The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1897-02-10
ADMIRAL BUNCE SETS SAIL.

HONliTNtL OOlNSC OE y SftlI'
The Blockading Fleet on Its Way to Char.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 4.-Admiral
Bunce is now en- route to Charleston.
The fleet of war ships belonging to
the North Atlantic squadron sailed
out of Hampton Roads today, healed
by the flagship New York, with Ad'
miral Bunce in command. The YES
sells which followed the New York
were the battle ship Indiana, the ar
mored cruiser Maine, the turret ship
Amphitrite, the cruiser Columbia,
and the dispatch boat Fern. The
Admiral telegraphed the fact OF his
departure to the navy department,
and added that the Marbiehead, which
is somewhere outside the Capes, would
be ordered to fall in line, if sighted.
The double -turreted monitors Puritan
and Terror are also expected to join
the squadron, and by the time the &C
tual blockade tactics begin there will
probably be other additions to the
force of vessels. The squadron will
probably put in some time during the
favorable weather drilling Off the
Capes and on the way southwark,
and it is not expected that the ships
will be off Charleston before the 9th
instant, unless the weather forces a
change in the programme. The Tex.
as, Massachusetts, andiBrooklny are
disabled, and they will not be able to
participate in the blockade of Charles
ton harbor. The Raleigh, Newark
and Dolphin now engaged in patroll.
ing the Florida coast may be ordered
10 Join the squadron at Charleston,
provided they can be spared from
their present duty. The Cuban agita-
ton along the coast is subsiding, and
Secretary Herbert will allow Admiral
Bunce to use his discretion as to the
advisability of drawing the ships last
named further north for fleet drill.
Admiral Ramsey, chief of the bu-
reau of navigation and detail, says
that Admiral Bunce has been invested
with full authority to employ the YES.
sells of the squadron as he may deem
proper under the circumstar ,es. On
The cruise down-the coast to Charles
ton the Admiral will practice a new
set of manoeuvres and drills in hand.
ling war ships at sea. Admiral Ram
sew says it is difficult to describe the
proposed manoeuvres, but the idea is
to test the capacity of the respective
ships for getting into action, sustain
ing sister ships in case OF emergency,
and indulging in other evolutions at
sea, on the same principle that regi-
iment of infantry would be drilled on
land. Some vessels can 60 about and
come up in line quicker than others.
These details have to be carefully
timed and measured, so that when the
flagship gives CERTAIN commands it can
be ascertained to the minute how long
each ship will take to get into the
position assigned it. Under the cir
cumstances week or ten days may
be thus employed before the great
event-the blockading of Charleston
harbor-will be attempted.
When the fleet reaches Charleston
it will be divided into two divisions.
Half of the fleet will be assigned to
duty to guard the entrances to the
harbor. The oter half will be desig.
mated as the attacking party. While
the rival divisions are manoeuvering
one of the swiftest ships will try to
run the blockade. The following day
the assignments of the two divisions
will be changed, and some other YES
sells will try to get through the blocade.
The officers and men of the fleet are
greatly interested in the sea game,
which strikes us land lubbers as being
something on the style of modern
foot ball. ALI of the vessels that can
cross the Bar will rendezvous in
Charleston harbor, where Secretary
Herbert will review the fleet.
While in the harbor boat race be-
tween the. rival ships crew might be
made an interesting feature. Anyone
who has ever witnessed boat race be-
tween the crews of several men.of'war
in double-banked cutters will never
forget the scene. Each one of these
war ships have in constant training a
cutter or gig crew prepared to row
q race at pop of the gun. This sug-
gestion is thrown out for the benefit
of the committee in charge of the
Charleston end of the demonstration.
and Courier.