The morning times., 1896-01-05
FLEET MAY GO TO TURKEY
D teuti0n of BHnce's Squadron
Causes Much Speculation.
HAS HE SEALED ORDERS :?
Officers Are Inclined to Believe ihaf
the Navy department Feels lhai
the ships May Be Needed III the
Hos Bosphorous-Theories Advanced In
Support of the Rumor.

support of the Hunof.
The detention of Admiral Buncc's squad
ron at Hampton Roads for tie last tWo
weeks although il was ready TO commence
its cruise promptly on December Il ac-
Cording to tie program laid Gown by Sec
rotary Herbert, was at first generally sup
posed 10 lie due 10 reluctance oD the part
or the administration 10 permit even The i'm
piled menace of It's presence In The West
Indies during the excitement following the
Presidents Venezuelan message TO Con-
grcss of December IL.
'the eN p!aDatIon was plausible enough 10
satisfy everyone for several days. Now
even the commanding officers OF iIe ships
forming tie feet are beg ginning to lie mys-
titled by tie pr olonged delay.
Such absence of information about a
suuadron'S movements is said TO be un-
precclcnted in times of peace especially
when it's daily Itinerary for tie ensuing
five months had been published and as the
wives and other relatives of many OF the
Officers had made engagements 10 meet the
vessels at several Iorls where they would
rendezvous for several days stay, there is
considerable concern lest these meetings
will be rendered altogether Impossible.
GOSSIP IN THE FLEET.
Driven to speculation i'll this, ali sorts
of runlors are in circulation among The ships
according 10 letters received here and the
latest of these, which is rot wholly with
out believers even ill the Navy Department,
proceeds on the assumption that Admiral
Bunce has sealed orders which may a any
moment send him With his entire force TO
the BosphOFdS.
Even the mere conservative Officers are
disposed to give some credence 10 The idea
10 tl.asA ,nirlif tttnt
Gibraltar or tie Azores may be the first
stopping place of Tie squadron after leay-
ing the Chesapeake instead of st. Thomas,
West Indies. There are Il number of signifi-
cant facts, which grouped together seem to
give probability TO tie rumor.
Admiral Selfridgc and Minister Terrell
have been sending good many ca Diagrams
To Washington in the last three weeks. and
the State and Navy Departments have
spared no expense in cable bills since early
in December. On the l 9Th Secretary Olney
got a cablegram which was para phrased
and sent to Congress as follows:
TERRELL's CABLEGRAM.
Minister Terrell expresses the graveSt
apprehenSiOns concerning the ultimate tate
of American citizens in the disturbed region
unless the appalling massacres can be.
stopped by the united efforts OF the Chris
tan powers. He sees no hope, however,
of IA EGropcan concert to that end.
He says that If the missionaries wish to
leave Turkey he can procure their trans
portation to Christian ports. lf the men
wish 10 remain he can get escorts for all
to the sea coast. whereupon the men can
return: but he adds that the women and
children should quit Turkey
In the same message 30 Congress Sccre-
tary Olnry showed how earnest and active
Minister Terrell had been. and what val
uable moral support had been given nun
by the presence of the San Francisco and
Marbvhead. Before the arrival of those
vessels the minister's efforts had been
utterly unavailing i'll most instances. and
the conditions still further improved when
the Minneapolis was ordered to Turkey.
Secretary Olncy, III his report, significant
ly calls Admiral Selfridge IAN officer
whose record indicates the necessary dis
Cretion in dealing with whatever einerC-
encics may arise"
DEMAND FOR INDEMNITY.
The Secretary also says that the damage
to the American school in Asia Minor
was IN the neighborhood of 500, 900,
and that tile United States minister has
notified the porte that the Turkish gov
ernmcnt win be held responsible for the
Immediate ard full satisfaction of all IN
turies on that score. The words ''imne-
dlate ard fun satisfaction" constitute
percmptory demand, and ndnon-compliance on
the part of Turkey would lead TO back
down by the United states unless We were
prepared to compel respect by show or
force.
Secretary 0lney also told Congress OF
the burning of the American Missionary
School of Science at MaraSh on November
~. and declared that Minister Terrell
after prompt investigation would make
a like demand for adequate indemnity.
Secretary Olney mentions numerous other
Instances of serious import demanding
redress.
Naval officers who think Admiral i:unce
NAV have sealed orders which would send
him to the Mediterranean in certain cIrer-
gencies also point to various coincdences
OF dates in support of their theory.
December 19 the admiral cdIne ap 10
Washington from Fort Monroe and had
long consultation at the Navy DEPART
meDt. The same day the official announce
ment was made that at Minister Terrclls
suggestion the United States vessels in
Turkish waters should show greater ac-
tlvity in moving from port TO port where
American interests We're supposed to he
10 jeopardy. ard Admiral Sclfridgc had
been so instructed"
SIGNIFICANT CIRCUMSTANCES.
The announcement was also made that
Admiral BuDcc had been ordered not to
sail from Hampton Roads until after he had
seen Secretary Herbert, who was at that
time in New York. On December 81 it
was announced that a dispatch of general
instructions had been sent 10 Admiral Sell
fridge to furnish all protection and comfort
TO such missionaries as might apply and
almost simultaneously came the press dis
patch from Turkey that Admiral Selfridge
had cabled the Navy Department that he
was unable TO carry out his instructions,
whatever they were, because of insufficient
force.
The following day Admiral Bnce came
to Washington and had long interview
with Secretary Herbert, after which the
Secretary said that the time of the fleets
departure was indefinite. Some of Admiral
Bunce'S subordinates now think that Secre- |
fary Herbert gave the admiral sealed in |
structions at that last interview which were |
only 10 be opened at sea under agreed con- |
ditions. These conditions, if this be so, |
would, OF course. depend upon further |
advices from Minister Terrell.