The Philipsburg mail., 1898-11-18
GETTING TIE OREGON READY.
The Splendid Battleship Prepared foa
Her Voyage ROund South America.


Her Voyage Round South America.
Before the battleship Maine" was
sen: to the harbor OF Havana, the more
prudent statesmen at Washington had
begun to make plans for possible war
with Spain. They had looked over
their maps and books to determine
where the ships of war should be sta
TONED, and how they We're to be
brought whore needed. The "Oregon,'
battleship of the best type, like the
Indiana" Iowa. and "Massachu-
sets, was known to be in Puget Sound
at the extreme northwestern corner Of
the United States: and it was believed
that 1t might be wise to have her join
the fleet in the Atlantic Ocean. The
oregon was the first battleship built on
the Pacific coast, and had never been
In the Atlantic. She was launched at
the Union Iron Works San Francisco,
in October, 1893. ard was ready for
service July IS. 1886. Though the fast
est of battleships. and seaworthy
boat, it had been found that she rolled
too much, and to correct this fault
she was sent to the dry-dock in Puget
Sound to have extra keels-"bilge-
keels'-ftted to prevent the rolling
motion. When news came of the sink
inG of the Maine during tho night OF
February 10, it was at once decided to
replace her by an even stronger man
of-war; and next morning, when the
Oregon left her dry-dock, she was met
by a lighthouse tender, that brought
orders to rush her coaing, and pro-
coed at once to Snn Francisco In
three days after leaving Puget Sound
she had covered the 190 miles, and ar
rived in San Francisco on March 9.
The sailors worked day and night for
the next ten days, and loaded the Ore
gon with years provisions and about
1900 tons of coal. BY this time the
captain knew of the great voyage he
was to make, and everything was done
to put the ship in perfect condition.
Saturday, March 10. at in the morn
ing, the Oregon steamed out of the
Golden Gate to begin the greatest voy-
age ever made by a .battleship. 1t
must be remembered that these YES
sells are built for coast defense, and
are not considered adapted for ocean
voyages Indeed. one Of our congress-
men not long ago predicted that mo
battleship could ever cross the Atlantic
Ocean" Many believed that these
heavy iron monsters would turn tur-
tlc"-that is, capsize-when in heavy
sea. But if any men in this world
know their business, the American
navy know theirs. and every officer and
engineer and sailor and stOker on the
Oregon rejoiced at the long voyage be-
fore them When the president was
sending word to congress that he could
do no more with the Spanish govern
ment by peaceful means, and while the
commission of naval officers was learn
ing that the Maine was destroyed by
mine placed below her keel, the Oregon
was steaming ever aOuthward through
the Pacific, with V of glistening foam
parting at her white bow. For sixteen
days her screws whirled her along,
while the sun grew hotter, and the heat
in the fire-rooms, where her men were
feeding her furnaces full, increased un-
til the thermometer read 16l degrees!
Only one man was prOstrated by the
heat: and no sooner was he revived
than he begged to be allowed to return
10 the scorching work. Indeed Captain
Clark says that all the men were eager
TO work overtime. and would never ad-
nit they We're overcome by their du-
ties.