CHAPTER XII

THE OREGON'S FAMOUS RUN

A RACE AGAINST TIME 14,700 MILES LONG WITH NEVER A BREAK OR A LOSS OF A TURN OF HER WHEELS-MEN WHO WORKED FOR TWENTY-FOUR HOURS AT A STRETCH MORE THAN ONCE IN THAT CRUISE--A BOILER-MAKER IN A LIVE FURNACE--SHOTS THAT GAVE LIFE TO FAINTING FIREMEN--ALONGSHORE SIGNAL SERVICE.

to show of what kind of mettle our engineers are made. Here was a ship that, with her bunkers full of coal, actually displaced over 12,000 tons. Leaving San Francisco on March 19th, she ran to Callao, over 4,000 miles, in six

teen days, and she had 600 tons of coal still on board when she arrived. A few trifling leaks developed about her boiler-tubes, but they were repaired without decreasing the speed of the ship. At Callao the machinery was entirely overhauled-cleaned and adjusted. While this was in progress the bunkers were refilled under the eyes of two cadet engineers, "who took twenty-four hours' watch at a time." The engineers were at work on the machinery for the same length of time without rest.

Meantime, "it was evident that war with Spain was inevitable," and "to guard against any treachery on the part of Spanish sympathizers," sentries were doubled and armed to shoot, while steam-launches were manned with armed crews and kept patrolling about the ship all night.

In the Straits of Magellan an increased speed was maintained, because a Spanish torpedoboat that had been in Montevideo was expected to appear from behind one of the many capes in the narrow waters; while the men stood at the rapid-fire guns to give her a hot welcome.

At Sandy Point, the Chilian settlement of the Strait, the machinery was again overhauled and more coal taken. Of the work here, Captain Clark wrote: "The spirit on board this ship can best be described by referring to instances such as the engineer-officers voluntarily

doubling their watches when high speed was to be made, the attempt of men to return to the fire-room after being carried out of it insensible, and the fact that most of the crew preferred to leave their hammocks in the nettings" (ie., go without sleep), "until they could get the ship coaled and ready to sail from Sandy Point."

At Rio Janeiro they heard (on May 4th) that war had been begun, and of the work of Dewey at Manila. At Bahia, on May 8th, they put on their war paint, sailing the next day, and on the 18th they took on 240 tons of coal at Barbadoes. They were off Jupiter Inlet, Florida, on May 24th. Here, Captain Clark communicated with Washington. The Secretary of the Navy told him that if any repairs were needed to go to Norfolk, but if the ship was in order to go on to Key West. Two days later they cast anchor off Sand Key light at Key West.

The Oregon was built at the Union Iron Works, San Francisco. That she should have stood the strain of a race 14,700 miles long without a break, shows that not one dishonest stroke was given her in the building. That neither bearings nor boiler-tubes went wrong in all that strain was due to the watchful care and ability of Chief Engineer Robert W. Milligan, and his assistants. We used to hear, in the days of our naval decadence, the sneers

of men who called themselves (and who were) practical men—sneers regarding the ability of our naval engineers. It was admitted that our engineers had "book-learning," but denied that they were practically efficient. But that was long ago, and it is mentioned here only to give a back-ground to the splendid achievements of the engineers of the Oregon. A run of 14,700 miles with never a breakthat tells the story.

An explanation of the fact that the Oregon, though well out from the Florida shore, while in Jupiter Inlet, was able to communicate im mediately with the Navy Department-was able to send reports and receive orders, is interesting. A "coast signal service" was organized under Captain John R. Bartlett, U.S.N., beginning on March 15th. Eighteen stations, manned by 310 men, all told, were established. Each had a 90-foot mast with a 40-foot yard, and a full set of day and night signals. These were connected with 1,443 life-saving stations, 850 lighthouses, and 33 weather bureau stations, by means of telegraph lines, and it was arranged so that the entire system could be placed in communication with Washington within half an hour-something that was repeatedly done in practice trials. The movements of our own vessels were thus observed while an effective lookout for the enemy was maintained.