Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-07-13
JUNK|NC OF BATTLEsH|Ps
RECALLS ACHIEVEMENTS
Cr"is ,rs That Wrote Bright Pages in
Naval History lay Become
Targets.
FOUGHT IN WAR WITH SPAIN
OREGON Plowcd Seas Through, 10000
Mile Voyage to Join BlOckading
Squadron OF ilcet-Indiana and
Iowa We're at Santiago.

achievements OF the new American
mis- "sS wT?'s .@y G hofy 'a ass
Ing their years Of service. and four
Of the nhays par,icipatcd actively in
Ing tho famous old Spanish american
war squadron consisting of the Ore
and the more modern bu, hardly less
bama, Illinois Wisconsin,. OHIO. Mis-
most. If not the most, powerful bat
ileship fleet in the world more than
hftccn years ago.
Foremost among tho achievements
Of these famous old lighting craft is
the part they played IN the Spanish
american war The Oregon. which
cisco in July. 1896. was at Mare Island
navy yard In 1898 when the message
was flashed TO her commander that the
On March s. 1895. the famous old ship
cleared the Golden Gate, bound for the
West Indies. on what proved 70 be the
most epoch making ba;teship voyage
ever undertaken with decks stripped
tons the oregon plowcd around cape
Horn. up tho east coast Of South Amer
lea and arrived at Key West on May
g. ready for action, having made the
li.0Dc mile voyage in s!Xty-cight cruis-
ing days. Captain =. =. Clark. the
oregom's commanding officer. was or
and there join the blockadinE squad
.on which was awaiting battle with
In tho meantime the Iowa Massa-
chusettes and ludiana, sister ships OF
me oregon were attached 10 the north
Atlantic fleet and had already arrived
off Cuba ,h.. ~ .sachusc,is being part
o! the famous flying squadron" under
command OF Commodore Schlcy.
Were In Battle of Santiago.
The oregon. already famous through.
successful voyage to Join The hmerl-
san fleet in time for the impending
battle. gained greater & lory IN the ac-
ton OFF Santiago dc Cuba on sunday.
July ). 1895. when Spanish sea power
Was forever humblcd and the iberia
ton OF the Philippines and cuba
surei. In that now historic sea hight
the RECON ran The Nzcaya. pride OF
The craft with hits from her eight and
thiTtcen-'nch guns and then engaged
in a running fight with the Colon,
which surrendered after having been
cut OFF from the open sea by The orc
ron and forced 10 head for tn. beach.
\ shot a; The Colon from one OF the
preEon's ihirieenth-!n ch guns was the
last shoe fred during The battle.
Both the Indian, and the lowe par
ucipatcd Ia the battle al Santiago the
tana'no 10 yoal Oh the day % the en-
Sag.ment. The crew Of the Mass.chu-
missed The hight. gained revenge the
ncNt niGht when that vessel and the
old batt!eship. Texas. engaged and
sunk tho Spanish cruiser hcua Mcr-
cedcs mat vessel attempted to cs-
cape from INC harbor at Santiago.
OF the naval vessels in charge OF con.
voNine Americas troops from Cuba to
Porto RICO FOR the Porto RIcun cam.
later remained the san Marcos was
used a. target for later battlcships
At Tang lei sound IN Chesapeake Bay
Af;cr the Spanish american war the
oregon returned TO the west coast
whcre the glorious old ship, then in the
height o; her fame. Was received with
Inn, IL $50, ms,
manned there on duty with the Pacific
llo.t un,ii decade ago, her usefulness
-u"e. she MAS placed in reserve com
!c Iowa, Massachusetts ana Indiana
.i-sp"tcd IN the Homecoming OF the
N.ei"rlous Atlantic hcct after the Span
ish- Aincr!can war and remained on
duty IL home waters FOR many years.
After The oregon had been placed in
reserve the three sister ships were Tor
scvcra! years used training vessels
and conveyed the midshipn.u from
the naval academy abroad each sum
mer for practice cruise. Finally
III The navy yards. apparently 10 rus,
away.
Greeted With Display.
In the meantime Il later class Of ships
OF American nara! power. The kear-
sarge, Kentucky, Illinois. Wisconsin,
Maine. Missouri! and Ohio launched be-
tween 1885 ANA 1901, formed the neu-
winning the United states an assured
place among the great naval powers.
These ships. then unsurpa ssed IN the
world carried the American nag into
the ports OF the world for many years
and in 1901. when the mighty United
States fleet left New York for the his
toric cruise around the world TO demon
stra,e in all lands the might and power
OF tho American navy. they held their
places with their more modern sisters
throughout that memorable voyage
Greeted win remarkable dcmonstra-
lions in South America, the west coast
of the United States. Australia. New
Zealand, the islands of the Pacific. far
Eastern ports and points in the Medi-
tcrranean The great tlcet completed the
most comprehensive cruise ever under
taken by so large Il body OF ships Of
war.
On the return of the fleet to this
into the back ground by the new"
avy and sent 10 the back chan.
ncls Of the navy yards to join the ore
gon. Iowa. Massachusetts and Indiana
into the world war brought a demand
for every ton of sea power, the United
states could command, and again the
the flag, Ali of the Twelve old vessels
were Quilted. modern fire control ap..
piances were installed, new coats of
war war paint, We're were applied to their
called out to join the fleet.
The Oregon saw service on the West
Coast throughout the war as a coast
enlisted personnel The Massachu-
sets. Iowa and Indiana were used for
time as station ships at Newport.
X. L.: Norfolk. Va, and New York re-
spectivcly, and later We're ordered
south to join the main lighting force
which already included the kearsarge.
Kentucky and the other vessels of an
cient fame. For tie remainder of the
war the historic old ships took part
III the operations OF the Atlantic Fleet
along the coast and rendered valuable
service as training ships.
Others Also to Go.
After the armistice the Iowa. Massa-
chusettS and Indiana were sent f., the
navy-yard at Philadelphia. where their
colors were hauled down for the last
time. and they were consigned TO the
graveyard of ships. The Oregon suf-
fered Il similar fate OH the Pacitic
Coast. The other ships OF the old
navy remained temporarily on duty
moss OF chem for use as troop trans
ports, but they. too. will soon be .elc-
gated TO the scrapheap,