The herald., 1896-02-02

suitable for transatlantic voyages, as a
heavy gale might d them serious dam
age. The Texas must undergo extern.
sive repairs before she is fit for active
service, but the remaining seven
vessels represent the cream OF the
navy, and could be depended Cpon to
do ell that may be expected of them.
These seven vessels are the battle
ehip Indiana, the armorad cruiser New
York, the armored cruiser Maine, the
prote ctei cruiser Columbia, the sister
ships Cincinnati and Raleigh. both .,ro-
tected cruisers, and the cruiser Mont
gomery.
This feet would not amount to much
If sent against a great naval power like
Great Britain, and any demands it
might seek to enforce would proba bly,
De treated with Contempt; but against
q comparatively weak naval power like
Turkey it is most formidable. The
San Francisco and Marblehead are now
in Turkish waters unoer this command
of Il .ar-Ad mirAl t. 0. s'elfridge.
Rear Admiral Francis M. Bnnce, who
would assume command of the united
equ4drons in Turkish waters, ia not a
novice at the game of war. His fla
ship is the cruiser New York, cum
marded by Captain w. S. Schley.
He is regarded as one of the ablest
commanders in the service, and IS
spoken of as an excellent executive and
rigid disciplinarian. He was born in
Connecticut, and was appointed to tho
naval academy at Annapolis, Md, on
Nav 20, 1852. After graduating, in
1857, he WAS ordered to do duty on the
sloop of war Germantown, and served
on that ship until 1859. He received
his commission as lieuten ant in April,
1861, upon the breaking out of the re-
bellion. He served on the gunboat
Penobscot, in the North Atlantic
squadron, until 1862, and was at the
skirmishes at Yorktown and Gloucester
in April of that year. AS lieutenant
he also took part in the engagements
at Fort Fisher and other confederate
batteries at the mouth of Cape Fear
river, from May 10 August, 1862. He
served on the Pawnee and ON the iron
clad Catskill, in the South Atlantic
squadron, in 1868.
While cooperating with General Gill
more in the assault and capture of a
part OF Morris island, he commanded
an important coast expedition on July
10, 1868. He participated in all the en-
kbkcuouIe at tuo sclBo VI OudTlc5LOu,
from July until November, 1868, and
in the attack upon Fort Sumter, Sep
TENDER, 1868. He was wounded by the
premature explosion Of 150-pound
rife gun in the turret of t. Patapsco.
He was promoted to lieur. lant-com-
mander in January, 1868, and served on
the ironclad Dictator in 1864. He
commanded the ironclad Monadnock
on a special cruise in 1865 and 1866.
From 1867 until 1870 Lieutenant-C Com
mander Bunce WAS on duty at the Bos-
ton navy yard. and in 1871 he received
his commission as commander. He
was at the Washington navy yard from
1875 until 1876, and was on the torpedo
board of inspection in 1877. His pro-
motion as captain came to him in JAN
uary, 1888.
Subsequently he served as member
of the board of inspection and survey
in New York. He WAS the president Of
the naval examining aud retiring board
until last spring, when he was promoted
to the rank of commodore. A close
study OF sea tactics has been made by
the rear admiral for many years, and
he has long been regarded rs an au-
thorlty in these matters. He formu-
lated code for vessels of the south
Atlantic squadron and his lectures be-
fore the Naval War college have at