New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-05-27

THE OREGON AT KEY WEST
Continued from first pnEe)

o,tuous channels Of the bananas t"'' ''e
Florida coast was reached.
Jupiter light was sighted about 8 o'clock on the
evening Of May a. and volunteers were called
for to man a boat and carry dispatches ashore.
Tho Ore zon did not carry a chart OF that part
OF the coast and the officers were at a loss as
10 the ships exact location. 1t was with great
Measure when they learned when the boat re-
turned late yesterday morning that they were
| again In American waters, after a voyage OF
sixty-six days.
TIC DISPATCHES to the Navy Department from
CAPTAIN Clarke were characteristic or the man
They simply related that he had arrived ana
asked for orders Immediately there came this
reply:
If you are ready for service go to Key west
II you need repairs. go to Norfolk LONH'
! Without an hours delay the oregon was head
cd for this port. which was reached al O'CLOCK
this morning. the trip from Jupiter Llght peihg
made at an average speed of /" knots an hour
This is the tale Of the long. historic ana re-
markable voyage. II needs no embellishments
When asked this morning what inciden's
marked the voyage. Captain Clarke said:
mo trip Of it's kind and length was more I'M
eventful The ship behaved perfectly. The men
| acted finely. and had not the slightest OIL
Of trobue in any way. Having proved the ore
CONS eaworthiness we TOW want to prove her
ability in battle and cup will be FULL
REMARKABLE SPEED RECORD.
All told the time consumed In the oregon
voyage was sixty-eght days from san Fran
cisco 10 this port The average speed through
out was between eleven and twelve Knots, IN
Guiding the time lost in waiting for the Marietta
and Nictheroy. For two hours In the trip from
Bahia to Barbados The vessel maze fifteen
knots an hour. her contract speed. an that was
after she had been out over month IN all the
voyage the Oregon never sighted a spanish wal
vessel. though at several places II was rep0rteu
that Cervera'S fleet was near AT mana rlVH'
the Straits until she arrived here. her Lights were
"doused' at night. and so cautious WAS captain
Clarke that ne issued an order that no one
should smoke a cigar on deck al'ei udI ~ 49,,
fear it might give the enemy a line on the
vessels position. !,
of Cape ST. Rogue the earnmost point OF
Brazil on the night Of May l.. lights OF sereraI
Oregon's officers believe that they were those OF
the vessels of Cervera's fleet. In the morning
no trace OF these ships could he seer. nor could
any word of them be obtained from nshlhs
smacks in the vicinity. AT Punta Arenas IL was
reported 70 Captain Clark that the 1emerario'
the Spanish tCrpedo-hoat destroyer was cruiS
ing along the Brazilian coast. and ne was
warned to keep a sharp lookout for H. Every
night extra guards were mounted ana every
proCaution was taken 20 repsl an attack oE lne
fast little Spanish vessel. All this trouhie was
taken in vain however. at Rio Janiero II
was learned that the Temerar!O was N dryuock
The real heroes Of the voyage were Chief fhsl-
neer Robert W. Milligen and the seventy men
in his division. Despite the intense troiicd
heat. these brave fellows worked like demons
and their labors have added lus'rc to the name
Of the American Navy and page TO naNa ms
tory During the voyage the terms or enlist
| ment OF many OF the seamen expired. but the
| majority Of them re-ensted on board shlI, anu
! most of those who failed to do go protested tnat
they intended to re-enter the service as soon as
! they obtained a few days rest The fact that
the Oregon Is the first United States hattle-shlp
10 cross the equator is worthy OF note Nhon
the line was crossed the officers held high car
niVaI and went through a mystical ceremony
which was greatly enjoyed.
In speaking Of his trip Captain Clark SAID
Tho OregOn's record Dle aking voyage OF nearly
fourteen thousand miles is an important arRu-
mont in favor Of the carly completion or the
i Nicaragua Canal some other canal across the
Isthmus Of Panama. | hope that 1t VIII have
some influence with Congress, and believe II
viii with such a canal cur Journey would
have been cut in half and n frst-class battle
ship would have been added 10 Admiral Samp-
sons fleet
Cantan ClarI; praised Admiral Dewey for
his victory at Manila. and said that his only
regret was that the Oregon was not present on
! that occasion. News Of the battle reached him.
he said. at Bahia. When the men heard Of it
they were wild with enthusiasm and cheered
again ard again for their comrades in the
\ SOuthern Pacific.