The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1913-01-10
AMERICAN IS HEAD
OF TURKISH NAVY
As BuCknam PdSha He Led
SOrti0 on Allies.
Ransford D. Bucknsm Real Name Of
Intrepid Adventurer-First Christian
Ever Placed In Command of Moslem
Fleet-Shipped Before the Mast on
Lakes at Age of Fourteen.


Lakes at Age of Fourteen.
Buchanan Pasha-or Admiral Rams
ford ID. Bucknam, as the intrepid
American admiral of the imperial OF
toman navy Is better known to a host
Of friends in this country-is brought
once more into the international lime
light by dispatches from the Balkans
These reports state that it was Buck,
nam Pasha who engineered the sortie
OF the Turkish fleet from the Darda,
nelles, a maneuyer which showed a
| potent grip of naval tactics.
The career Of Ransford ID. Bucknam
from the time he first shipped before
the mast 6s a cabin boy on the great
lakes until he was commissioned sew
| eral years ago with the full rank OF
an admiral In the Turkish navy reads
ike a chapter from fiction. He is the
first Christian ever placed in actual
command of a Mohammedan feet.
Even Hobart Pasha, the British adj
mlral of the Crimean war, failed to
gain this distinction.
Bucknam Pasha gained his present
rank by his work in recognizing the
Turkish navy under Abdul Hamid. He
was a rear admiral when Abdul Hamid
was deposed, but the new regime con
tirmed his rank and later elevated him
TO his present position.
Bucknam was born In Nova Scotia,
l.A III. .1au,,N 5000 a. NE.s,o 49,
he was very young. His experiences
on the great lakes began when he was
fourteen years old, and two years later
he sailed from New York as quarter
master IN a schooner bound for the
Pacific. While the schooner was in
Manila the captain and mates died
from the cholera. Bucknam was the
only man aboard who had studied nav
igation. He appeared before a special
board 10 be examined for a masters
certificate and passed the test with fly
ing cOlors.
Buchanan was in command of a
steamship that sailed from Tampico for
New York In the early ninetles. The
vessel, which was laden with silver
and hemp, struck a sunken wreck
when tw~enty-four hours out or 'rsunps-
co, aud the propeller was completely
demolished. The mate and three men
managed to reach the shore in an open
boat and cable for help. In the near
time the vessel had drifted at the will
OF the winds and waves, and a rescu-
fpx txru had r. Cnnn1 thrnn wwaakC lnaat-
ing IL.
He Repairs Ship.
Although the ship was badly dam
aged, Buchanan baked at the cost of
having her ~drydocked at Key West,
and be undertook the hazardous task
of bringing her to New York in her
disabled condition. First be shifted all
the cargo to the forward compart-
ments to settle her by the head. When
this failed to bring the stern high
enough In the air so that the propeller
could be reached he hltched a small
schooner laden with stone ballast to
the stem. This maneuver raised the
stern so high that Bucknam was able
to attach a makeshift propeller. II
was the first occasion in nautical his.
tory where a master had put a pro.
peller on a ship without d~rydocking
her. He brought the steamship to
New York. The spectacular feat gain.
ed the young skipper great commenda'
tion.
At about this time Buchanan show,
ed his inventive genius by constructing
an instrument which caused the com
pass to automatically trace on a chart
the route that a vessel was taking.
Shortly afterward Buchanan received
company to serve as their nautical e
pert. His knowledge of naval subjects
was rapidly extended in his new posi-
ton. He was commander of the new
battleship Maine on her trial runs.
When the Cramps had completed the
construction Of the Turkish cruiser
Medjida Buchanan was commissioned
to take her TO Turkey. He impressed
the sultan and the Ottoman naval Off
GERS so ~favorably that he was given a
three months contract to train the
cruisers Mohammedan crew.
His Rise In Turkey.
His operations were SO successful
that the sultan offered him the post OF
naval adviser to the porte, a position
that carried with 1t a princely salary.
He accepted the post on condition that
he might have a preliminary leave of
absence to go home and marry a girl
in San Francisco to whom he was en-
gagged. He brought back his bride with
him.
As his popularity increased Buck
nam was made a pasha and a vice ad-
mirl. and the sultan conferred on him
the order of Osmanlieh, a medal for
distinguished service. Shortly after
ward he saved the life of the sultan
when a bomb loaded with a tremen-
dous explosive was thrown into the
midst of the royal escort. Buchanan
Pasha jumped to the side of the sui
tan's carriage and drew his sword, an
nouncing that he would instantly kill
any q who approached the spot. A
band Of bloodthirsty Moslems ready
to throw themselves ON Abdul Hamid
were deterred by the American.