Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-05-25
THE BATTLE SHIP OREGON.
THE ARRIVAL OF THE OREGON.
Beach Watchers Sighted the Big Bat
tie Shin,

Beach Watcher. Sighted the Big Bat
tie Ship.
Rather reluctantly the Navy Department
confirmed. the report of the presence of the
battle ship Oregon at Jupiter Inlet Fla,
where she arrived last night. The reluct-
ance Is shown because the department has
regarded it as good policy to keep the enemy
in ignorance of the whereabouts of our ma
val vessels, and has far succeeded of
late in its efforts as to warrant continu-
ance of this policy. While declining to give
any details of the trip at this time, the Off
Gals admit that the ship swung clear to the
eastward of both the Lesser and Greater
Antilles after leaving Barbados until she
arrived at a point opposite the Bahamas,
when she turned sharply in and made for
the Florida coast. Just what she is doing
at Jupiter cannot be learned. Perhaps she
is lying there to guard the great channel
between the Bahamas and Florida, that
would be the course followed by the Span
ish squadron or by the torpedo-boat de-
stroyer Terror in the event that they had
determined on an attack on some of the
cities of the north Atlantic coast, and in
that case nothing would be likely to pass
the Oregon without rendering fair &C
count On the other hand, she may be
simply lying at Jupiter awaiting the instruc-
lions of the department as to where 10
proceed for cleaning and coaling. in which
case 1t would not be surprising If she ap-
peared at Port Royal naval station tomor-
row and tested the new dock there for the
first time since her sister ship the Indiana,
was carried in by Captain Bob Evans a
couple of years ago.
The Oregon left Mare Island. Cal. 1000
miles away from Jupiter. March 10, so she
has averaged 200 miles a day for sixty-five
days. AS matter of fact, the vessel has
made much better speed. for a good many
OF these sixty-f1ve days were lost in TAX
ing coal at the South American ports. The
Pacific coast contingent in Washington
cannot restrain their enthusiasm over the
remarkable perfo rmance of this creation
of the slope workshops. Representative
H;ibcrn called at the Navy Department TO
verify the news of the ships arrival and
he found the officials were fully disposed to
agree with him in all that he had to say
as to the Oregon's great record He said
that by this performance the ship has for
ever silenced the congressional critics of
battle ships who had declared that no bat
tie ship ever had or would cross the AZ
lantic, for the Oregons run was fraught
with more peril and involved straightaway
stretches of greater length than the At
lantic passage in any season.
The locating of the Oregon came about In
peculiar way, by means of the beach
watchers. who are on the alert for the ap-
proach of hostile ships. These beach pa
trolls continue night and day. and last night
tie patrol was rewarded by sighting the
Zig American battle ship. Signaling was
begun by use of torches and in this way
messages to and from the battle ship were
exchanged throughout the night. In turn
these messages were sent to the Navy De-
partment which Is connected by direct tel
egraph line with the signal station near
Jupiter Inlet. The Oregon has not yet sent
the usual notice of her arrival except
through the torch exchange with the beach
watchers. 1t is the first time the new pa
tlol system has haG the opportunity to
show it's efficiency, not only in guarding
against the approach of hostile ships, but
also in reporting to the Navy Department
the movements Of our own ships