The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1922-10-06

1871, TO november, 1000, lie was
on ordnance duty at Mare Island
Navy Yard, San Francisco. From
1893 to 1894 he commanded the
"Mohican," in the Pacific station,
and squadron of six war vessels
and two revenue cutters which
cruised in Behring Sea to enforce
the regulations agreed upon by
the Paris Tribunal. From No
vember, 1894, to November, 1895,
he served on various boards and
general courts-martial, and for
ten months afterward command
ed the receiving-ship, "Independ-
ence." Promoted to Captain,
June 81, 1896, he was assigned to
the command of the double-turret
coast defense monitor "Mon-
terey."
Captain Clark had now COM
pleted more than third of a
century of active service, and
during the greater part of this
period he had been af1oat. He
had begun his career under the
eye of the naval hero of the civil
war, whose Oh the torpedoes !!
Go ahead p has gone for all time
into the lexicon of American
sailors, side by side with Law
rence's Don't give up the ship !"
1t is reasonable to believe that
Ensign Clark acquired something
of the intrepid and determined
spirit of the old commander, Far
ragut, and that his subsequent
life was colored by the splendid
example of the illustrious Ad-
miral
Early in 1898, Captain Clark
was in command of the battle
ship Oregon" then stationed at
Puget Sound. When war with
Spain became imminent his YES
sci was ordered to Key West, Fla.
to strengthen the Atlantic squad
ron. There was every necessity
for speed. No steam vessel had
ever attempted so long and con-
tinuous voyage, and marine ex-
perts the world over questioned
if machinery would endure so
severe a test. Captain Clark
raised no question, interposed no
objection, expressed no fear.
Sailing promptly on March 14th,
the Oregon" arrived at San
Francisco on the 10Th, and re-
sumed her voyage the same day.
At Callao, Peru, April 5th, Cap
tain Clark received warning that
the Spanish torpedo vessel ITEM
aravio" was probably lurking the
Straits of Magellan, and that
Spanish agents in various South
American ports were plotting the
destruction of the Oregon. y
Without stopping at Valparaiso,
the Oregon" hurried on to the
Straits of Magellan, making a
safe but stormy passage through
the tortuous channels Astounding
in inlets whence an enemy might
easily sally and without observa-
ton until within dangerous near
ness. Here she was joined by the
gunboat Marietta" whose in
capability to sail more than IL
knots compelled the Oregon" to
reduce speed. Arriving at Rio
de Janeiro on April Both, Captain
Clark was there informed that
war existed, and that Spanish
squadron under Admiral Cervera
had left the Cape Verde islands
bound west, and he was given in
structions by cable to remain in
Brazil should he deem that neces-
sary for the safety of his vessel.
With supreme confidence in his
ship and crew, Captain Clark ex-
pressed the conviction that the
Oregon could steam IA knots for
hours, and in a running fight
might beat off or cripple the
Spanish fleet" After resting
and cleaning his machinery, Cap
tain Clark left Rio on May 4th,
and five days later coaled at Ba-
hia. She was sighted at Barba-
does on May 18th, and on the oath
reached Jupiter Inlet, Florida,
having covered the distance of
1874 miles from San Francisco
in Sc days, or deducting stop
pages, in IS days of actual steam
ing, without accident. This voy-
age, the most remarkable IN
steam marine annals, was mark