The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1898-05-31
OREGON SAW NO
SIGN OF ENEMY
BIG BaTTLESnIP COMPLErED r1s
LONG JOURNEY IN EXCEL.
LENT STYLE.
Careful watch WassKcpt-Capinin Clarke
Describes Ills Voyage Around tho Horn
And Asserts That His Men Arc Not
Only Ready but Anxlous to
Faco SpanlardS.

| Faco Spanlnrds.
Key West, May 20.-The United
States battleship Oregon arrived here
this morning from Jupiter, and is
now at anchor near Sandy Key
light.
Charles e. Clarke and othor Off
GERS Of the Oregon came ashore ut 10
o'clock and reported all we'll on board
and the ship in good condition.
The Oregon left San Francisco
March lst and arrived at Callao
April 4th; loft there April 7th and
passed Sandy Point April 2lst, ar
irving at Janeiro April 30th. The
battleship reached Bahia May 9th
and touched at Barhadoes May 18th.
at the latter place the warship was
quarantined, but she was detained
only one day. On leaving tho Bar
badoos tho Oregon siled almost di
rectly north, going to the north of
Porto Rico about $50 miles. The
northerl y con,se was continued until
tho Bermudas were sighted, when
she headed for the Florida coast.
Captain Clarke explains that the
reason for going to Jupiter inlet in
stead of putting in at Key West was
to enable the Oregon to bo ready to
go either to Key West or to Hamp-
ton Ronds in short order aftor get
ting official information from Wash
ington.
Captain Clarke had no official
knowledge Of tho situation after
leaving Rio Janeiro. During the
entire trip he expected momentariIy
to meet the Spanish. Only once,
however, was there q call to arms.
This was shortly alter midnight on
leaving Rio Janeiro.
As the Oregon was plowing
through the black equatorial sou a
dark object was discovered ahead ap-
parehtly giving chase. Tho call to
general quarters was sounded, the
mon rolled ont Of their berths with
the enthusiasm O. boys on circus
day, and almost instantly every gun
was manned. The Oregon left her
course and circled around her black
pur5uer, only to find it harmless
bark instead Of q Spanish warship
Back to their berths crept the men
with mutterings of disappointment
and disgust.
At Rio Janeiro Captain Clarke was
told that the Spanish torpedo boat
Temerario was following him. This
report gave new interest to the trip
for day and night, but at the next
port of call no was informed that the
Temerario had gone into dry dock at
Rio Janeiro just after the departure
of the Oregon.
The cruise through the straits of
Magellan was most interesting It
was at this far Southern point of the
American hemisphere that the crew
expected to receive visit from the
Spaniards. In many places the
channel was very narrow and crooked
with hidden bays and coves, and
back of them mountains towering in
to the clouds on either side. More.
over they were in the land of icy
winter. For more than a month
they had been sailing under tropical
stars, and now the blasts of Decem.
ber whistled among tho crugs above
them and ice at night lay on the
decks.
But tho Oregon did not lag. Cap.
tain Clarke had no idea of giving
tho Spaniards, if they were there, a
chance to catch him mapping. If
the great battleship were to be
caught, it should be a catch on the
wing. The engines we'ro warmed up
to their best work, and wherever it
was safe aud possible the Oregon
bowled along at fifteen knots an hour.
The machinery worked wei, and on
occasions tho speed was increased
three knots in few minutes. a stop
of three days was made ut Sandy
Point, whore coal was taken on and
other supplies secured
Tho .Oregon's % officers and her