The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-05-31

~ Day the famous United States
first-rate battleship Oregon.
Capt Charles NJ Thomas. command
ing. was sighted off port. Early in the
morning she dropped her anchor off
the harbor and saluted Uncle Sans
new Territory her guns booming
across the harhor and echeing in the
hills
Great and powerful, wicked looking
and impressive, bristling with great
guns and a swarm Of little guns, point
ing in all directions, with her long
homeward-bound pennant floating
gracefully from her mast of steel, she
indeed presented a spectacle to swell
the hearts of all who call the Stars and
Stripes their flag.
If there be an American who needs
his patriotism revived, let him go
aboard the floating guardian of Am
erican shores which lies at the gate
way of the Paradise of the Pacific and
be shown over the wonderful battle
ship by some of the gallant and obIg
ing officers whose every word concern
ing the Oregon is word of praise and
affection. Let him explore the mighty
ship of war from her fighting top to
her double bottom, from her stern to
her prov, inspecting the turrets where
the big guns are protected: her en-
gines. powerful affairs, which work
like watch: her every part and all
her intricate mechanism, listening the
while to the stories told by her officers
and men He will be saturated with
| a strong appreciation of the greatness
| izea something. almost unconsciously.
| of what it all stands for He will
thank God that he is an American, and
at the same time feel something of the
| fascination of war.
| To listen to the talk of the GUNNER s
| mate. for example, it would seem al
most a privilege to die on one OF the
cruel, steel monsters which can belch
forth death and destruction at the deli
cate touch of the captain of the gun
| The Oregon, which performed the re-
markable feat of Steamfng from Call
fornia to the West Indies in fifty-sev-
4
| and Massachusetts,, and ship whose
superior in battery power and armor
protection does not float today. She
| is Justly termed a bulldog of the sea
| Pursuant to the traditional American
policy of having ships better armed
class for class, than corresponding for
eign vessels the Oregon, like her TWO
sisters, was given battery of terriht
force 1t comprises four huge 13-1ncf
lbreechloading rifles, eight S-inch ane
! four 6-inch, besides a swarm or sinai
rapid-fire guns These guns are ar
ranged, too, so that they command
wide range and can be concentrates
on more points than the guns OF any
other battleship.
A single discharge from all hel
weapons hurls more than three tor!
of metal. Speed had to be sacrincee
in order to secure this enormous pat
itery power. and also the heavy armol
protection, but in spite OF this the ore
gon managed to maintain the very re
spectable gait of thirteen knots dur
ing her Is. 000-rnile jaunt around Souti
America. a few years ago.
She was the first United States DAT
tleship of modern build TO cross TN
equator. Her performance at san
tiago on July 5, 1898. was one OF tn
most remarkable events OF which IN
war was productive.
\ The Oregon sailed from Yokohama
| for this port on the 18th instant Cap
tain Thonas did not hurry her on &C
, count of very rough weather. For
, couple of days the Oregon poked alon
: mr. only four or five knots an houl
. tshipping great seas forward. She doe
mot rise on the seas as might passer