furnish companies are: Jeffersonville, Corydon. Madison. Columbus, Lawrenceburg. Richmond. Newcastle. Shelbjrville, Rushville. Valparaiso. Laporte or Michigan City and Hammond oi Crown Point. _

Sew Steel Plant. East Chicago, Ind., June 4.—A new i iteel plant is <to be built here by H. C. Frick, of the Carnegie Steel company, of Pittsburgh, and several prominent eastern capitalists. The concert:, when completed, will employ 2.000 men. Three hundred acres of land have been bought on the shore of Lake Michigan and bordering on the waterway leading from the Calumet river to the lake for the site of the mills. The property was bought from the Lake Michigan Land company and the Cajumet Canal and Improvement company, and title has has been given to Samuel II. Waddell, of Pittsburgh, the deeds being placed on record at Crown Point. Object to White 0«eer«» Indianapolis, Ind., June 4.—There is a | hitch in the plans for forming a battalion of colored immunes in this state. The governor received a telegram from Washington announcing that company captains and the uattalion major wert to be white men. The colored men say they will not volunteer unless they are permitted officers of their own race The call for 1.272 men needed to fortr a new regiment under the second call will be issued as soon as the governot receives official information from Washington that the regiment is wanted. Church KtIsiilo*»•»*■>' Soetetle*. South Bend. lire.. June 4.—Prepara tions are being uu de for the sixteent! annual convention of the Christian ot Disciple Church Missionary societies oi Indiana in this city June 14. Delegates from all parts of the stateare expected Among those whe a: ill take part in the programme are Rev. E. B. Scotield. ol Columbus, state president ; F. M. Raines of Cincinnati, secretary of foreign missions; C. If. Smith, ;>f Cincinnati, home missions secretary, and Jabez llall dean of the Butler fjible college. A \cv» Cut-Off. f'l Wabash, Ind.. June 4.—TheCCrouei Construction company has placed a steam shovel at work on the new cut-of? which the Big Four is building to meet the new bridge across the Wabash river now in course of construction here. A third of a mile of heavy filling is being done, and a cut of nearly half a mile, varying in depth from ten to thirty feet, will be made. UIk Fire at St. John. Crown Point. Ind.. June 4.—Tht greatest part of 5?t. John, this county, has been entirely destroyed by fire. A Hour mil! owned by G. F. Gerlach & Co., Including a half dozen storage warehouses, tous of flour and grain, was consumed. The loss will be in the neighborhood of $40,000 to the milling tompany. No insurance was carried.

Haras l p HI* Money. Warsaw. Ind.. June 4.—The numerous recent robberies in Cioshen have served to alram the people of that place, and Mrs. J. W. Bent* placed $117 in an emptv stove for safe keeping. Mr. Bentz came home and thought to take the chill off the room by a fire. The family is now $117 poorer. Many Fire* Sear Laporte. Laporte, Ind., June 4.--Incendiaries are causing a reign of terror in Cass township, this county. Within the last two days several barns and one resi* denee have been totally destroyed. Tramps have been numerous in the locality for several days. PopallatM to Meet. Valparaiso, Ind., June 4.—The populist party of the Tenth district has issued a call for its congressional convention to be held at Keusselaer. June 18. This is the same date on which the democratic contention will be he’d. An effort is being made to fuse. Killed at a Croaaiajt. Butler, Ind., June 4.—Ray Chappel and sen were killed at a grade crossing at Hamilton by a Wabash passenger train. Mrs. Chappel was terribly mangled. Counterfeiter Pardoned. Kokomo. Ind.. June4.—Edward Hammerback. serving a term for counter* feiting. was pardoned by President McKinley. Fanned Away. Auburn. Ind., June 4.—William McIntyre. former auditor of Dekalb coon* ty. died here. He was 71 years of age. Chareli Raraed. Washington. Ind., June 4.—The new Methodist church at Sandborn was destroyed by fire. kssllih Xewapaper Men Releaned. Havana, June 4.—The English newspaper correspondents, Messrs. Whigham and Robinson,recently captured on Cuban soil, after having been landed on the coast from a yacht, have been released from custody.owing to representations made in their behalf by Mr. Alexander Collin* British consul here.

Daring Adventure of a Devoted Band of American Patriots in Santiago de Cuba Bay. BAN TWO MILES UNDER SPANISH FIRE.

