condition of Roman Catholic nations. He is the am linr of " Religion and Science : their Union His- tnneally Considered" (New York, 1879), and is preparing for the press a work entitled ' God Knowable and Known."
RONCKENDORFF, William, naval officer, b.
in Philadelphia, Pa., 9 Nov., 1812; d. in New York,
27 Nov., 1891. He entered the navy, became passed
midshipman, 23 June, 1838, was commissioned
lieutenant, 28 June, 1843, and in June, 1845, was
bearer of despatches to the commander-in-chief of
the Pacific squadron, with which he served during
the Mexican war. He was in the “Savannah” at
the capture and occupation of Monterey and points
on the coast of California, and returned to New
York in September, 1847. He commanded the
steamer “M. W. Chapin” in the Paraguay expedition
of 1859 and on coast survey duty in 1860, was
commissioned commander, 29 June, 1861, and had
charge of the steamer “Water Witch” from 1
March till 12 Oct., 1861, in the Gulf squadron. On
27 Dec., 1861, he took command of the steamer
“San Jacinto,” with which he was present in
Hampton Roads to fight the “Merrimac,” and
participated in the attack on Sewell's Point, 15 May,
1862, and in the capture of Norfolk on 18 May.
He was in the “Ticonderoga,” searching for
privateers in 1863, and in February, 1864, he commanded
the monitor “Monadnock” in operations in James
river until the evacuation of Richmond, when he
cruised to Havana in search of the “Stonewall.”
In July, 1865, he was transferred to the monitor
“Tonawanda.” He was commissioned captain, 27
Sept., 1866, and was at Philadelphia until 1 Oct.,
1870, when he took charge of the iron-clads at New
Orleans until 8 April, 1872. He commanded the
steamer “Canandaigua,” of the North Atlantic
squadron, in 1872-'3, was promoted to commodore,
12 Sept., 1874, and was placed on the retired list
on 9 Nov., 1874, by reason of his age.
RONDE, Lambertius de, clergyman, b. in Hol-
land in the 18th century. He was pastor of Dutch
Reformed churches in Surinam, British Guiana, in
1746. New York and Harlem in 1751-'84, and
Schaghticoke in 1784-'95. In 1749 he proposed to
the classis to publish a book of first truths in Ne-
gro-English and Dutch. The classis requested
him to transmit it to them for approval, and in
1751 complained that he had been installed over
the church ot New York without their knowledge,
and that he had signed the letter of the coetus
without any explanation of his new relationships.
He became a member of the conference party
after the disruption in 1755, and was never absent
from their meetings. Though he was one of the
committee that procured Dr. Laidlie to preach in
English, he afterward turned against him, and was
the leading spirit in the " Dutch party " in the
famous lawsuit that grew out of this matter.
Many were determined not to submit to the inno-
vation of English preaching. The " Dutch party "
lost the suit and paid 300 costs. During the
Revolution, De Ronde preached in Schaghticoke,
N. Y., and in 1780 represented the churches of Red
Hook and Saugerties in the classis of Kingston.
His publications are "De gekruisige Christus, als
het voornaemste toeleg van Gods getrouwe Kruis-
gesanten, in hunne prediking," or "The Christ
Crucified as the Principal Subject of God's Faith-
ful Servants of the Cross in their Sermons"
(New Y 7 ork, 1751); " De ware gedaclmiss." an ac-
count of the death of the Rev. Gualterus Du Bois
(New York, 1751) ; " A System containing the Prin-
ciples of the Christian Religion Suitable tn the
Heidelberg Catechism " (1763). This is the first
book published in the English language by a mem-
ber of the Reformed Dutch church in America. It
was prepared before the call of Laidlie, to meet the
growing necessity for instruction in English, and
De Ronde offered to preach in English if the con-
sif-t'iry thought him qualified. He also published
" True Spiritual Religion " (New York, 1767), and
numerous " Letters to Holland."
RONDEAU, Jose (von-do '), Argentine soldier,
b. in Buenos Ayres in 1773; d. there in 1834. He
was educated in Montevideo, entered the military
service in 1793, and when Montevideo was captured
by the British, 7 Feb., 1807, he was taken prisoner
and sent to England, but he was liberated in July
of that year. Going to Spain, he served in the
peninsula against the French invasion, but in
August. 1810. he returned to Buenos Ayres, and
joined the patriots soon afterward. He succeeded
in April, 1811, to the command of the Argentine
forces that were operating against Montevideo,
gained the victory of Las Piedras, 18 May. 1^11.
and in June began the siege of that city, which
was raised on 23 Oct. of that year by a treaty with
the Spanish general Elio. After the hostilities
against Montevideo had begun again. Rondeau, in
command of the vanguard, gained, on 31 Dec., 1812,
the victory of Cerrito, and in January, 1813. super-
seded Sarratea in the command of the Argentine
forces, and began the second siege of Montevideo,
but in 1814 he was superseded by Alvear, and pro-
moted to the command in upper Peru. In Decem-
ber of that year he refused obedience to Alvear,
who intended to deprive him of his command, and
when that general was removed, 15 April, 1815,
Rondeau was chosen supreme director ; but he re-
mained in command of the army, routing Gen.
Pezuela at Puesto del Marquez, 14 April, 1815, and
occupying Potosi, but suffering defeat at Sipe-Sipe,
28 Nov., 1815. On 10 June, 1819, he was elected
director of the republic, but was deprived of office,
12 Feb., 1820, when the supreme power was vested
in a commission of the municipal body, and the
separation of the different provinces was virtually
consummated. Rondeau retired to private life, but
took part in the campaign for the liberation of
Uruguay, and on 17 Sept., 1828. was elected pro-
visional president, resigning on 25 April, 182!>.
RONDTHALER, Edward, clergyman, b. in
York, Pa., 6 Sept., 1817; d. in Nazareth, Pa.. 5
March, 1855. He was graduated at the Moravian
theological seminary, and from 1841 till 18.":; was
in the active ministry. In 1853-'4 he was president
of Nazareth Hall. He was the author of a " Life of
John Heckewelder " (Philadelphia, 1847).
ROOD. Ogden Nicholas, physicist. b. in Danbury, Conn., 3 Feb., 1831. He was graduated at Princeton in 1852, and then studied at the Sheffield scientific school of Yale, and at the universities of Munich and Berlin, making a specialty of science. In 1858, soon after his return, he was chosen professor of chemistry and physics at Troy university, where he remained for nearly five years. He was called in 1863 to the chair of physics in Columbia, and has since delivered lectures there and in the School of mines of that institution. His original investigations have been numerous, and include special studies of questions in mechanics, optics, acoustics, and electricity. Prof. Rood was one of the first to apply photography to the microscope, and to take binocular pictures with that instrument. His studies of the nature of the electric spark and of the duration of the flashes are particularly interesting, involving the determination of much more minute intervals of time than any that eiv ever measured before. In 1880 he de-
