Democratic Sentinel, Volume 22, Number 21, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 June 1898 — TRIP OF THE OREGON. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

TRIP OF THE OREGON.

RECORD-BREAKING CRUISE OF THE PACIFIC-BORN WARSHIP. Journey Equal to More than Half the Distance Around the Barth —Beset by Grave Dangers, but Was Always Ready for Trouble. First to Round the Horn, When the Oregon started on her unparalleled cruise of 13,000 miles and steamed through the Golden Gate, firing her salute of good-by to the flag that floats over the Presidio on March 19, Capt. Charles E. Clark and his crew

were as much Jn ignorance of her ultimate destination as the rest of the world. Captain Clark was told to make Callao his first stopping place. The big vessel, with Its tremendous load of guns and protecting turrets, ran into a heavy sea before it had got out of sight of California’s promontories. The captain’s orders did not provide for a return. The ship’s prow had been headed for the coast of Peru and the course was never changed in spite of protracted bad weather. While many tons of steel were pounding on the Pacific the men who direct the game of war and use the warships as so many pieces at chess were debating what disposition should be made of the redoubtable floating battery. • To “Fighting Bob” Evans was left the dis-

position of the big ship. “Dewey, with the Olympia, can lick the entire Spanish Asiatic squadron,” was Evans’ estimate. and the destination of the Oregon was settled. Great anxiety was felt for the “pride •f the navy 4 ’ when April 1 came and She had not been sighted off the coast of Peru, as expected, but on April 8 the bold lines of the battleship were described off Callao. She had fought a long battle with the elements, but had come out victorious without a mark. The Oregon coaled at Callao and there Captain Clark received a sealed packet containing his orders. When the ship had headed about and steered into the open sea, Captain Clark communicated the story of the Maine’s report and its reception by the American people to his men, in addition to the route of ttielr excursion around Cape Horn. Officers and crew exercised the greatest precaution when war with Spain

promised to become the sequel to the Maine disaster. The ship was given a coat of iron gray and her searchlight swept the horizon for. hostile sails. The progress of the vessel southward after leaving Callao was attended by great danger owing to storms, and for that reason the Oregon coaled in the Straits of Magellan instead of attempting to enter the harbor of Valparaiso. When the joint resolution of Congress declared the Cuban people should be free and that Spanish sovereignty was at an end on the Western continent, Captain Clark was only twenty-four hours behind schedule time. The Oregon was the first warship In history to round that storw-1 wept point, t

Captain Clark was warned by cable of the dangers that lay In his path and answered that he was ready to engage the entire Spanish flee, if his superiors so desired. A brief' summary of the joint resolutions were sent him for the entertainment of bls men, together with a “tip” that a declaration of war and actual hostilities would be forthcoming. When the Oregon turned Into the Atlantic Ocean she was joined by the gunboat Marietta, which had left San Diego several days after the Oregon. Together they steamed northward. Captain Clark and the commander of the Marietta learned of the events that had transpired while they were speeding from the Straits of Magellan. War had been declared April 25, and the crews of both boats set up

a mighty cheer when they received the news of the capture of Spanish vessels off the coast of Cuba. Spain’s crack torpedo boat, the Temerario, made a bluff at the Oregon, but immediately slunk away into the I}ay of Montevideo and hid behind a peninsular when she got within observation distance of. Uncle Sam’s mighty sea fighter. The least inclination of the Temerario to disrespect the friendly character of the harbor would have resulted in the sinking of the Spaniard under five tons of steel projectiles into the waters of the bay. Two days after the American vessels arrived at Rio de Janeiro the Temararlo arrived. Brazilian officials, however, were active and said they would prevent any clash between the representatives of the two governments. News of the magnificent victory of Dewey’s fleet reached the Americans in Rio de Janeiro. Within the harbor of Brazil’s capital the Oregon and Marietta were joined by the dynamite cruiser Buffalo, recently purchased from that government. Orders came from the Navy Department to proceed, and the fleet of three vessels steamed out of the harbor of Rio de Janeiro May 4. They were Instructed to stop at every cable port en route and receive Instructions. Oregon Built in the West. All the material for the construction and armament of the Oregon came from the far Western States. The Iron mines of California, Oregon, Washington, Nevada, Colorado, and New Mexico supplied the crude metal which was afterward converted into steel for the hull, great strips of armor and ponderous castings for the guns. The big battleship was built by the Union Iron Works, San Francisco. On her trial trip* an average of 16.79 knots yvas maintained and 11,111 horsepower was developed, 2,111 in excess of the contract. In size the Oregon is only surpassed by one ship in the navy—the lowa. The displacement of the Pacific-born monster is 10,288 tons. The excess weight of the lowa comes from her high decks, which are supposed to make her more seaworthy. When the Oregon was constructed she was intended for coast service, her .designers never thinking of a record-breaking cruise equal to more than half the distance around the earth’s surface. The Oregon is supplied with bunkers that give her a coal capacity of 1,594 tons.

This enables her to steam 4,500 miles without recoaling. The Oregon's complement of men numbers 478. Her armor is divided as follows: Belt, Ifi inches; deck, 2% inches; barbettes, 1? inches; turrets, 15 Inches; casements, 6 inches. The main battery of the Oregon consists of four 13-lnch, eight 8inch and four slow-flre 6-inch gun* .This outfit is not surpassed by any bte tieship in the world. The supplement ary rapid-fire battery consists of twenty 6-pounders, six l-pounders, four Gatlings, two field guns and three torpedo tubes. Possibly no man is as anxious to go to m ho pre tends to toe reportor*

THE BATTLESHIP OREGON.

CAPT. CLARK OF THE OREGON.

MAP SHOWING OREGON’S LONG TRIP.