The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1900-07-03

CAPT. CLARK SAYS SHIP WILDE SAVED
No efound Swell In Tho Gulf Of PsohllI Three
United States Vessels Arc Atismpuugic
Float lhs Oregon.

Washington, July a-The following
cable message has been received at the
navy department from Rear Admiral
kempff:
Chee-Foo. July !.
Secretary OF Navy. Washington:
Oregon has run aground. 1t Is not in
a dangerous position; about SS degrees
north latitude. 20 degrees 40 minutes
east longitude. Have sent to her as
sistance three naval vessels. 1t Is re-
ported that there Is water I'm one COM
partment The commander OF the Ore
gon did not request assistance. Jap
anese man-of-war having boarded YES
sci. kDMPFF.
The rear admirals favorable report
of the condition of the oregon Is be-
lieved by Secretary Long to DE based
on the report OF the commander of the
Japanese vessel which generously Of
fered assistance.
CAPT. CLARK's VIEW.
New York, July s.-capt. Charles Il.
Clark, who commanded the battleship
Oregon when she made her famous voy-
age around the Cape and through the
straits of Magellan during the war with
Spain passing through the city yester-
day on his way from Newport 10 his
station at League Island. expressed
himself as confident that the ship would
not be lost.
Il think she can be saved. and will
be saved" he said. There Is no
ground swell in the Gulf of Pechili.'
Capt. Clark continued, and that is a
great point in favor of the ship. storms,
OF course. cause heavy swell in the
Gulf Of Pechili, but the swell goes down
as soon as the blow is over. There
fore. unless storm should arise. the
Oregon is safe. so far as the swell is
concerned. Judging from the reports
she is I'm quiet water now.
II am inclined to believe, also. from
a study.of the chart. that she is among
several small islands. This would
break the force of the sea IL storm
should rise.
Then there are the tides to be con-
sidered. On the bar of Taku the tides
run 10 feet. and as the water of the
gulf is poured in every six hours and
then out again, there are very strong
currents. These might be an advan-
tage or they might not. The current
setting one way might drive the ship
on the rocks. and setting the other way
IL might help to drag her of.
''lf, then the tides do not rack and
warp the ship too much. and cause her
compartments to bind, see no rea-
son why they should not save her. As
understand from the dispatches her
motive gear is uninjured. Apparently
she has number OF holes In her dou-
BILE bottom and hole forward in her
side. above the double bottom. Now.
the holes in the double bottom do not
matter-that is what the double bot
tom Is for--to be stove In IL the ship
runs on the rocks. and protect the real
bottom. Ii Is the hole above the dou-
Ill. lx<xtt fIaf 10 n hnlQ
might have been made in one OF two
ways-either in such a way as to open
four compartments. or so as TO open
only one. I believe that only one com
partment has been injured. If this is
So there viii be no trouble i'm floating
the ship, provided that the action OF the
tides does not bind her. so that the
water will leak into the other compart-
ments."
ION whom does the responsibility
rest?' Capt. Clark was asked
ION the captain. Of course Capt.
Clark replied. Going TO sea is made
up OF chances. and any man that goes
10 sea is bound to meet with a mishap
II he goes long enough. Good judg-
ment and watohfulness may keep the
mishap off for long time. but IL Is
sure to come sooner or later
ION the other hand the man who uses
the best Judgment and the greatest care
Is often the first to meet with an acci-
dent. You know what the Duke OF
Wellington said about war--that Il was
a series OF mistakes. and the man who
made the fewest won. Well. that Is
what going 10 sea is. and the success
full man is the one who makes the few
est mistakes.
Capt. Wilde made a mistake un-
doubtedly. but the best OF men are liza
BILE 20 do that. OF one thing am sure.
and that is that he did everything that
could be done. know the man. and
know that he may well be regarded.
as he is regarded. as one of the most
competent men in the navy.
"He Is not only man of sound jIidg-
ment and great carefulness. but thor
oughly approachable He Is ready 10
take suggestions from anyone. and all
the subordinate officers feel fres1 10
give him advice. have not the slight