New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-07-29
Was Founder of Naval War
College and Leading Pre-
paredness Advocate
Entered Service at II
Fought Against Mexicans and
Made Mark in Secession
Conflict

Newport. r. l., July 2S.-Rear Ad-
,;-al Stephen p. Luce, founder Of the
Naval War College and one of the lead
;,g advocates Of the establishment of
ne naval training system, died at his
hene here to-day, aged ninety years.
He was retired from active service on
March %, 1889.
Rear Admiral Luce saw his coun-
,ry victorious in three wars, two Of
vhich--the Mexican and Civil wars
he helped to fight. lie spent forty
,ight years in active naval service,
PASSING thirty-three On duty at sea.
Beginning his naval apprenticeship
On wooden man-o-war Of seventy
four guns, he lived TO command a
squadron Of floating fortresses of
nesl. He saw sixteen modern Ameri-
an warships make the same grand tour
Of the earth that he had made a half
century before on the old wooden Co
lunbus. He visited Japan when a
youth and when that nation was classed
IS barbarous and weak, and lived to
zee her develop into a world power on
land and sea.
Believed in War
The rear admiral was a fighter; he
believed in the stern necessity for
var
The proud position we Is a nation
Tow occupy was rendered possible by
vars" he once declared. ANY future
problems in the destiny Of man will be
worked out through the instrumentality
II the sword. There is no escaping it.
Var in certain instances may be avert
Cd But, mark this we'll, it may be
syssted in one way only, and that way
IS to be fully prepared for it."
Born in Albany March 25, 1927, he
wore feslty to his country at the age
q fourteen, when he became a mid
shipman IN the navy. At nineteen he
vas following Commodores Sloat and
Stockton along the Pacific Coast in the
Mexican War. Two years later he
Ess studying at Annapolis, which was
asn only three years old, for promo
ion to passed midshipman. The next
lev years he passed in cruising about
he world and increasing his knowledge
atsvsl tactics.
Chased Blockade Runners.
At the outbreak of the Civil War
Luce was lieutenant on the Wabash,
changing TO FIVE different vessels before
peace was declared. His training In
he Mexican War showed TO advantage
when he was chasing blockade runners
along the South Carolina coast and
participating in the battles of Forts
Sumter and Moultrie and at Port Royal
md Hatteras Inlet.
he was forty-fve years old and q
captain when the next war threatened,
and he was ordered TO take command
q the frigate Minnesota. 1t was dur
Ing the crisis when Spain captured
md took to Cuba the United States
ship Virginius in 1873,
His next step upward came at the
lgs OF hfty-four, When ne was pro-
zoted to the rank of commodore and
gwen command of the North Atlantic
Squadron. -Four years later he was
advanced TO rear admiral. Another
our years passed and then he was re
tired from the active list. having
reached the retiring age of sixty-two,
Il 1889. 9,
He rendered his last distinguished
publ. service at the age of sixty-hve,
when he went TO Madrid as the repre-,
sentative of the United States ana
commissioner general OF the ColuIn-
bisu ,slsbration in 1892 in commemora-
ton Of the 400th anniversary OF the
discovery Of America.
Rear Admiral Luce was recognized
an authority on naval tactics ana :,
rzining. He wrote "Seamanshlp,
vhieh became a textbook for naval
Fgdents at Annapolis.