New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-06-24
NEWS OF THE NAVY.
ADMIRAL BUNCE WILL COMMAND MAG
NIF;CENT FLEET
IT WILL, RE THE MOST POWERFUL EVER PUT
Under An AMERICAN OFFICERS ORDERS
THE COMING PRACTICAL TESTS
Indian HEAD.
fpy TELEGRAPH TO TIE rRiBrNE'j


inv TELEGRAPH TO TIE rRIBrHE.l
yy,shinpton June 23.-Actlng Rear-Admira
Dunce the newly detailed commander-in-chei Vi
the North Atlantic Squadron. VIII nave 'he
ton Of commanding the most powerful anu e'"o'e"'
ooo, of American vessels ever assembled under one
,s,cor of the Navy Preparations are under way NJ
the Navy Department looking to the execution OF
such , programme and before the summer Is Over
the Admiral's authority and responsibility VIII eN-
tend over a squadron comprising zen OF the 'Na'
best ships Just what the object OF inc pa" -
cannot b, stated definitely but Naval ofhcials say
thai the urinary object Is to afford an opportunity
for extended fleet exercises Mt sea some Oh ,n'
more sensational officers intimate that controversies
with Spain the Venezuelan boundary dispute ~"
mored threats OF Great Britain to restore 'h'e'
Clarence I'm the Mosquito Reservation ana o'her
international questions in the West indies south
and Central America have stirred UP the autho''-
Ties 10 the necessity of making the home squadron
stronger and more numerous The latter reason
may have some influence In the matter out IL ~
the fact Is kept secret. Officers VINO assign II io'
the present Naval activity say that secretary oey
| Is preparing to exhibit some vigor in connection
vim several questions before his Department. and
that he il a firm believer In the English practice
OF showing force whenever diplomacy Is ihVoiVeu'
Whatever the object OF the authorities may De- II "
certainty true that an unusually strong feet IL 20 be
concentrated the Atlantic Coast ana placed I'M
| der the command OF Admiral Bunce
The home squadron now consists OF the Mime
| apolls the Atlanta. the Montgomery. the Cincih-
natl and the Raleigh. The Minneapolis ana the I'm
| clnnat are undergoing repairs. The other shps
| are practically ready FOR service. excepting the
| MONTGOMERY which Is engaged on duty win inc
| Nlcnraguan Canal Commission Admiral krkland
was ordered yesterday To send the New-York ana
| the Columbia home as soon as practicablc EN-
peror william. OF Germany. has requested that the
Nev-York remain at KEEL for brief period. In ORDER
that he and some Of the German Naval experts may
| h.r
complied with 10y cable. but Admiral Kirkland was
Informed that the inspection Is over the
| Ncw-York is to start home. The Columbia VIII
proceed to Copenhagen FOR coal AT that place the
New York will join her Both ships are expected
TO reach New-York about July ~. Admiral Bunce
will hoist his flag on the New-York shortly after her
return Neither the Columbia nor the Ncw-fork
requires repairs that bo;h vessels can De caIle1
upon for service without delay.
| with thceo TWO ships the home squadron will be
| increased 10 seven in number. About August !. II
the present programme d, carried out. the fleet VII.
| be- further augmented hy 'ho addition OF the Maine
| AMI the Texas. the two Government-bui.t armorci
| cruisers. mounting sixty guns and carrying sixty
i've officers ard 40 ren. At this time possibly
| kite later. The monitor hmphitrtc VIII join the
| yqualron Thus before ihe end OF August. Admiral
| Huncc VIII have under his command the largest and
most efficient squadron which American naval
officer has ever had authority over. Admiral fher-
ari COMMANDED the combined h,et NJ the naval re-
view. but that aggregation WAS .css effective thah
| the proposed squadron.
