The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, June 4, 1898, Page 1

§e sy . This Papér not to be taken from the Library.+q+3 i e Tall - The " VOLUME LXXXIV._NO. 4. SAN FRANCISCO, SATURDAY, JUNE 4, 1898. PRICE FIVE CENTS. SAMPSON CORKED THE CLOSED SANTIAGO HARBOR WITH THE MERRIMAC Eight of the American Collier's Men Reported to Be Prisoners of the Spaniards. ™ Copyright, 1898, by James Goréon Bennett. . = ST | ] W PORTO PLATA, San Domingo, June 3—Cable mes- = - sages received here from Santiago de Cuba state that the ¥ = Merrimac was sunk while trying to enter the harbor } = there. An officer and seven men were taken prisoners. = ® How many were lost is not known. i . After a sharp and effective cannonade which lasted § = from three to four hours an American auxiliary cruiser, + = which is said to have been the Merrimac, tried to force || = an entrance to the harbor. The Spaniards allowed her =| ® to pass the first line of torpedoes, but when she reached ®| : the second line a torpedo was discharged at her. It took : = effect, and the ship sank almost immediately. One offi- = cer, one engineer and six sailors were taken prisoners. f . It is not yet known how many sank with the ship. ® = Only the extremities of the funnels and the tips of the } = masts of the vessels are now visible. . A second dispatch from Santiago states that it is be- lieved the Merrimac was sent into the neck of the harbor by Sampson for the purpose of closing the port, and thus pre- vent the escape of the Spanish squadron. From informa- tion conveyed by the prisoners it is believed they volun- teered for this dangerous work, and that none perished. They were prepared for the explosion when it occurred. CAPE HAYTIEN, June 3.—The American fleet, according to advices received by cable from Santiago de Cuba, the: cable being under Spanish control, opened fire again at 3 o’clock this (Friday) morning on the fortifications and warships. The cannonade was well sustained until 4 o’clock a. m. 2 One of ‘the United. States auxiliary cruisers, “well armed,” attempted to force the passage into the harbor. The Spanish allowed the cruiser to cross the first line of torpedoes, but before she arrived at the'secorid line they discharged a torpedo at her, which’ broke a great hole in her side-and caused her to sink almost instantly, bow first: One officer, one engineer and six sailors were made prisoners by the Spaniards. The vessel sunk is understood to be the Merrimac. Only the extremities of her funnel and two masts are visible above the water. : The Santiago advices in reference to the sunken vessel being an auxiliary cruiser are prob- ably mistaken. The Merrimac is a collier and has always been a collier. PORT AU PRINCE, June 3.—This morning at 3 o’clock the American squadron began the bombardment of the fortifications of Santiago de Cuba, and a lively cannonade ensued for two hours, which silenced the Spanish batteries. An American vessel,the Merrimac, .described in the advices from Santiago de Cuba as an auxiliary cruiser, making a dash to force the entrance; succeeded in passing the first line of defenses, but was torpedoed about 500 feet up the channel. She went down perpendicularly. An offi- cer,. an .engineer and six seamen were taken prisoners. The number of victims is uriknown. Only the funnel and mastheads of the sunken-vessel can be seen. There is great excitement in the city. A part of the population assisted in the fighting on the heights, Everybody is astounded at the audacity of the American vessel. The American squadron was cruising all the while in the offing. NO- APPREHENSION FELT AT WASHINGTON. Opinion There Is That Cervera Is Now Effectually Prevented From Slipping Out of the Harbor. NEW YORK, June 3.