The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-03-25

sturdy breeze from out Oh Jne west
ruffies the Southern Sea and occas-
ionally crests the long-backed rollers
with silver foam. The early afternoon
sun beats down from sky that CLEANS
like FURNISHED steel. Not a cloud flecks
the blue expanse of heaven. Lofllng
}, leisurely along through the clear green
water the huge battleship Oregon
svashes Sher way over the tumbling
sens. Her broad bow cuts the waves
that curl sometimes almost up to her
low-lying deck, and two gradually sep
arating lines of foam mark the bound
aries of her wake. The thin, faint COL
rmns of smoke that rise from her rum
nels curl slightly toward the east,
borne by the wind that is moving
little faster than the chip. She mas
come from the far Pacific station TO
join the powerful squadron in the At
lantic, and now her voyage is almost
ended. In a little while she Will be
with her sister ships. But she is not in
q hurry, for she is not afraid. NO foe
sails the wide seas whom she would
hesitate to meet. The war has but just
begun, and not yet has the peerless
gladiator of the seas had opportunity
to test her giant strength against
foe. officers and men are eager Tor
this chance, and If fortune but sends
a ship of the enemy across her path
this brilliant afternoon in the early
summer a royalty warm welcome she
will get
Along the forecastles the Jackies sit
or stand in eager, expectant groups
watching the horizon in all directions
with keen eyes, hopeful of outrivallng
the impatient lookout at the masthead
+ot, firct ciSyht nf thn wished
for enemy. On the quarterback some
of the officers keep similar watch. The
officer of the watch PAGES the narrow
semicircular bridge with quick. ner-
vous strides, and occasionally sweeps
the whole range of the horizon with his
glass. But up in the top the lookout,
steady. and cool. wins the reward of
his patience.
Sail Hol"
Just over the starboard bow, far
down in the horizon, he sees a small
black pencil standing out against the
cleaning blue of the sky. He brings
his glass to bear on it again and looks
at it long and we'll. Then he leans over
the edge of the top and waits until the
officer of the watch comes into view on
the bridge.
Sail ho!" he shouts.
The blood mounts up in the heart of
the young officer as the thought flashes
through his brain that this perhaps is
n the prey and the prize they seek. But
\the years of his training stand him In
god stead, and there is neither anxiety
excitement in his voice as he an
the lookout's eager hail:
ere away?"
zee points north starboard bow,
outs back the lookout.
you make her out?" asks the
calmly as if he expected to
flagship of his own squad
:" answers the lookout. Its
of a large steamer"
sings out the young Of
perhaps just a shade OF
ahis voice, "tell the cap
lookout has sighted the
: steamer bearing three
tarboard bow"
Isafates and dashes dowr
ne ladder hurries at with his mes
Sage, The men on the forward deck
have heard the colloquy between the
officer of the watch and the lookout
and their eyes are straining over the
starboard rail in sharp desire to make
out the approaching ship. The look
out and the officer bring their glasse:
into play again and both are eagerly
spanning the faint column of smoke
II grows in size and increases in dens
ity, and Just as they begin to make
ob n the outlines of the top rigging o.
:. the shin beneath the smoke the cap
Jain runs up on the bridge in respons'
TO the notification of the orderly
Quickly ne focuses his glass on th
distant ship A long time he looks il
silence and then officers and men hea
the command that most of all in th
captain's power to give they are glat
to get:
Clear the ship for action!"
It IS only a chance that the strange
IL an enemy, but prudence demand
that that chance be not passed withou
preparation. If the captain is right II
his guess as to the character OF tn
strange ship war has begun for tn
Oregon.
AN OMNINOUS COMMAND.
\ "CIear the ship!" The order runs iron
stem to stern like lightning flash. TIL
messengers hurry about notifying ev
NJ officer of the command. Some ar
Ytleep in their rooms. Some are a
work over their pet problems and the
cries of war making. Some are gos
siping in the ward room or visiting i
the room of a brother officer. All jun
IN their work at the order and eac
man, eagerly alive to the possibllitie
Of the next hour or so, hurries to HI
station. The bos'n's whistle, shrillin
along the passages and through tn
open~ spaces on the berth deck an
sounding it's high warning treble wher
ever the men of the crew are gathered
rouses the sleeping and the waiting I