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Compilation of the Messages and Papers of the Presidents - William McKinley, Messages, Proclamations, and Executive Orders - Relating to the Spanish-American War by William McKinley
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(that officer being now in the sixty-third year of his age and having
served continuously on active duty for thirty-seven years), he be placed
upon the permanent waiting-orders or retired list of the Revenue-Cutter
Service on the full-duty pay of his grade.

WILLIAM McKINLEY.



EXECUTIVE MANSION, _June 27, 1898_.

_To the Congress of the United States:_

On the morning of the 3d of June, 1898, Assistant Naval Constructor
Richmond P. Hobson, United States Navy, with a volunteer crew of seven
men, in charge of the partially dismantled collier _Merrimac_,
entered the fortified harbor of Santiago, Cuba, for the purpose of
sinking the collier in the narrowest portion of the channel, and thus
interposing a serious obstacle to the egress of the Spanish fleet which
had recently entered that harbor. This enterprise, demanding coolness,
judgment, and bravery amounting to heroism, was carried into successful
execution in the face of a persistent fire from the hostile fleet as
well as from the fortifications on shore.

Rear-Admiral Sampson, commander in chief of our naval force in Cuban
waters, in an official report dated "Off Santiago 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
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