Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1898-05-19
OREGON SAFE
ONCE MORE
End of the Long Trip Around
the Horn.
THIRTEEN THOUSAND MILES
Spanish War Fleet Not Encountered
by the Battleship.

The Second Largest Vessel In the Ameri-
miral SIMPSONS Fleet - Anxiety of
Naval Oficials at Last Relieved-Span.
ish Topedo Boats Feared More Than
the Warships-The Dewey Relief EN-
pedition Gets Started by the Sailing OF
the Charleston From San Francisco.
Pennsylvania Soldiers Selected Co Go to
the Philippine Islands.
WASHINGTON, May 19.-Secfetary
Long gave out the welcome informa-
ton that the battleship Oregon, the
second largest craft in the American
navy, had successfully completed her
long trip from San Francisco, making
the entire circuit of South America and
has Joined Admiral SIMPSONS fleet,
the secretary would not say. The rigid
secrecy of the navy department was
relaxed only enough to make known
the best news the navy department
had received since the battle of Ma
Mia, as it meant not only that the Or
egon was out of harms way, from a
concerted attack on this one ship by
the whole Spanish squadron now in
southern waters, but also that her
great fighting strength would be added
to Admiral SIMPSONS force in the near
future, if indeed it had not already
augmented the admiraIs S strength.
The Oregon left San Francisco about
six weeks ago, before the war had
opened, and at that time it was not
admitted that she was to join the ships
in Atlantic waters. She stopped at
Sallao for dispatches and then went
around the Horn and then up the east
coast of South America. In all the trip
covered more than 5000 miles. The
last stretch from Bahia to the Wind
ward islands has been followed with
anxiety by naval officers, for by d
strange coincidence the formidable
Spanish squadron of armored cruisers
and torpedo boats approached the
Windward islands at the very time
when the Oregon was due there 1T
had been suspected that the Spanish
admiral would try to intercept the bat
lltSIIp Will HIS superior lDICe, anu De-
fore leaving Bahia Captain Clark of
the Oregon was warned to keep a close
lookout for the Spanish fleet. In reply
Captain Clark expressed his confidence
in being able to hold his own single
handled with the Oregon against all
the Spanish cruisers. The only appre-
hension he felt was as to the torpedo
boats under the Spanish admiral's
nd for these a
practically unknown element against
the modern battleship, and Captain
Clark, while confident of holding out
against these also, said a chance blow
might be struck by them.
Notwithstanding Captain Clark's as
surances, the navy department con-
tinued to feel that a meeting between
the Spanish squadron and the Ameri-
can battleship on such unequal terms
was far from desirable and might bring
most serious results. For this reason
the official information reaching the
authorities was a source of most hear
ty congratulations. Where the report
came from was not made known, but
the mere fact that Secretary Long re-
CARDS the Oregon as safe makes it evil
dent that she has passed we'll to the
northward of the Windward islands.
Aside from this bit of information
Secretary Long said that there was no
further news to be given out.