Effectually Corked Up Cerrerm'e Bottle by Blowing Up Tbelr Own Vessel, end Then Boldly Rowed to the Spanish Flagship and Surrendered—Their Bravery Honored by the Enemy. Off Santiago dk Cuba, June 3,7 a. to., via Fort Antonio, Jamaica, June A —(Delayed in transmission.). The following is a detailed story of the act of heroism performed by Lieut. Richmond P. Hobson'and his seven comp uions in sinking the collier Merrimac across the channel leading into the harbor of Santiago de Cuba: Tne Spanish fleet is now helpless, being held captire in Santiago de Cuba harbor. The narrow channel leading into the harbor was completelyblocked early this morning when the United States collier Merrimac was sunk across its entrance. It is now impossible for the Spaniards to get out, and it is equally impossible for any vessel to get into the harbor. ] Therefore, the Spanish first-class armored cruisers Maria Teresa, Cristobal Colon. Vizcaya and Almirante Oqueudo, with the two torpedo boat destroyers Furor and Pluton, are no longer of any .use to Spaiu. This result was accomplished through the heroism of Lieut. Richard P. Hobson. assistant naval constructor, a^d Damp l Montague, George Charette, J, C. Murphy, Oscar Deignau, John P. Philips, John Kelly and H. Clausen. The latter, a coxswain of the New York, took part in the expedition against orders. They were all captured by ihe Spaniards, bat the Spanish admiral, in recognition of their bravery, sent word to the American admiral. under a flag of trace, that he was willing to exchange the prisoners, and assuring the American commander that they would bo treated with the greatest kindness. Money and provisions have been sent to them, and the necessary steps are being taken to bring about their exchange. Montague is ehief master-at-arms of the New York. He has served four years in the navy, is 29 years of age and his home is in Hrooklyn. George Charette is a gunner's mate of the first elass on board the New York. He lias served 14 vears in the i navy, is 31 years old and resides at Lowell, Mass. J. C. Murphy is a coxswain of the Iowa. Oscar Dcignan is a coxswain of the Merrimac, and is about 24 years old. John P. Phillips is a machinist of the first class, belonging to the Merrimac. He is 30 years of age, and his home is in Boston. John Kelly is a water tender, about 35 years. His home is near Glasgow, Scotland. II.,Clausen, who slipped on board the Merrimac without permission, in order to take part in the expedition, is a coxswain of the New York. Lieut. Richmond Pearson Hobson, assistant naval constructor, was born at Greensboro, Ala., on August 17, 1870, was appointed, after a competitive examination, to the naval academy in May. 1883. He was the youngest member of his class, but graduated at the head of his eighteen companions. He has studied engineering, under the auspices of the United States government, iu France and was made assistant naval constructor in 1391. He is the author of a semi-political work entitled "The Situation amt Outlook in Europe," and was assigned to the flagship New York when Rear Admiral Sampsou sailed for the West Indies.

Ltieui. uoosou is a nepnew oi uonn M. Morehead, of North Carolina, and is a grandson of Chief-Justice Pearson of that state, lie is unmarried, and his father, Judge James M. Hobson, lives at Greensboro, Ala. The three men from the Merrimac's crew were all green hands and shipped recently for the war. The Merrimac had on board <100 tons of coal when she was scuttled across the channel. Lieut. Hobson started on his daring errand at three o'clock in the morning. The Merrimac was lying to the westward. Under cover of the clouds over the moon she stole innowaM the coast, and made her way to the eastward, followed by a steam launch from the New York, with the following crew on board: Naval Cadet J. W. Powell, of Oswego, N. Y.; P. K. Peterson, coxswain; H. Handford, apprentice of the first class; J. Mailings, coal passer; O. L. Bussell, machinist of the second class. In the launch were bandages and appliances for the wounded. From the crowded decks of the New York nothing could be seen of the Merrimac after she had got under the shadow of the hills. For half an hour officers and men strained their eyes peering into the gloom, when, suddenly, the flash of a gun streamed out from Monro eastle, and then all on board the New York knew the Merrimac was neariug her end. The guns from the Spanish battery opposite Mono castle answered quickly with more flashes and for about 30 minutes flashes of fire seemed to leap across the harbor entrance. The flagship was too far away to hear the reports, and when the firing ceased it was judged that Hobsoh had blown up the Merrimac. For an hour the anxious watchers waited daylight. Bear-Admiral Sampsoii( and Capt. Chadwick were on the bridge-uf the New York throughout. ^ ' At & o'clock thin streams of smoke were seen against the western shore, quite close to the Spanish batteries, and strong glasses made out the launch of the New York returning to the flag

ship. Scarcely had the small orals been sighted before a puff of smol :e is* sued from a battery on the we item arm of the harbor, and a shot plunged far over the launch. Then for fi fteen minutes the big guns ashore kept up an irregular fire on the little launch. As the shells fell without hitting the object they were intended for, the men on the New York jeered at .the marksmanship and cheered their shipmates. At 6:15 a. m. the launch came alongside the flagship, but she did not hare on board any of the crew of the Merrimac. Cadet Powell reported that he had been unable to see any sigis of ~' the Merrimac's crew. It developed that with great bravery the cadet had. gone right under the batteries, and only returned when all hope of takingon board the crew of the Merrimae had to be abandoned.

