The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-05-27
OREGON NOW OFF KEY WEST.
OFFICERS TELL AN INTERESTING
STORY OF HER VOYAGE.

Left Frisco March 10 and Touched
at BarbadOeS May 1S-rhence Sail
ed Almost Directly West To the
North of Porto Rico About $50
MiIes-Hended for Florida When
on the Bcrmudns-On the Watch
for Foes All the Way Up the south
American Coast.
Key West. Fla. May 26.-The United
states battleship oregon arrived here this
morning from Jupiter and is now at an
chor near Sand Key light.
Capt Charles e. Clarke and other ofh-
GERS of the Oregon came ashore at 10
o'clock and reported all well on board and
the ship in good condition.
The Oregon left San Francisco March
10, arrived at Callao April 4, left there
April Z ana passed Sandy Point April 81.
arriving al Rio Janeiro April so The bat
tleship reached Bahia May and touched
at Barbados May 49,
At the latter place the warship was
quarantined, but she was detained only
one day.
on leaving the Barbados the Oregon
sailed almost directly west, going to the
north of Porto Rico about 150 miles. The
northerly course was continued unu the
Bermudas We're sighted when she head
ed for the Florida coast. Capt Clarke
explains that the reason for going TO Ju-
piter inlet. instead of putting in at Key
West, was to enable the Oregon to be
ready to go either to Key West or Hamp-
ton Roads in short order after getting om-
cial information from Washington.
Capt. Clarke had no official knowledge
of the situation after leaving Rio Janeiro
on April 30. During the entire trip the
crew expected momentarily 10 meet the
Spanish. Only once, however, was there
a cali to arms. This was shortly after
midnight, on leaving Rio Janelro.
As the Oregon was poughing through
the black equatorial sea a dark object
was discovered ahead apparently giving
chase
The cali to general quarters was sound
ed, the men rolled out Of their berths with
the enthusiasm of boys on a circus day
and almost instantly every gun was
manned.
The Oregon left her course and circied
around her black pursuer, only to find IL
a harmless bark instead of a Spanish
warship.
Back 10 their berths crept the men with
mutterings of disappointment and disgust.
At Rio Janeiro Capt Clarke was told
that the Spanish torpedo boat Temerario
was following him. This report gave new
interest to the trip for n day and night.
but at the next port Of call he was in
formed that tho Temerario had gone into
dry dock at Rio Janero just after the
departure of the Oregon.
The cruise through the straits of Magel-
Ian was most interesting II was at this
far southern point of the American hem
isphere that the crew expected to receive a
visit from the Spaniards. In many places
the channel was very narrow and crook
ed, with hidden bays and coves and back
of them mountains towering into the
clouds on either side. Moreover they were
in the land of icy winter. For more than a
month they had been sailing under tropi-
cal skies, and now the cold blasts whistled
among the crags above them. and the ice
at night lay on the decks. But the Oregon
did not lag.
Capt. Clarke had no idea of giving the
Spaniards, If they were there, a chance to
catch him mapping. If the great batteshic
was to be caught 1t should be catch on
the wing.
The engines were warmed up to their
best work and wherever il was safe and
possible the oregon bowled along at Is
knots an hour The machinery worked well
and on occasions the speed was increased
3 knots In a few minutes.
A stop of three days was made al Sand
Point where coal was taken on and other
supplies secured.
The Oregon's twenty-five officers and
her crew Of AIS seamen were well and
happy when the battleship cast anchor OF
Sand Key light house at $3.50 this morning
The oregon is in frst-class shape and
ready for another cruise as long as the
one just ended. The excellent condition
OF the men after their sixty-six days voy-
age Is perhaps even more remarkable.
Throughout the entire trip there were
no cases Of serious Illness on board, and
the men are as eager for immediate ac-
tiVlty as If they had just come from a
vacation In the mountains.
The Oregon picked up the cruiser Ma
rietta and the dynamite cruiser Nictheroy
between Rio Janero and Bahia, but she
parted company with them after a few
hundred miles. Capt Clarke said the crew
of the Oregon had suffered much from
the heat in passing twice through the
tropics.
All lnc way dlpHEt nc duHeQs we
were wondering where the Spaniards were
and we never ascertained that fact untn
we reached here"
do you know now?" Capt Clarke was
asked
"Wel," he replied, IT imagine we can
make a very accurate guess"
The Oregon will remain for orders
The United States gunboat Hornet came
IN from the blockade this morning She
reports everything quiet along the line Of
the blockade.