Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1913-05-16
NEARLY blown Up
Forgotten" Incident In Life Of
Late Admiral Eaton.
Naval officer's story Of How the Sup.
ply Ship Resolute, Loaded With
Explosives, Almost Rammed
the 6attleship Oregon.


.aa
"Lieut. B. B. McG.," who is said to
be lieutenant OF the United States
navy, although the initials are flc,i.
tious. IL the author Of = remarkable
article in which he tells how the
naval supply ship Resolute. CON.
manded by the late Rear Admiral
Joseph G. Eaton. narrowly missed
ramming and blowing up the famous
battleship Oregon during the Spanish
war, says the New York Times Mrs.
Jennie May Eaton. widow OF the ad.
miral, is now at Plymouth. Mass,
awaiting trial for the murder Of the
former naval officer.
In his story Of the Resolute and
the Oregon. which appears in the
April issue Of Master. Mate and Pilot,
Lieut. B. B. McG." gives as his rea.
son for the telling of the incident the
recent death Of Admiral Eaton, which
he adds "unseals the lips Of those Of
US who served under him when he
was commander Of the U. S. s. Reso-
Lutte"
The story IL creating a lot Of talk
in the navy. not only because Of its
nature, but also because of the noto-
riety that has attended the death of
Admiral Eaton and the subsequent
indictment OF his widow for his muir
der. =
Lieut.. B. B. Meg. says:
1T was on June 8, only few days
after the Oregon anchored of San.
tiago and her memorable voyage had
become history, that the Resolute,
carrying mail for the feet, hove in
sight. In our forepeak and against
the fore bulkhead were piled forty
mines, each containing 500 pounds Of
gun cotton. Twenty charges for the
dynamite cruiser Vesuvius, containing
10000 pounds Of gun cotton, were on
the deck below.
"Just aft of this was 800 pounds Of
gunpowder for the great guns Of the
feet. Still farther aft were thou.
sands of rounds OF rapid fire ammuni.
ton for six-pounders and four six-inch
guns, while on the upper deck, in one
of the cabins. was $50 pounds Of dry
gun cotton and detonators for the war
heads of torpedoes-the full compile
ment Of twenty-five battleships.
I'VE steamed down the line Of
blockading ships and delivered orders
and mail to the vessels Of the squad
ron. Arriving at the western end Of
the line, we came about and steamed
back to the eastward toward Guanta-
namo, which was our station. The
Oregon at this time was near the cen
ter rof the line, about opposite the
harbor entrance. lying with her bow
toward the shore and rolling heavily
in the swell raised by monsoon,
We steamed full speed toward her.
pointing for her about midships.
II was of duty and CHANGED to be
standing aft, near the engine room
hatch. Near me Past Assistant En-.
gineer Louis L. Bernier was leaning
against the rail, gazing ahead Of the
Oregon. 1t looked as II we would
pass her very close II we sheered on
at once; but we held straight on our
course. heading right at her.
Lieut.. Bernier had been chief engi'
neer Of the Resolute-she was for
merly the Yorktown-for many years,
so he knew to an inch what she could
and would do under any condition.
Il saw him look hard ahead, then
jump for the engine room hatch and
disappear. But . moment or two
elapsed; we were rapidly nearing the
Oregon, and still we held straight
toward her. Then suddenly the whole
ship trembled convulsively as the en-
gines reversed at full power.
IAN instant later from the bridge
came the signal: Full speed astern'
With the helm hard over we swung
past the stern Of the Oregon 80 close
that l could have tossed biscuit
aboard the battleship, which looked
like o vast tide rock awash In tn
waves.
1.-THE men who lined the rail on the
Oregon apparently thought nothing OF
the closeness Of our passage, as II
they deemed no unarmored craft
could do her any harm, but the white.
faced officers on our bridge heaVeo
one great sigh Of relief. They nao
faced annihilation.. utter, absolute.
Until now this remarkable story
has never been made public. Com
mander Eaton may have reported inc
incident to the navy department out
II he did 10 his officers were not 90
informed. Naturally. we were carelul
to forget Ill about it."
The Naval Register does not snow
the name of any officer. active or re-
tired, whose initials are b. B. Mcd.
1 Odd Expressions Overheard.
Say! II brains were Ink, you
wouldn't have enough, to dot an i