[Sidenote:  The Oregon’s voyage.]

477.  The Oregon’s Great Voyage.—­When the Maine was destroyed, the Oregon was at Puget Sound on the northwest coast.  She was at once ordered to sail to the Atlantic coast at her utmost speed.  Steadily the great battleship sped southward along the Pacific coast of North America, Central America, and South America.  She passed through Magellan Straits and made her way up the eastern coast of South America.  As she approached the West Indies, it was feared that she might meet the whole Spanish fleet.  But she never sighted them.  She reached Florida in splendid condition and at once joined Sampson’s squadron.

[Sidenote:  Santiago.]

[Sidenote:  Sinking of the Merrimac]

478.  The Blockade of the Spanish Fleet.—­Santiago harbor seemed to have been designed as a place of refuge for a hard-pressed fleet.  Its narrow winding entrance was guarded by huge mountains strongly fortified.  The channel between these mountains was filled with mines and torpedoes.  The American fleet could not go in.  The Spanish fleet must not be allowed to come out unseen.  Lieutenant Hobson was ordered to take the collier Merrimac into the narrow entrance and sink her across the channel at the narrowest part.  He made the most careful preparations.  But the Merrimac was disabled and drifted by the narrowest part of the channel before she sank.  The Spanish admiral was so impressed by the heroism of this attempt that he sent a boat off to the American squadron to assure them that Hobson and his six brave companions were safe.

[Sidenote:  Destruction of the Spanish Fleet.]

[Sidenote:  Lessons of the victory.]

479.  Destruction of the Spanish Fleet.—­As the American vessels could not enter Santiago harbor to sink the Spanish ships at their anchors, it became necessary to send an army to Santiago.  But the Spaniards did not wait for the soldiers to capture the city.  On Sunday morning, July 3, the Spanish fleet suddenly appeared steaming out of the harbor.  The Massachusetts was away at the time, getting a supply of coal, and the New York was steaming away to take Admiral Sampson to a conference with General Shafter.  But there were enough vessels left.  On came the Spaniards.  The American ships rushed toward them.  The Spaniards turned westward and tried to escape along the coast.  Soon one of them was set on fire by the American shells.  She was run on shore to prevent her sinking.  Then another followed her, and then a third.  The torpedo-boat destroyers were sunk off the entrance to the harbor.  But one ship now remained afloat.  Speedily, she, too, was overtaken and surrendered.  In a few hours the whole Spanish fleet was destroyed; hundreds of Spanish seamen were killed, wounded, or drowned, and sixteen hundred Spanish sailors captured.  The American loss was one man killed and two wounded.  The American ships were practically ready to destroy