The Hawaiian gazette., 1906-03-23

(Fron wednesday Advertiser,

lFrun "Wednesday Advertiser
Flying beautiful silk fve-hundred
and -nfty-four feet homeward bount
pennant, as well as red triangular iiat
at the main truck, the United States
battleship Oregon came into port yes
terday forenoon from Yokohama after
four and half years service in tn,
Far last waters, and in few days she
will depart for Mare Island, discharge
her ammunition, and then proceed tc
Bremerton on Puget Sound, there to &c
out of commission. Once the pride OF
the nation, the Bulldog of the Navy,
rs officers and mel- Nvingly termed the
fighter when her guns shot fast and
true in the Spanish war, the Oregon is
now far from being formidable. She IL
like a wounded bulldog. Her teeth are
not 80 sharp and to fight in her present
condition would cripple her. And SC
she is gong home to "recuperate' In
one of Uncle Sam S best navy docks.
The famous thirteen.inch guns of the
forward turret, whose fine record in the
fight off Santiago harbor, Cuba, made
the Oregon the most famous warship of
the age, can not now be used without
seriously crippling the ship. 1t was or.
dered some time ago that NONE OF
THE 13-INCH GUNS SHOULD BE
FIRED EXCEPT IN CASE OF AC.
TUAL NECESSITY UNTIL PERMA
NENT REPAIRS ARE MADE.
For this reason the Oregon s useful
ness on the Asiatic station was at a
minimum. The statement that the Ore.
gon S big guns should not be used eX-
cept to defend herself has formed part
of a report sent to Washington some
months ago, and for that reason it was
decided to withdraw the famous vessel
from active participation in naval mat
ters and send her to the dry-dock where
once again she may be put in shape
to take her position as a defender OF
the flag.
ARRIVED OPPORTUNITY
The Oregon arrived at an opportune
moment. While she was being mooreu
at the naval dock the ceremony of
hoisting the rear-admiral IS flag in honor
of Captain Lyons advancement to the
grade of admiral was about to begin
at the Naval Station. As the flag
reached the peak of the flagstaff 8
salute of thirteen guns was fred by the
naval station battery. An instant af
terward the sides of the battleship
were enveloped in smoke as she also
saluted the flag with thirteen guns.
STRUCK BY A GALE.
The Oregon left Yokohama at 6:l0
p. m. on March s, making the trip mere
in twelve days under natural draught,
which is considered fine trial of the
battleship's capabilities at this stage of
her career. She had good voyage,
with the exception of one or two days
fairly rough weather. During roll
one of the boats got loose and crashed
to the deck and was considerably dam
aged.
While steaming from Hongkong to
Yokohama the Oregon was overtakeu
by a severe storm, gale, which com
PEELED her to heave to. The Coptic was
in the same storm and she also hove TO
for several hours. Great seas swepp
completely over the big warship, en-
veloping the bridge in the general
deluge.
HAS TARGET RECORD.
The red flag at the main truck is n
source of pride to every one on the
Oregon, for it represents that she is
the champion in big gun firing. She
has held this record for two years, ana
is unable to take part in the practice
this year owing to the necessity for
keeping her big guns quiet. The last
record was made in March of 1905,
when the battleship trophy was won by
score of about 33 per cent. better
than that by which she gained the tro.
ply in 1904. In this respect the gun
ners on the Oregon headed the list of
the United States navy.
HULL IN FINE CONDITION.
Despite the danger which would
come from firing the big turret guns,
the Oregon is described by her officers
TO be in as fine condition as can be ex-
pected when the length of time that she
has been in commission is taken into
consideration. The hull is reported to
be all right. The forward l3-inch tur-
ret guns can not be fired at all on ac-
count Of the buckling of plates in the
bottom of the turret. This buckling
has come about through the tremen-
dous lot Of firing done and by the
weight of the turret and barbettes.
The Oregon, il will be remembered,
had trouble about three years ago in
Asiatic waters by running ON a reef
in Pechili Guf and staving q few holes
in her huh, She was temporarily re.
paired in the Orient and was then sent
to the Pacific Coast for permanent re.
pairs.
OFFICERS AND CREW.
The Oregon is commanded by Ceptain
John Porter Merrell, L. :. y. She has
32 officers aud i6s men. Her present
officers, who are mainly from various
vessels of tho Asiatic feet transferred
TO the Oregon on leave, are as follows;
Ino' 7, Merrell, captain, commanding
leo. D, Miner, lieutenantcommander
engineer,
W W. Buchanan, liouionant,eom
mander, executive officer.
a. NJ Williams, Lieutenant, t,eommand-