Some practical idea % IN" power OF tn" North
| Atlantic nrct when concentrated can be formed
from the fact that II viii carry 81 guns OF al.
types and caiibre. 'o) officers q different ranks
/ from admiral to carpenter: AM 800 appointed ana
/ petty officers sailors AMI marines Whatever may
/ D.. the ultimate object or progrlmr" Of IN" au-
thorlf.s can be- al with some dchn'i"n"ss mat
Admiral Hunre VII Boz dlrer.r "a 20 put his squadron
through number ~ practicai exercises at yea
| Something ln ,ne nature OF the programm" which
| Admiral Meade contemplated. but which circum-
stances prevented the execution -. vii be ordered
| Probably the earlier eyolutons viii b" undertaken
wi hout the Maine and the Texas Those two ships
! NIL be- ready for service before the summer IL
| over and may BE- relied upon for whatever suD'e-
quent Tut, the North NlIauc squadron Is called
| upon 20 execute.
Two important practical tests ~ ordnance material
AZ Indian Head ar" being arranged for b. the naVa!
aufhorti-s OWN To their novelty ana me Nalh'
| % the results the expcrncna Will attract much
attention among ordnance experts. h)th ~ nom"
ana abroad In the afst place 10 Is proposed prac-
| uct.ly - dcmons;rlt" IN" resistance ~ modern
ariuor-,a,. :, N. heaviest properties. driven with
| the cNtraorilnuy velocity no" attainabl" WIN
hgh-pDwer guns 40 sucn trials nav" ever b"cn con-
Quoted and .noa clg" on the subject II nec"ear'y
more or lee. theoretical win all 81 their progress
| IN the manufacture o: war material none 81 the
great European Powers have yet Earned ON actqa.
experience what extent ;aer powerful btttlrship'
" I
| tlr riAes OF t,-lAy /, remains FOR this country.
f1ihiosine is remarkable ncheycnents in the de-.
definitely how great vii. be- IN" resistance % SMpS
'f' gnr ,h@ direction Of cAicf Constructor Heb
| born. naval Constructor A. v. St,hl. on OF the
| Navy ceyerest experts has de.isnei ana j. nav
| Ing constructed a. the Norfolk Navy Yard. sec
| ,S,i he :" hr The target in the practical contest
between the gun and pate tn" structure IS 10 ps
be-, The paie viii be- 10 fect long. feet wide and
|
| hullt Of similar material AMI workman-hlp To thii
s"n,yy ok backing. i've inches thick used IN al
| experimental tests as a support. 10 ms - 10
h,iiei the plate and framing The structure WIZ De
The same strength. iigdly ana o'h'r P''"''S az
When The structure r, in position the battle VIII
! begin It Is proposed nrs, 70 attack the structure
with ench guns and srainay lncrc.sn 'nr nv
Plate IS ds.iroye or poin, IN ]nc rm"r over
gun Following the trials with the G-inch rifles VIII
come Others win Ne 10 u ana ID iIn 10 E arni
Probably t"o shots from rach weapah WI. w. ~ -
Should the plate withstand the terrific assaults II IL
lion on the Part Of naval otfcrrs. In such trials
the conditions are favorable 10 the rlfe owing %
aim certain which ~ not the ease on board ship
where both the gun and the target are c9ns'anty
and IN, range definitely known. H. therefore. Tho
experimental section OF the Iowa comes OUT ,h'
resisinnce OF the armor beli on that ship !. nue. =,
greater than has been calcull,ed ana TINT II !.
moro than match for any guns with when IL may
| come in contact In battle. -,
! The other trial under consideration Is equally
II not more. important. II Is proposed 10 con
struct turre, Identical in all respects WIZ
those built for l3-inch guns on the Indiana
the Massachusetts and the Oregon and TO hI'
II until the plates are destrpyeI or II ~ oa ,
| tina, the guns not powerful enough to brinl
about such a result The big turr"s OF these yes
| sells are fifteen Inches thick or one inch thicker
than IN. side armor OF the Iowa. The experimental
from the 6-inch up to and including the n
inch The ties, would be FOR he same object a.
that In view in the case OF he section OF IN
Iowas belt armor: that is practically TO deter
mine the quality OF resistance to sttack. No suci
cxpormcn;s have hitherto been made at home OF
abroad. and much Interest and value attach Il
them.
ng men on board ship. Lieutenant Commando
Mark has the subject under confederation havini
been detailed TO the duty OF revising the prescn
= order OF things some time ago. He has subnitc'
. | one rennrf 10 the Navy Depnrt mint. and ~ nov