—The Herald’s. - Washington corre- spondent telegraphs: No official | ever, are of the opinion that the Herald’s cablegram from Porto Plata is correct and that Admiral | Sampson has taken - the most | effective means to prevent the | Spanish fleet from giving him the of a dark and rainy night before | the land forces canreach Santiago and co-operate with him in the confirmation has been' received | contemplated land and sea opera- at the Navy Department of the report. that the collier Merrimac | has-been sunk-at the entrance of tions. It is thought probable he en- gaged the shore batteries with Santiago, harbor. The officials | the guns. of his fleet and during of the Navy Department, how- the engagement ran the Merri- mac into the narrow entrance of the harbor and opened her sea valves, allowing her to sink. Just inside the entrance the channel is so narrow that a [ ; isunken vessel as large as the Mer- slip by running out under cover rimac would make it impossible for Admiral Cervera’s ships to pass on either side of her. It is hoped the report that one of her officers and some of her crew were captured by the Span- iards is incorrect, yet it is realized it was a dangerous task they had Santiago Harbor, Showing the Span COLLIER MERRIMAC. BOTTLE HOLDING CERVERA CERVERA’'S FLEET CORKED UP BY THE SINKING OF THE ish Fleet Inside and the Mérrin)ac Il’) the Act of Gvoing to the Bottom dt the Entrance. : possible to enable them to escape they may have been unable to get off the sinking vessel and get safely past the Spanish batteries at the entrance of the harbor in a small boat to where they could be picked up by one of the ves- sels of the American fleet. The collier Merrimac was for- merly owned under the same name by Jefferson Hagan of New York. She was of 3362 tonnage, carried 5000 tons of coal and was commanded by Commander James M. Miller. As it would re- quire comparatively few men to take the vessel into the channel and sink her it is believed to be probable that she carried only a small crew. and very few officers, and that the officers and men volunteered for the duty, some possibly from other vessels of the fleet. Commodore Miller was doubtless in command of the crew which took her to the spot where she was to be sunk. She carried a regular crew of fifty- three men. The special danger of the task probably lay in the fact that while Commodore Schley practically silenced the batteries at the en- trance to, the harbor by the bom- bardment on Tuesday, there were other batteries further up the channel which could not be dis- posed of from outside the en- trance, and the guns there would fire on the Merrimac as she went in. It is probable the Admiral ran some smaller vessels of the fleet as close as possible to the entrance to the channel, or some of them may even have followed the Merrimac in so as to engage the inner batteries, and the Mer- rimac may have towed in one converted for the use of her offi- cers and crew in making their escape. It is possible the vessel was sunk by running against one of the mines which it is believed the Spanish placed in the channel, but it is not thought probable, as the Herald cablegram does not to perform, and though Admiral Sampson took every precaution speak of any one being killed, and had she been blown up by a | mine it is- probable some lives | would have been lost. } The Merrimac mounted on her { deck six guns. She is of steel, | 330 feet long, with a beam of 44 | feet and a depth of 29 feet. She | was built at Newcastle, England, ;in 1894, when she was christened | the Solveig, flying the Norweg- ian flag. While loading grain at New- port News, April 27, 1897, she | caught fire. She proceeded to Erie Basin, Brooklyn, for repairs. Her registry was changed to | American and she became the | property of T. Hogan & Sons, 1\\'110 operated the Lone Star serv- |ice. While in service she ran be- tween Boston,” New York and Galveston. The officers of the Merrimac were: . Commander James A\[.‘ | Miller, commanding; Lieutenant | W. W. Gilmer, executive; Ensign J. _M.. Luby, 'Ensign J. R. Y. Blakely, Assistant Engineer R. J. Crank. Now that Admiral Sampson has thoroughly blocked the en- trance to Santiago harbor and penned Admiral Cervera and his CERVERA IS FARTHER UP THE HARBOR Getting as Far as Possible From the Wa'rs,hips. WITH THE. FLEET, neighborhood. Since the br ships ‘inside, he can leave Com- tiago with a few ships and can Porto Rico to operate with the artillery expedition against that | island. PRIVATE ROBERTS BURIED WITH MILITARY HONORS. BAKERSFIELD, June 3.