HOBSON SETS FORTH HIS PLAN. 317 there will be four men and myself. In the engine roomthere will be twoother men. This is the total crew, and all of ais will be in our underclothing, with revolvers and ammunition in the watertight packing strapped around our ev-aists. Forward there will be a man on deck, and around his waist will be a line, the other pull the dingy out to starboard. The next to leave the ship are the rest of the crew. The quartermaster at the wheel will not leave until after having put it hard aport and lashed it so; he willthen jump overboard. Downbelow, the manat thereversing gear will stop the engines, scramble on deck, and get over the side as end of the line being made fast to the bridge, whereIwill stand. " By that man's side willbe an axe. WhenI stop the engines Ishall jerk this cord, and he will thus get the signal to cut the lashing which will be holding the forward anchor. He will then jump overboardand swim to the four-oared dingy which we shall tow astern. The dingy is full of life-buoys and is unsinkable. In it are rifles. It is to be held by tworopes, onemade fast at her bow and one at her stern. The first man to reach her will haul in the tow line and quickly as possible. The man in the engine room will break open the sea connections with a sledge hammer and will follow his leader intc> the water. This last step insures the sinking ol the Merrimac whether the torpedoes work or not. By this timeIcalculate the six men will be in the dingy and the Merrimac will have swung athwart the channel lo the full lengthof her three hundred yards of cable, which will have been paid out. before the anchors were cut loose. Then all that is left for me is to touch the button— 1sh ill stand on the starboard