Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-06-28
U. 5. NAVAL mAMGvvaEs.
4 Fine Squadron to Put TO Sea Next August
Tor Practice.

Washington, June 27.-Admiral Bunce
will assume control of the North Atlantic
station, Thursday, morning. when. at the
Brooklyn navy yard, he will hoist bis flag
ON the Cincinnati, which has been selected
rs temporary flagship pending tho return
of the New York from Kiel The admiral
called at the navy department, yesterday,
and received his final Instructions from
the secretary. and, today, left Washing
ton for Brooklyn, whtre he will be joined
. once by his three staff officers.
The fleet under his command Ia scattered
widely. owing to tho necessity Of having
two warships of the Florida coast to assist
in preventing filibustering, and to the
presence Of two ships in European and one
in Central American waters with the
Nicaraguan commission.
Early in August or possibly before, the
squadron, numbering In all about nine
vessels, will assemble at New York or
Hampton Roads tor extended fleet evolu
tions In northern waters and for great
gun practice. The squadron will com
prise the flagship, the New York. the
triple-screw flyers Columbia and Min
neapolis, the twin cruisers Raleigh and
Cincinnati, the Montgomery and Atlanta,
the two battleships Maine and Texas,
which the department expects to have in
commission within a month, and the two
monitors Miantonomoh and Amphitrite.
The three torpedo boats, the Cushing,
Ericsson and Stiletto, will also be under
Admiral Bunce's command. The fleet
will far exceed any that has assembled
under the American flag since the war.
The two battleships are the first con-
strusted for the navy. and will add greatly
to the fighting strength of the home fleet.
With this great squadron, exclusive Of
tho monitors, which will not take part in
the manoeuvres and drills, the admiral
will be- enabled to carry out the long con-
tcmplatcd plan Of the navy department
for fleet movement, something the North
Atlantic fleet has not had for years, owing
10 its depleted condition
Secretary Herbert has ordered that an
extended programme be carried out, and
every vessel on the station will BIO com
polled to test her tactical diameter and
her turning facilities with the helm at
fercnt angles and the crews and Off
ga. will be put through exercises in
tai cal movements. With the return of
IL wo Kiel ships the home station will
have three fagships the New York.
two battlcships, which are intended to
serve this purpose when required.
Before the close Of the year, and posi-
bly, early In the autumn, this fleet will be
augmented by the battleships Indiana and
Massachusetts, which will be ready for
active service If dry docking facilities can
be secured at some place on the Atlantic
90 ,st. With the addition of these vessels
there will then be in commission three
flrst-class battleships, including the Ore
gon on the Pacific station, and two second
raters, leaving the Iowa the only battle
ship under construction, aside from the
smaller gunboats and cruisers building.
The Iowa and Brooklyn will be the sole
vessels of the more powerful type then I'M
der construction. The Brooklyn will not
be commissioned for another year, and
the Iowa will follow her in about IS
months.
The actual fighting Strength of the navy,
however, is soon to receive an important
addition in the two powerful monitors,
Terror and Puritan. now finishing at the
Brooklyn yard. These vessels are far ad-
vanced and ono will be placed In service
before the close of the summer.
While the monitors do not attract the
same attention rs the larger and more
graceful vessels. they are regarded by all
naval officers as the main stay of the
navy, aside from the battleships, and
would DO relied on chiefly for defensive
purposes IL the country should be brought
to war suddenly.
The Amphitrite, the latest powerful ad-
dition on this sido of the coast, has more
powerful guns In her two turrets than
any ship now in commission, and is said
by officers to be capable of whipping any
two vessels OF the navy. The next two
months will witness tho launching of one
OF the three little gunboats building at
Newport News.
It IL believed that an effort will be-
made to have two of the boats called the
Penguin and Porpoise, and the third pos
sibly the Albatross, although there Is a
vessel Of that name now attached to the
coast survey. Mr.. Herbert believes, how
ever, that the far West can be educated to
taking an interest In the navy by calling |
new ships after It's ciries and he expects
to name one OF tho new gunboats after
some Of them.
C0Lll0ED IN ThE FOG.