—The body of Private Lynn Roberts, who died at the modore Schley in front of San-| take the remainder of his fleet to | 000000000 lo = squadron, owing to the high | ing fleets. out of harm’s way. - Rear-Admiral Sampson joined Com- | modore Schley's forces early yesterday morning with the New York, Oregon and Mayflower. The Spaniards wel- | comed the American reinforcements by i firing two guns, the shots falling harm- | lessly at sea. Later the torpedo-boat | Porter, the dispatch-boat Dolphin and lo patch boat, off Santiago, June 2:—(via Port Antonio, Ja- " maica, June 3.)—In view of thie Spanish admiral’s latest tac- tics, it is doubtful if there will be a naval battle soon in this Cervera has withdrawn his ships : further. up the ' harbor, where. they are, of course, ott of sight: of the blockading Cervera is evidently anxious to keep his vessels the .steamer Adria joined the -fleets: | Presidio on Tuesday night, arrived here | last night and was taken to the Roberts | The Adria is lqaded with supplies and | fitted with appliances for grappling and home, two miles north of town. whence | cutting cables. The Harvard also the funeral was conducted this afternoon. A number of friends were at the depot to meet the grief-stricken parents. 'he funeral was conducted with military honors and was the largest one in the history of the town. The cortege was over a mile in length. The firing squad was composed of a number of Gran Army veterans. The pallbearers were Lieutenants Blodget and Munzer and four sergeants of Company G, National Guard of California. The dead soldier was popular and his father and mother, Mr. and Mrs. E. M. Roberts, are highly esteemed. Mr. Rob- erts is an ex-Confederate. i All for the Boys in Blue. SACRAMENTO, June 3.—The Red Cross Society of this city to-day for- warded #o_the headquarters in San Francisco 225 abdominal bandages, 325 comfort bags, 18 armslings and a quan- tity of socks and handkerchiefs for the soldiers. The local society has y raised some $2500 in money. | joined the fleet, bringing welcome sup- | | plies of fresh meats and vegetables. | Commodore Schley went on board the I New York as soon as the flagship came ‘isampsow a long time. The result of their deliberations is not known, but their reticent. manner led every one to believe they were somewhat hampered by Washington in adopting measures to force Cervera to fight. All the of- | ficers and men are eager ta battle, but | all do not agree on the most advisable plan of attack. Y & Some doubt of the feasibility of forcing the entrance of the harbor. =~ Others favor increasing the blockading fleéts with the Oregon, four monitors and the Helena, Wilmington, Cincinnati, Mont- gomery, Detroit, Vesuvius, destroying p, and’ was closeted 'with Admiral] American Sampson and Schley Considering the Best Means of Entering in Pursuit. on Board the Herald-Call dis- ief engagement last Tuesday, hills that' separate the oppos- O000000000000 the fortifications by persistent bom- | bardment. .This: done, only the mines |'of the channel-would impéril. the en- .| trance to the: harbor, and it is: thought | the Vesuvius. could in one haur clear ‘| .them out. The channel is too déep to | be effectively . obstructed by .sinking | hulks. 3 |"" The ‘mines once exploded ‘the . way | wouid be clear except. for. the opposi- | tion of - the Spanish vessels. = This .is inog' regarded o formidable as to pre- - clude a powerful.fleet forcing an en- trance. Once inside the complete de- struction of Admiral Cervera’s fleet is | eértain. ‘Officérs.of the fleet are con- fident- there would:be a-repétition of the Manila victory, which wduld ‘erntirely break Spain’s naval power." I-At first-it was-expected that Rear- AdmiralSampson’s arrival would re- without any indicatien of‘attack, About: noon ‘the New York, followed by the . Marblehead, steamed in shore five miles . west of Morro“Castle. : Somie hours be- fore the gunboat Vixen had disappeared in that difection: . The New York went within 1800 vards: of - the .shore, and Sampson made a.close exdmination of the coast line with a vie= to finding a suitable place to-land -troops. a5 To take the batteries pro >cting the sult. in &ction, but the .day wore on .