Bucknam, Ransford Dodsworth

He went to sea in 1881.

He served as Superintendent of the whaleback fleet on the Atlantic coast.

He reached the Pacific coast in 1894. (He was qualified as a Master Mariner.) He was appointed as the Master of the City of Everett. (He was reported as one of the youngest masters on the Pacific coast.) Bucknam, was at one time marine superintendent and navigating officer for the Cramp Shipbuilding Company, of Philadelphia PA USA.

He delivered the war ship Mejidieh to Constantinople arriving on July 4th, 1904.

He used to be Rans Bucknam until the Sultan of Turkey saw him and took a liking to him; then he became known as Bucknam Bey, and later as Bucknam Pasha, Admiral of the Turkish fleet.

He served in the Turkish Navy.

He resigned in 1914, refusing to serve against the UK. After the Sultan was ousted Bucknam did not get on well with the young Turks, so he retired to civil life, forming the Ottoman Anglo-American Company, of New York, representing great American firms for locomotives, ships, electric power and traction and military supplies. With the outbreak of the Italian war he aided the Ottoman government by successful expeditions of blockade running to the Tripolitan coast. A young Canadian seaman, "Ransford D' Bucknam" was part of the Court of Sultan Abdul Hamid.

He was Vice-Admiral of the empire, in command of the Imperial navy and of all naval construction. "Twice already he has saved the life of the Sultan, and present indications are that he will not have long to wait for a third opportunity" (The Globe, April 21, 1909).

Bucknam Park (Halls Harbour NS);