The Indianapolis journal., 1898-05-27
Several RumOrs and One Call to Arms
When a Torpedo Boat Was Thought
to Be Near the Big Ship.
FLEET OF SMALL VESSELS
SEVENTEEN LEFT AT KEY WEST
WHEN SAMPSON SAILED AWAY.
Work of FOrtifying the Island City
Transportation of Troops mt Tam
pa Now the Problem.

KEY WEST, Fla, May 26-The United
States battle ship Oregon arrived here this
morning from Jupiter and is now at anchor
near Sandy key light. Capt. Charles Clark
and other officers of the Oregon 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 10
and arrived at Callao on April a. left there
on April and passed Sandy Point on April
p, arriving at Rio de Janeiro on April 80.
The battle ship reached Bahia on May 8
and touched at Barbados on May Is. At
the latter place the war ship was quaran-
tined, but she was only detained one day.
The battle ship arrived off Jupiter light on
May "a and then communicated with Wash
ington. The Oregon picked up the cruiser
Marietta and the dynamite cruiser Nicthe-
roy between Rio de Janeiro and Bahia, but
she parted company with them after few
hundred miles. The Oregon coaled four
times on her trip-at Callao, Sandy Point.
Rio de Janeiro and Barbados, and reached
here with plenty of coal and water on
board. The first news the officers and crew
of the Oregon had of the Manila victory
was at Rio de Janero. where Captain Clark
received telegram from Washington.
Captain Clark says the crew of the Ore
gon suffered much from the heat in passing
twice through the tropics. ''All the way
long" he added, 1--WE were wondering where
the Spaniards were, and we never ascer-
tained that fact until we reached here
do you know now?" Captain Clark was
asked.
WELL" he replied, 81 imagine we can
make very accurate guess
Alarming rumors met the Oregon at every
port on the way here At Rio de Janeiro
her crew heard that dynamite had been
found in the coal and at Callao the officers
were informed that, plans had been discoy-
cred to blow up the ship. All these start
ling reports proved to be groundless. On
leaving Barbados the Oregon sailed al
most directly north, going to the north of
Porto Rico about $50 miles. The northerly
course was continued until the Bermudas
were sighted, when she sailed for the east
coast of Florida Captain Clark explains
that the reason for going to Jupiter inlet
instead of putting in at Key West was to
enable the Oregon to be ready to go either
to Key West or Hampton Roads in short
order after getting information from Wash
ington.
Captain Clark had no official knowledge of
the situation after leaving Rio Janero on
expected momentarily to meet the Spanish.
Only once, however, was there a call to
arms. This was shortly after midnight on
leaving Rio Janeiro. AS the Oregon was
plowing through the black equatorial sea
a dark object was discovered ahead. The
call to 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
no
purSueT only to find it a harmless bark in
stead OF Spanish war ship. Back to their
berths crept the men, with mutterings of
disappointment and disgust.
At Rio Janeiro Captain Clark was told
that the Spanish torpedo boat Temerarto
was following him. This report gave new
interest to the trip for day and night,
but at the next port of call he was in
formed that the Temerario had gone into
dry dock at Rio Janeiro just after the de-
partura of the Oregon
The cruise through the Straits of Magellan
was most interesting. 1t was at this far
southern point of the American hemisphere
that the crew expected to receive a visit
from the Spaniards. In many places the
channel is very narrow a crooked. with
hidden bays and cover, and, back of them,
mountains towering into the clouds on either
side. Moreover, they were in the land of
had been sailing under tropical skies, and
now the blasts of December whistled among
the crags above them and ice at night lay
on the decks. But the Oregon did not lag.
Captain Clark had no idea of giving the
Spaniards, if they were there, a chance, to
catch him mapping. If the great battle ship
were to be caught it should be catch on
the wing The engines were warmed up to
their best work, and wherever it was safe
and possible the oregon bowled along at
fifteen knots an hour. The machinery
worked well, and on occasions the speed
was increased three knots in a few minutes.
A stop of three days was made at Sandy
Point where coal was taken on and other
: supplies secured.
The Oregon's twenty-five officers and her
nf
when the battle ship cast anchor off Sand
key lighthouse at half past this morning.
The Oregon is in first-class shape and ready
for another cruise as long as the one just
ended. The excellent condition of the men
after their sixty-six days voyage is per-
haps even more remarkable. Throughout
the entire trip there were no cases of seri-
Gus illness on board. and the men are as
eager for immediate activity as if they had
just come from a vacation in the noun
tains.