The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-08-13
SHE MUST WAIT.
The Oregon Will Require
ArmOr-PIate
Before She is Finished" 1t May Be
For Years and 1t May
Be Forever"

Over at the Union Iron Works. just tc
the east of the Potrero, and amid all the
numerous smells of the swamp land.
wasted oil and aroma of not distant Butch
ertown, the air is filled with rattle OF
hammers upon steel and the laundering
crash of heavy machinery.
About the furnished looking hull OF the
battle ship Oregon swarm dozens OF work
men, who are hurrying to prepare the lat
est addition TO the Pacific squadron for
preliminary run on the bay tomorrow and
subsequent test of horsepower at date
not yet made public.
There Is a strange silence on board the
cruiser Olympia tied to the wharf close by
the Oregon's bertha stiffness that tells
OF Congressional in ctivty, and eXcites the
conjecture ST war were declared. whatP'
When the Oregon has cut around the bay
once or twice, pushed few big ocean
swells aside and come home with broom
attached to her military mast, and her
great steam siren bowling as Colorado
Desert coyote is supposed TO howl. then
she too will have to tie up to the wharf
and walt for Andrew Carnegie or some
body to send few blowholes with num-
Der of tons of armor plate formed round
them to finish her up with.
Then the clinking of the hammer, the
pounding of ponderouS machinery Will
cease. Nothing but the variety OF the
Potrere smells and an occasional tap on
disabled hull will distinguish the vicinity
from any other section OF San francisco.
Congress will then have to be waited
upon to make a move, more armor plate
will be needed. and again the questioner
will repeat, "In case of war. whatW
One year ago it was thought that 'in
few months the Olympia will be ready for
sea" One year from date she will per-
haps have received her turret steel and be
on her way up to Mare Island for official
recognition as a United States warship.
The trial trip of the battleshlD Oregon is
of course very interesting to read about.
but the people of the Poetic Coast are be-
coming great deal more interested in the
completion of the Olympia. They have
been promised those turret- plates for some
time. A piece of warship is very un-
handy weapon in naval conflict
There is another thing which the Navy
Department does not ship except at Its
lesure-guns, big guns for new boats.
The cruiser Olympia, even though she
be guness and minus turret plates, is
pretty 10 look at, but the steamer Pied
mont, armed with good smooth bore,
would be good deal more dangerous to
an enemy.
Judging from the 0lympia's experience
with the department, the chances for the
Oregon being converted by means of can
non and bedtime armor into a fighting
ship of practical value are far removed.
1t may transpire that the vessel will be
furnished with armor plate before a time
when her trial trip shall be SPOKEN Of In
a reminiscent way, but. from the manner
in which the Government has dallied
along with guns and armor plate for
Pacific built vessels in the past. it can
ONLY be prophesied that the war in Japan
and China will have passed into history
when the Oregon is actually ready to be
on the defensive.