The evening times., 1898-10-01
PRAISE FOR THE oregon
Secretary Long Commends the
Battleship's Builders.
CRUISE FROM SEA TO SEA
The Ship From the West Coast
Shows Herself to Possess the
tanned in u Great War Craft-Ra-
dius of Action and Fighting Force.

The following correspondence between
the Secretary of the Navy and the presi-
dent of the company which built that no.
BILE American battleship. the Oregon. is
now made public. 1t shows that republics
are not ungrateful, when it comes TO the
matter OF supremacy on the high seas:
Navy Department Washington. July y.
1898.
Sir: It becomes my pleasant duty to
extend to the shiphuiding firm of which
you are president the congratulations of
the Navy Department upon the admirable
qualities which have been displayed by
the United States bartleship Oregon.
Without going into details with which,
1t may be safely assumed, you are as we'll
acquainted as the department, it is suffi-
cient TO say that the perfor nance OF this
vessel in making, under circumstances Of
grave exigence, the voyage from San
Francisco. Cal, TO Key West, Fla. with
out delay or accident of any kind, Is Of
itself highly creditahle to her builders,
but the fact that, after having success
fully accomplished such a voyage. the
vessel was found TO be ready at once.
without repairs or attention, TO enter in
10 the activities of an important naval
campaign. renders her achievement most
memorable as one which challenges the
admiration of naval experts throughout
the world, and becomes a subject of es-
pecial gratitude and pride on the part OF
our own people
The Oregon Is in all of her comphcat-
ed parts Of American design, materials
and Workmanship and she has shown
herself to possess the highest qualities
sought TO be attained in a great battle
ship-a wide, practical radius OF efficient
action and splendid fighting capabilities
Since these results are not achieved by
accident, but reveal high technical abili-
ty, as well as thoroughness and honest
fidelity in the countless details of con-
struction, l have considered it proper to
address to you this expression of the ap-
probation of the department of the man.
ner in which you fulfilled your contract
in building the United States battleship
Oregon. Very respectfully,
JOHN d. LONG, Secretary,
MIR. Henry t. Scott. President of the
Union Iron Works. San Francisco, Cal"
San Francisco. July 26, 1895
Hon. John d. Long, Secretary of the
Navy, Washington, D. c.:
'Sir-On behalf OF the Union Iron
Works, and in its name, thank you cor
daily for your letter of July q, COM
| mending the performance of the Oregon
and l beg to add that it has been with
great pride that We have looked on her
performance not more as her builders
than we have as American citizens
American designed and American
built, she has offered a new lesson to old
er nations regarding the functions of a
battleship, and we are proud in the fact
! that under the most trying circumstances
| 1t has been demonstrated to your satis-
faction and approval that our contract
has been well and conscientiously per-
formed.
But with all this. we believe that much
of the success of all vessels is based on
their intelligent handling by their skilled
officers. subordinates and men, without
which their usefulness would be greatly
| impaired, if not wholly destroyed
Next to the satisfaction enjoyed by us
over the performance of the Oregon
comes the qualification felt by US at the
recognition so generously accorded to us
by the Department of the Navy and so
| courteously conveyed to US through your
| honored self. Respectfully yours.
UNION IRON WORKS,
''By H 7. Scott, President"