The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1898-06-01
TIE nREGON'S LONG TRIP.
GiDr VOYAGE OF FIFTEEN 1rcUS-
AID MILES.

S!SC III - -
sie s Now Safe AZ Key Wet Taking on
Coal and Ammunition TIE Reads BILE
Story Of Her Cruise Captain Cla:k's
Pr cautions.
Tee United States battleship Oregon
has srrl7ed at Key West, Fla, after
making continuous voyage OF If
ieen thousand miles.
The Oregon left San Francisco
M2rch 19, arrived at Callao April 4,
left there April 7 and passed Sandy
Point (Pun:a Arenas) April 81, arriv-
ing at RIO Janeiro April 80. The Dat.
tleship reached Bahls May s and
touched at BArbs does May 49, At the
latter place the 1arship WAS ousran-
tined, but she was only detained one
daV.
Ga leaving the Barbados, the O1e-
gon sailed almost directly norta, 60
,ug to the north OF Porto Rico about
$50 miles. Inc nor!nerly course was
continued until the Bermudas were
sighted, when she headed Tor The
Florida coast. Capt CLARK explains
that The reason for going 10 Jupiter
inlet instead OF putting 10 at Key
West was to enable the Oregon TO be
ready to 90 either to Key West or
Hampton Roads in short ordr after
getting official information from
Washington.
Capt. Clark had no official knowl-
edge OF the situation after leaving Rio
Janeiro on April 81. During the en-
tire Trip the crew expected moments
ruy to meet The Spanish. Oaly once,
nowevsr, was taere call to arms.
fnis was shortly after midnight On
leaving Rio JAneiro. As the Oregon
Was ploughlng through the black
equatorial sea q dar K object vas dis
covered ahead, apparently giving
chase. The call to general quarters
was sounded, The men rolled OUT OF
their births with the enthusiasm of
boys on circus day, and alnos! in
stantly every gun was manned. The
Oregon left ner course and circled
around her black pursuer, only 10
ino it a harmlsss bark instead of 8
Spahisn warship.
BACK TO 1nsir berths crept the men
with mutterings of disappointment
and disgust.
Az Rio Janeiro Capt. CLARK was told
Ita1 Ins Spanish torpedo boat Tsme-
rArlo was following MIN. This report
gave new interest 10 the trip for day
and night, but at the next port OF call
ne was informed that The Temerario
had gore into dry dock at Rio JaneIro
just after The departure OF the Oregon.
The cruise through the straits OI
Masellan WAS most Interesting. u
was 1T this far souInern point Of the
AmsrIcan hemisphere that the crew
ex secLsd 10 receive visit from lne
SpanIaldi. In many places the chan
mel Was very narrow and crooked,
with hidden Days and coves, and oack
Of them mountains lowered IN the
clouds on either side. Moreover rhey
were IN the land Of icy winter. For
more Lnan month they had been
SAILING under tropical skies, and now
Lhe cold blasts whlsIIed among The
crags above them ana the ice at night
lay on the decks.
But the Oregon did no! lag. Capt.
Clark mad no idea OF giving Span-
iarcs, If they were there, q chance to
catcn MIN mapping. If tne great bat,
tleshlp were 10 be caught II should be
. catch on the wing. Tne engines
were warmed up to their best WORK
and whenever it was safe and possible
the Oregon ooWled along at Is kno.s
an nour. The machinery worked well,
aud on occasions the speed Was in
creased three knots n few minutes.
a stop OF three days was made al
Sandy Point, Wnere coal was taken
on and other supplies secured.
The Oregon's Is officers ard her
crew OF 425 seamen were well AID
happy when the Dattleship cast ancnor
eff SANDY Key lighthouse at $50 Ehls
morning. the Oregon is in first Class
shape and ready for another cruise as
long rs the one jlst ended. The ex-
cellent condition OF the men aitsr
their IS days voyage is perhaps more
remarkable. Throughout The erllle
rip there were no cases Of serious
illness on buard, and the men are IS
eager for Immediate activity as If they
nau just come from vacation N The
mouulalnS.
The Oregon picked up the cruiser
MarleLta and Inc dynamite cruiser
NIc.neloy between RIO Janeiro ana
Bahia, bur she parted company win
.Eem af or few Eundre0 mllss.
Capt. Clark SAD Inc crew OF the
Oregon mad sufferer much from Inc
neal IL passing twice Inrougn Tie
tropics.
'.Au the way along" he added,
we were wondering wnere the Span.
larus were, and He never ascertalnsd
tnaI fact until we 1eacned here.
Do yCu KNOW uow2" Capt. Clark
Tas asked.
''We4I," he replied, Il imagine we
can make very accurate guess"
me Oregon wall remain here for
oid7rs.
The CASE OF JlMiNsZ