Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-09-05
MONITOR MONTEREY ARRIVES.
Completes nn UneventfuI Voyage in
Tow of $500 Miles Across
the Pacific,

SAN FRANCISCO. Sept 4.-The trans
port Colon Tonight brought the following
from Manila. Philippine islands. August 4:
The United States coast defense vessel
Monterey and the United States collier
Brutus arrived here to-day, with all well
on board. after long and uneventful trip,
having left San Francisco on June last.
and said San Diego, Cal. on June H.. The
trip was remarkable for nothing save the
wonderfully fine weather had all the way
over except one little gale on July 81. Dur
Ing this voyage of 800 knots the Monterey
was towed 3.72j knots by the Brutus, and
two stops were made. one at Honolulu,
the other at the island of Guam. in the
Marian group. At each of the places the
Monterey was coaIed in Honolulu from
shore and in Guam from the Brutus. The
distance towed and that steamed without
towing are as follows:
June S to June g. towed 7l2 knots.
July 5 to July e. towed 2,5i1 knots.
July % to July %, towed 472 knots.
Steamed without towing, 3S15 knots. To-
tai, 800 knots.
The 1sOth meridian was crossed between
July and il, 50 that the 9th and 10th were
but one. and the total number Of hours was
5.f and 6.16 knots the average rate the
Monterey was hauled across the Pacific by
the Brutus. In entering San Bernardlno
strait the lighthouse keeper on Kapul island
hoisted the Spanish flag and saluted with
1t as the two vessels passed. OF course this
set everyone TO wondering whether or not
peace had been proclaimed.
Compared 10 the trip OF the oregon going
west to the east coast of the United States,
the voyage just finished by these two
vessels is devoid of the dramatic interest
that characterized the battes1ips great
home run, but, as q matter of fact, the
trip of the Monterey was really the most
venturesome OF the two.
The Oregon could fly with her own wings,
nc nell 49,.
of the way from Honolulu to San Bernard
ino strait the Monterey would have been
helpless but for the Brutus. The monitors
steamiug radius Is only LOO miles while
the BrutuS steamed the entire distance,
',GD miles. gave the Monterey 2G7 tons of
coal IN Guam and then arrived in Manila
with about 3,S0 tons in her bunkers.
AS an experiment the trip has proved moth
ing more than that with phenomenaly fine
weather, vessel intended for coast defense
may with her own steam and tow, cross
the Pacific ocean. What tale there would
have been to tell had much rough weather
been encountered Is. of course, another
story. There Is reason to believe, however,
that such voyage can be made, even in
heavy weather. And in the Pacific ocean it
is always possible to choose route along
which favorable weather will probably be
encountered.
Such a long sea voyage in all fifty days
at sea out of fifty-seven. with not even n
break in the delightful weather from June
9 TO July 81 doubtless must seem to the
lhHusinHH HOnOlOnOuS IN the extreme, Dul
the days were well filed with the work OF
keeping the ship going and that other sort
of work, keeping things in order that IS
like nothing on shore so much as house
ment. 1t is seldom. though. that such
long voyage is so destitute of events A
seafarer might go to sea the rest of his
life and never experience such a long
stretch of fine weather. Save for mod
crate little gale of wind on July 81 off
San Bernardino straits. and a days rough
do C1r JNro 1f.ic TYrr q
was a trip to make yachtsmen envious.
There Were no hardships. except that the
heat on the monitor was almost intolerable
and life on board would have been simply
uncomfortable but for the constant buzzing
Of. the electric fans as they stirred up the
close atmosphere below decks.