The record-union., 1898-05-27
Ready for Another Cruise Of
the Same Length.
Only Once During the Voyage Was
There a Call to Arms.
Reports That an Attempt Was Made TO
Destroy the Big Battleshlp by Placing
Dynamite In Her Coal With
out Foundation.

KEY WEST, May 26.-Captain
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 on
March 10Th, arrived at Callao on April
4th, left there on April 7th. and passed
Sandy Point on April 21st, arriving at
Rio Janeiro on April 30th. The battle
ship reached Bahia on May. Sth, and
touched at Barbados ON May 18th. At
the latter place the warship was quar-
antined, but she was only detained one
day.
The battleship arrived off Jupiter
light on May 9th and then communi-
Gated with Washington
The Oregon picked up the Marietta
and the dynamite cruiser Nictheroy be-
tween Rio Janeiro and Bahia. but she
parted company with them after a few
hundred miles.
Captain Clark said the crew had suf-
fered much from the heat in passing
twice through the tropics
"All the way along" he added "we
We're wondering where the Spaniards
where, and never ascertained that fact
until we reached here"
DO you know now?'
Well" he replied, Il imagine we can
make very accurate guess"
The Oregon will remain her for or
ders.
The Oregon coaled four times on her
trip, at Callao, Sandy Point, Rio ia
metro and Barbadoes, and they had
plenty of coal and water on board.
The first news the officers and crew
of the Oregon had of the Manila naval
victory was at Rio Janeiro, where
Captain Clark received a telegram from
Washington
Alarming rumors met the Oregon at
every port. At Rio Janeiro her crew
heard a report that dynamite had been
found in the COAL and at Callao the of
ficers were informed that plans had
been discovered to blow up the ship All
these startling reports proved to be
groundless.
On leaving the Barbados, the Oregon
sailed almost 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 20
Key West or Hampton Roads in short
order after getting information from
Washington.
Captain Clark had no official knowI-
edge of the situation after leaving Rio
Janeiro on April Goth. During the en-
tire trip the crew expected to meet
the Spaniards. Only once, however.
was there call to arms. This was
shortly after midnight after 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 her course
and circled around her black pursuer,
only to find it a harmless bark. instead
of a Spanish warship. 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
Temerario was following him. This re-
port gave new interest to the trip for
a day and night. but at the next port
of call he was informed that the Te-
merario had gone into dry dock at Rio
Janeiro just after the departure of the
Oregon.
The cruise through the Straits of
Magellan was most interesting. 1t was
at the most extreme point of the Amer
lean Hemisphere that the crew expect
ed to receive a visit from the Span
iards. At many places the channel is
very narrow and crooked, with hidden
bays and coves back of them, and
mountains towering into the clouds
on either side Moreover, they were
in the land of icy winter. For more
than a month they had been sailing
under tropical skies, and now the blasts
of December whistled among the crags
about them, and ice at night lay on the
decks.
But the Oregon did not lag Captain
Clark had no idea of giving the Span
fards, if they were there, chance Of
catching him mapping. If the great
battleship We're to be caught ii would
be catch on the wing. The engines