The San Francisco call., 1896-10-31
Captain Howison Orders Anchors
Raised and Hurries to
Sea.
DANGER OF THE BIG VESSEL.
Heels Over to Twenty Nine Degrees
and Gives Those Aboard Cause
for Alarm.
ABOARD THE UNITED STATES BATTLE-l
SHIP OREGON, BRAKES BAY,
OL.s. L


This morning about o'clock that finest
and most formidable battle-ship in the
world, the Oregon, had the toughest ex-
perience of her trial cruise. When she
dropped Point Pinos Light, Monterey
Bay, and set her course to the northwest
last night the weather became more rigor-
Gus. A sitter breeze from north-north-
west began to careen over the waves and
kiss their tops into foam.
AS predicted in the previous report of
her trial cruise from Monterey Bay, she
had another opportunity to test her sea-
going qualities.
Before the suns rim peeped over the
rounded SUBMITS of the Coast Range the
muzzles of the Oregon's 8-inch guns,
if they had been made fas athwartship,
would have plunged into the water or
slipped the foam. Before she finally
dropped anchor in. fifteen fathoms of
water under the hills and lee shore OF Sau-
salito, the Oregon had gone through such
an experience as she never had before.
Captain Howison was on the bridge for
forty-eight hours since. leaving Monterey.
and when the naval correspondent of The
CALL left the ship last evening the cap
tain, VINO is shortly to. be promoted to
commodore, was taking tea and his first
square meal from the sideboard in his
own comfortable cabin in that length of
time.
The breeze from the north northwest
was only moderate one, as shown by the
log, but between the swells of the sea the
Oregon rolled over farther into the sea
than she ever did before. If ship was
ever ''rocked in the cradle of the deep,
that ship was the Oregon last night on
the inboard of the Farallones and this
morning in brakes Bay. The sea was not
extraordinarily heavy and the northwest
zephyr was not more than moderate.
The Oregon arrived off the heads about
5 o'clock this morning. and beat about
waiting for daylight. When it came there
was q heavy swell on the bar and land
fog, and the captain decided not to at
tempt to go in on that account. She bore
away for brakes Bay, and about O'Clock
cast anchor pretty well in shore. The
Oregon had heeled over during the night
on her cruise up the coast to from Is de-
grees port to 21 starboard. The pendulum
dial of the ship shows only 80 degrees for
rolling, beyond which it is dangerous for
the Oregon 10 roll.
When the anchor was cast in brakes
Bay the ship got into the trough OF the
sea, which was not more than healthy
ground swell. The ship began to roll
more violently than ever. She started at
about 10 degrees and in four or i've rolls
she keeled over to % degrees. What Cap
tain Howison thought of this state of
affairs is shown by the fact that he ordered
the anchor heaved again. and turned
about for the open sea and Point Reyes as
quickly as he could.
Tbae no mil, away n
and aft. Whereas the bric-a- brac in the
staterooms had been picked up several
times during the night it was now turned
into a heap on the decks and bumped
violently against the bulkheads.
Those at breakfast were obliged to cling
to the chairs and tables. In the ward
country and in the Junior officers mess
tables and chairs skated. over the floors to
the imminent injury of every one who at
tempted to hold or stay them.
Lunch at noon was taken with the rocks
OH the tables. The drawers of the state
rooms darted in and out of their fittings
during the mid and morning watches, and
between 8 and 10 O'Clock two sailors were
thrown to the deck, and slid to the sides.
The men saved themselves by catching
the rails, after half their lengths was
hanging over the sea.
But in this connection reports from the
battle-ship Indiana and the cruisers Phila-
delphia and Baltimore show that they roll
as much as the Oregon, and they are still
riding the ground swells and giving the
green sea chance. The Oregon must roll
heavier than she did last night before
there is any danger of her going over on
her side, the officers said.
About o'clock the battie-ship squared
away for the Golden Gate. She took the
north channel, under the technical guild
ance of Executive Officer Drake, who has
Il Il Il
at Sausalito at 4: :25 in the afternoon. Her
fires were hauled. and the Oregon will re-
main there indefinitely, indulging.in prac-
tice drills. battalion drills and torpedo at
tacks at night, before she is ready for the
official inspecting board.