[Flyingdonuts-devel] capital invested by our citizens in Cuba has been largely lost, and the te

[Berishaj R. <si...@dv...>]

De Cuba, June 3, 1898," and addressed to the Secretary of the Navy,
referring to Mr. Hobson's gallant exploit, says: As stated in a recent
telegram, before coming here I decided to make the harbor entrance
secure against the possibility of egress of the Spanish ships by
obstructing the narrow part of the entrance by sinking a collier at that
point. Upon calling upon Mr. Hobson for his professional opinion as to a
sure method of sinking the ship, he manifested a most lively interest in
the problem. After several days' consideration he presented a solution
which he considered would insure the immediate sinking of the ship when
she had reached the desired point in the channel. * * * The plan
contemplated a crew of only seven men and Mr. Hobson, who begged that it
might be intrusted to him. As soon as I reached Santiago and had the
collier to work upon, the details were commenced and diligently
prosecuted, hoping to complete them in one day, as the moon and tide
served best the first night after our arrival. Notwithstanding every
effort, the hour of 4 o'clock in the morning arrived and the
preparations were scarcely completed. After a careful inspection of the
final preparations I was forced to relinquish the plan for that morning,
as dawn was breaking. Mr. Hobson begged to try it at all hazards. This
morning proved more propitious, as a prompt start could be made. Nothing
could have been more gallantly executed. * * * A careful inspection of
the harbor from this ship showed that the _Merrimac_ had been sunk in
the channel. I can not myself too earnest