The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-07-12

most famous vessel of the United States
navy louay. t1er voyage arounu the
Horn at the outbreak OF Ine war with
Spain, when sne covered l4,o00 knots
ana arrived at her destination in per-
feet CONDITION. ana fit TO go into battle
without a days delay, was the most
remarkable voyage III the history or
battle ships, and the part taat she boae
in the pattle OF July 3, 1885, on Santiago,
is now historic. Tne trip from the Pa
cific to the Atlantic coast has been APP
proacnsa only by her own return trip
rroln New DIRK TO Manila, via Cape
Horn, a distance of 10000 nautical mics,
arriving, as ADMIRAL Dewsy cabied, In
lit conaition for any duty
The Oregon was cooked at the Puget
Souno Naval Station on January 4,
1898, and, having had the usual docking
repairs made, was hoated on Fepruary
I6tn, the Jay on which news came OF
the blowing up of the battle ship Maine
in havana narbor the night before.
w hen it became evident that war was
likely TO be the outcome of the Cuban
trouble, the Oregon was ordered TO the
Atlantic, to aod It's great strength to
Admiral Simpsons fleet, and from the
time that the signal of Ahead, fuil
speed" was received at $50 a. M. on
March 6,n until $3.50 p. m. on May 2itn,
when the engines were stopped and the
Oregon anchored off Jupiter Inlet, Fla,
her remarkable machinery, cared for
and manipulated by an engineer depart
ment whose perfect organization and
rare ability stand pre-eminent, worked
without a serious casualty. The history
of this voyage is story of ceaSeless
| vigil and painstaking care on the part
Of the engineer personnel to maintain
1 the efficiency of the motive machinery
| and on the part of the staff, headeo by
! the gallant Captain Charles T.. Clark
Z m nc ha lf4atxy of no
! in that perilous Time.
Life below the protective deck of the
I Oregon after March s. 1893, was a life
of hardship ana toll. life spent in {
heated atmosphere, where the roaring
! of the furnaces and the leaping of tnt
massive engines might well have a4lord
/ ed some excuse for confusion. Not SO
however. These men of the engines
+ department were equal to the emery
/ eney, and went about their duty ear
neStly and with wonderful intelligence
The organization was perfect and tn
execution of the task faultless On NOR
than one occasion, when the laborS o
the men before the furnaces seemed {
them to go for naught. ami they fel
i all but discouraged because the steam
would not ''go up the engineer officers
discarding their uniforms, jumped il
among them, fed the furnaces with thei
own hands, and by force of example s
i.
they redoubled their efforts, and tn
great ship sped through the water at
swifter pace. This is the spirit that i'm
bued the men of the Oregon-engineer:
? staff and crew-and this the work tina
. brought to a successful end the mos
remarkable run ever made by battl
, ship.
t Ordinarily, after run of 1880 knots
a great many repairs would be foun
and several weeks would not be cor
sidered too long time to spend in re
habilitating the engines and boilers {
. any ship after such extraordinary SCI
! vice. but the Oregon coaled, rapid
completed a few adjustments of ma
chinery, repaired few minor defect
y and at 1:04 on the morning of May 29tl
, less man three days after her arriva
: steamed away from Key West to ad
her strength to that of our fleet o
Santiago de Cuba. Her part in the ba
q tie of July g. 1898, which resulted in TT
| humiliation of the Spanish fleet und'
= Admiral Cervera, is now matter
: history, and too fresh in the minds
a Americans to need repetluon. But
= any further evidence is needed tina
\ that already given of the qualities
= ! the Oregon. and of her personnel, IL
r. following appropriate quotations fro
the official report of Admiral Sampso
N IN the battle OF July Sd VIII undouD
- eddy furnish it:
: THE fine speed of the Oregon enable
h her to take front position in the cha
y and the Cristobal Colon did not give
@ until the Oregon had thrown a thirtee
% inch shell beyond her. This perform
- lnce adds to the already brilliant care
IL of this fine battle ship, and speaks higl
y of the skill and care with which h
~ admirable efficiency has been maintain
:, ID during a service unprecedented in Il
"a history of fighting vessels of her class
~ The Oregon was launched from Il
~ Union Iron Works, October &c, 1893, Il
- first battle ship ever built in Californi
- and was commissioned July Is. 1896
"a length she is 34S feet; So feet inch
y, beam. % feet Az inches draft; displac
IL ment IL, 900 tons. Her contract spec
: was sixteen knots, which she exceeds
" almost full knot on her trial trip. III
main battery consists of four 13-inc
~ eight S-inch and four 6-inch rapid firel
lie and her secondary battery of TWEEN
l. 6-pounders and two 1-pounderS. II
lie side armor is of IS inches thickness
III her cost was So, 222. $40. Her compleme
l. is 80 officers and 462 men.
IN ->%S
Of
to EVERY DAY FACTS.