The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-05-31
THE OREGON At KEY WEST
Her Wonderful Voyage
of Sixty-Sjx Days.
NOT 1 SINGLE MISHAP.

On the Lookout for the Enemy all the
Time-The Wen in Fine Spirits and
Good HeaIth-Anxious to Meet the
Spaniards.
Key West, May 26.-The United
States battleship Oregon arrived here
this morning from Jupiter and is now
at anchor near Sand Key light. Cap
tain Chase Clark and other officers
came ashore at 10 o'clock and reported
all we'll On board and the ship in good
condition.
The Oregon left San Francisco March
10Th, arrived at Callao April 4th, left
there April eth and passed Sandy
Point April 21st, arriving at Rio ia
metro April Goth. The battleship reach
ed Bahia May 8th and touched at
Barbados. At the latter place the
warship was ~quarantined, but she was
only detained one day.
On leaving Barbados the Oregon
SLED almost directly north, going to
the north of Porto Rico, about $50
miles. The northerly course was con-
tinued until the Bermudas were sight
ed, when she headed for the Florida
coast. Captain Clark explains that
the reason for going to Jupiter instead
Of putting in at Key West was to en-
able the Oregon to be ready to go eth
er to Key West or Hampton Roads in
short order after getting official infor-
nation from Washington.
Capt. Clark had no official KNOWLEDGE
Of situation after leaving Rio Janeiro
on April Goth. During the entire trip
the crew expected momentarily to
meet the Spanish. Only once, howev-
er, was there a call to arms. This was
shortly after midnight on leaving Rio
JaneirO. AS the Oregon was plough
ing through the black equatorial sea,
a dark object was discovered ahead,
apparently giving chase. The call to
general quarters was sounded, 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 circled around her black
pursuer, only to find it a harmless
bark instead of a Spanish warship.
Back to their berths crept the men
with mutterings of disappointment
and disgust.
At Rio JaneirQ Captain Clark was
told that the Spanish torpedo boat Te-
merario was following him. This re-
port gave new interest to the trip for
a day and a night, but at the next
port or call he was informed that the
TemerariO had gone into rydoc at
Rio Janeiro just after the departure of
the Oregon.
The cruise through the straits of
Magelon was most interesting. 1t was
at this far southern point of the
American hemisphere tina the crew
pyDpctp0 tO rQcaiUp a yicit froro tLo
Spaniards. In many places the chan
mel was very narrow and crooked
with hidden bays and coves, and back
of them, mountains towering into the
clouds on either side. Moreover, they
were in the lane of icy winter. For
more than a month they had been sail
ing under tropical 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. Captain Clark a no idea OF
giving the Spaniards, if they were
there, a chance to catch him mapping
If the great battleship were to be
wing. The engines were warmed VI
to their best work and wherever il
was safe and possible the Oregon
bowled along at fifteen knots an hour
The machinery worked we'll, and or
occasions the speed was increased
&C iOlS III d Ley" minutes. "A SCOI
of three days was made at Sandy
Point, where coal was taken on anG
other supplies secured.
The OregOn's twenty-five officers anG
her crew of 425 seamen were we'll anG
happy when the battleship cast ar
Choir off Sandy Key lighthouse at 6:3(
o'clock this morning. The Oregon is
in flrst-class shape and ready for an
other cruise as long as the one just
ended. The excellent condition of the
men after their sixty-six days voyage
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 immedi.
ate activity as if they had just conn
frC.n a vacation.
The Oregon picked up the cruiser
Marietta and the dynamite cruiser
Nictheroy between Rio Janeiro anG
Bahia, but h parted company with
them after a few hundred miles.
Captain Clark said the crew of the
Oregon had suffered much from the
heat in passing twice through the
tropics. "All the way along" he add.
ed, Eve were wondering where the
Spaniards were and we never ascer-
tanned that fact until we reached
here"
DO you know now?" Captain Clark
was asked.
well" he replied. II imagine we
can make a very accurate guess"
The Oregon will remain here for or
ders.