Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-05-20
The Safety Of the Oregon.

cent the oregon. Perhaps it has real
izad that discretion is the better part
of yalor. and has wisely refrained from
attempting the interrogation act. Ger
tain if is that Admiral SIMPSONS task
would have been greatly simplified If
the Spanish fleet had undertaken the
capture redistribution of the big Oregon.
OF late there has even been feeling
that the oregon was in search of the
lost squadron, and that when it APP
reared in port it would be with the
Spanish ships in tow. Some have
laughed at the idea of the Oregon be-
ing in any danger on her journey
northward from Rio Janero; others
have taken the matter very seriously,
especially since the Spanish fleet was
known to be in the Caribbean. The
government officials have protested to
feel no uneasiness as to the ability of
the Oregon to look out for herself, but
it is beyond dispute that both navy
department and general public eX-
perienced a feeling of relief and graft
fication when Secretary Long officially
announced that the oregon was safe
at last. He gave no particulars as to
her location, for the department
doesn't propose to supply Spain with
any more information than is neces
sary, but if the Oregon is safe it means
that she is now with the rest of the
American fleet where she is power
full addition to it's battle line.
The voyage of the Oregon has been
one unique and picturesque in naval
annals. From San Francisco to the
Gulf of Mexico is some $4,000 miles, the
longest and lonliest voyage a warship
ever undertook. 1t was on March 10.
a little more than a month after the
destruction of the Maine, that this
mightiest and swiftest of our battle
ships steamed out of the golden gate
under sealed orders" That was 60 days
ago, and five weeks before the declara
ton of war. Her sailing orders had
reached her on the 18th. one month to
a day after the loss of the Maine. I'M
mediately her mission was guessed, and
the first message her flags grouped was
this: Remember the Maine" With
that for her watchword she has
rounded the continent and joined the
fighting fleet.
Before she had left the California
coast she ran into very severe weather
and much anxiety was occaSioned when
she was many days overdue at her first
port, Calao, 1000 miles from san Fran
cisco But the remainder of her voyage
toward Cape Horn was accomplished
at the surprising rate Of a 13-knot
speed. which is all of two or three
knots more than is expected of her
type. In the straits Of Magellan she
was overtaken by the little gunboat
Marietta. Together they started upon
their journey northward. keeping no
doubt vigilant watch for the Spanish
torpedo thrower, the Temerario, which
was known to be lurking mysteriously
about the Brazilian coast. and at Rio
Janiero the two boats gained the COM
pany of the dynamite cruiser, Meth
eroy, which our government had pur-
chased of Brazil and rechristened the
Buffalo. Without further incident, SO
far as the public knows. but with great
caution, the sail of some 1900 miles
was finished, and another battleship is
about to be added to the national de-
Tense.
The voyage of the Oregon has shown
the nation the necessity of canal
across the isthmus of Central America.
This little strip of land perlously d.
vides our strength in time of war. and
makes our coasts four times as far
apart as they ought to be. Had the
much talked of canal been in existence
the oregon would have reached our
fleet after a journey of only $500 miles,
five weeks ago, with great saving of
coal. May this lesson not be lost on
our statesmen. The nation is glad to
welcome the Pacfic-born Oregon to
the waters of the Atlantic 1t knows
that the crew of Yankee tars who could
safely navigate her through all the
sea perils of a tedious eight weeks voy
age, will take equal care Of her in any
encounter with Spanish foes.
1t is rather rough on those two re-
DGrtarS a boIlt tO hp pXch9 Oup1 for two