HOBSON, Richmond Pearson, American naval constructor, lecturer and author: b. Greensboro, Ala., f7 Aug. 1870. He was gradu ated at the Annapolis Naval Academy in 1889 and took a post-graduate course at the Ecole Nationale Superieure des Mines, and the Ecole d'Application du Genie Maritime in Paris. As midshipman he accompanied the White Squad ron in Mediterranean and south Atlantic waters in 1889-90, in was on duty at the Navy Department, in 1895-96 was stationed at the New York navy yard and in the following year was in charge of construction at Newport News. In 1897-98 he organized and conducted the post-graduate course for officers destined for the construction corps at the United States Naval Academy. Early in 1898 he served as constructor with the fleet, his principal work dealing with stability and fire systems of vessels in action. During the war with Spain he was present in the bombardment of Matanzas and took part in the expedition against San Juan, Porto Rico. He distinguished himself by his heroism in sinking the collier Merrimac across the entrance to Santiago Harbor, on the night of 3 June 1898, for the purpose of preventing the exit of Cervera's fleet. While he did not aucceed in blocking the entrance to the harbor because the Merrimac was disabled by gunfire before reaching the point chosen, and when sunk lay almost parallel with the channel, the exploit brought commendation even from the enemy and Hobson and his comrades became the heroes of the nation. From 3 June to 6 July 1898 he was confined as a prisoner of war in a Spanish fortress, but was well treated.
Subsequently he was inspector of Spanish wrecks and had charge of the salvage opera tions of the Spanish warships beached along the south shore of Cuba in the battle of 3 July 1898. In 1899-1900 Hobson was on duty in the Far East and from 1900 to 1903 had charge of naval construction at several stations. In the latter year he resigned from the navy. In 1904 he was presidential elector-at-large from Ala bama. From 1907 to 1915 he was member of Congress from the sixth Alabama district. Mr. Hobson is prominent as lecturer, speaker and writer and as an advocate of American naval supremacy and of American leadership in the international movement for peace. He is also an advocate of nation-wide and world-wide pro hibition and was the first to introduce in Con gress a prohibition amendment to the Constitu tion. He is the author of 'A Study of the Sit uation and Outlook in Europe' (1894) ; 'The Disappearing Gun Afloat' ; 'The Sinking of the Merrimac' (1900) ; 'America Must be Mis tress of the Seas' (1902) ; 'Why America Should Hold Naval Supremacy) (1903) ; 'Buck Jones at Annapolis' (1907); 'Diplomacy and the Fleet' (1908) ; 'Arbitration and Armaments) (1908) ; 'In Line of Duty' (1909); 'America's War Policy' (1910) ; 'Fortification of the Pan ama Canal' (1911) ; 'The Great Destroyer: Alcohol' (1911) ; 'Our Country's Destiny' (1913) ; 'Destroying the Great Destroyer> (1915); 'America and the World War' (1917) ; 'The Great Reform' (1918).