Sea Adventure: Hobson at Santiago (colour litho)

Hobson at Santiago. During the Spanish-American War of 1898 the existence of the Spanish cruiser fleet, although closely blockaded in the port of Santiago in Cuba, was causing some concern, and it was thought to be safer to bottle them in completely. In the narrow channel a single collier was sufficient for this, the Merrimac being selected and put in charge of an officer named Hobson, with instructions to scuttle her in the exact spot. It was a dangerous, almost suicidal, task and it failed when the ship was mined by the Spaniards long before she reached position. The crew however, were saved, Hobson being taken out of the water by the Spanish Admiral himself. Illustration for one of a set of 50 cigarette cards on the subject of Sea Adventure, issued by Hignett Brothers in 1939.