Cadet Powell also reported that nf had elearly seen.the Merri mac's masts, sticking up just where Hobson hoped to sink her, north of Estrella battery, and well past the guns of Morrc eas--, tie. But of the heroes who had penned. K the Spaniards in there was not a sound or a sign. Rear-Admiral Sampson said: “I am pretty sure the attempt was quite successful. I hope all .host brave fellows were not captured.*’ • - Cadet Powell believes the torptjdoes- - previously fixed about the Merrimae were exploded as planned, as Lieut. Hobson was well up the harbor beforethe Spaniards opened fire on the Merrimae. - What actually happened on lioard the Merrimae can best be judged from what Lieut. Hobson said just before leaving the flagship. Sitting in his cabin, his face browned by the suuand his eyes Hashing with excitement, he remarked: “1 shall go right into the hSrbcr until about 400 yards past the Esirellabattery, which is behind Morro castle. . I do not think they can sink me beforeI reach somewhere near that i»oiut. The Merrimae has ?,000 tons buoyancy,, and 1 shall keep her full speed ahead. She can make about ten knots. When, the narrowest part of the channel is, reached 1 shall put her helm hard aport, \ stop the engines, drop • the anchors, open the sea covmee4^ tions, touch off the torpedoes and' I leave/the Merrimae a wreck, lying, athwart the channel, which is not as, I broad as the Merrimae is lbng. There are ten 8-inch improvised torpedoes below the water line, on the Merri mac’s port side. They are placed on her side against the bulkheads and vital spots,. connected with each other by a wire under the ship's keel. Each torpedc. contains 82 pounds of gunpowder.. Each torpedo is also connected with the bridge, and they should do their, work in a minute, and it will be quick, work even if done in a minute and a. quarter. . < | “On deck there will be four men andt myself. In the engine room there will be two other men. This is the total, crew and all of us will be in oar underclothing with revolver^ and ammunition in water-tight packing strapper around our waists. Forward there will be a man on deck, and around his waist will be a line, the other end of the line being made fast to the bridgeon which I will stand. By that man's side will be an axe. When 1 stop the engine 1 shall jerk this coni and hewill thus get the signal to cut the lash&ig which will be holding the forward anchor. He will then jump overboard and swim to the fouroared dingy which we shall tow astern. Th.e dingy is full of life buoysand is unsinkable. 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 out to starboard. The next tc leave the ship are the rest of the crew. The quartermaster at the wheel will, not leave until after having put it hare aport and lashed it so; he will thet jump overboard.

“Down below, the man at the re- - | versiug gear will stop the engines, | scramble up on deck and get over tbeside as quick ty as possible'. “The man in the engine room will' 1 break open the sea connections with a. | sledge hammer, and will follow bis | leader into the water. This last step insures the sinking of the Merrimae, i whether the torpedoes work or not. “By this time, I calculate, the six,. 1 men will be in the dingy and the Me^» : rirnac will have swung athwart the channel to the full length of her' 300 yards of cable, which will hav< been paid out before the anchors were ! cut loose. Then all that is left for me is to tonch. the button. 1 shall stam on the starboard side of t he bridge L The explosion will throw he Merri mac on her starboard side Nothing • on this side of New York c tty will b« able to raise her after that.' “And you expect to come ont of thii.alive?" asked a companion >f the lien - tenant. “Ah, that is another thin; said |,h« lieutenant He was so in crested ir the mechanical details of he scheme that he scarcely stopped to :atk of lift and death. But, in reply t > frequent questions, Hobson said; “I suppose the Estralla b .itery wil' fire down on us a bit, but tin ships will throw their searchlights ir the gunners'faces and they won't s> e muon of us. Then, if we are torpedoed we should, even then be able to make the desired: position in the channel.. It won't be so easy to hit us, and I thin'; the mex should be able to swiu to the dingy. I may jump, bef »re 1 amblown up. But I ti jn't see that it makes mne!» difference what I do. I have a i ur chance of life either way. If our lingy gets shot to pieces we shall t ten try tc swim for the beach right ni der Morrc castle. We shall keep toge her at al: haxards. Then we may be able U make our way alongside n nd perhaps get back to the ship. We shall fight, the sentries or a squad uc til the last, and we shall only sorrend nr to over-- $ whelming numbers, and ou • surrender will only take place as a last and »*• unoontemplaied emer reuey. ’