The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1875-09-17
WAR VESSELS C0LLIDING.
"A PElCEFUL ENCOUNTER SINKS A
BRITIsH IRON-CLID.
pbe Iron Dukes Ram Crushes the Four
Inch Armor Of the Vanguard Discipline

A few minutes before | o'clock this
morning, Sept. z. In dense FOG, the iron-elad
.S se S n r pS Tcn Gag rSe
sank In nineteen fathoms IN less than an hour :;
but the timo had been sufficient to How all the
Officers and crew to DO token on the ship so sud
denly wrecked.
The two vessels named were part Of tho rc-
serve squadtOn of ak vessels, which left Kings
town for Queenstown shortly before II O'Clock
on the previous morning. In order to keen
clear Of the banks, the squadron hid y ssed
north Of the kish lightship when a dense log
act in, which made the several vessels invisible
Co each other. speed was therefore slackcncd,
and the rate appears to have been about seven
knots an hOur whcn the Vanguard sighted a
nent FAX 81 collision. on" I'm order to avoid tre
sailing vessel the VanguarPs helm was put
hard a-starnoard. II was then discovered that
the Iron Duke was only about y cables length
astern. The bowsprt Of the Iron Duke was
dimlv seen through the fog 10y those on board
and ani1ships Tho watch cried out, aud
orders we're given to reverse the engines put,
before this could he done the ram OF tho Iron
Duke sirurk the Vanguard about four feet be.
low the water line. between the main and mizen
great rent In the ship The watert0ht comp ,rt-
mcnts however kept her anOat long enough to
lives solely to the feet Of the ship being built In
waterliRht divisions. The Iron Duke. when the
collision occurred, backed astern aud lowered
all her boats. and the officers and men did their
utmost to rescue the crew of the sinking vessel.
The Vanguard also lowered her launches and
smaller boats, which did their part IN eHeCting
the rem val 81 the wrecked men u n place ~
SAFETY. 4 pit. DuWktns WAS on the bridge OF the
Waugh ri when tue collision took place. aud
was the last - leave the vessel lilo displayed
cre.t .ntrepiditV aud courage during the whole
of that irving time. The vessel iik bUy uino
minutes after being struck Lowing oniy the
topgallant mast visible. The other ships Of the
squadron proceeded ON their voyage un ware pf
what had happened, owing Of course to tho cx
temc density Of the fog.
1he nrst news Of the disaster was received on
land Al O'Clock this muruiug, when the Iron
Duke returned a. Knestown harhOr, ard sent
boat on shore She brought back J0o men. the
entire b. DIV OF Officers and crew uf the Van.
guard. TIE ONLY property that mad been saved
II d tue we ither been clear the ships could
have easily been seen IRON kingst'wn at the
time o. ih9 accident as they were only four
Twelve miles from the port the fleet had
quilted
the Vanguard there was no idea OF disaster In
the mind of any one. On the vessels striking,
ley, exclaimed, My God. we are done Tor 70 aud
soon after the ram " the Iron Duke struck the
side Of the Vanguard about four feet below
water mark. The Capital promptly ordered the
boats 60 re lowered, and az this time the cool
ness intrepidity. and skilfulness OF an Officer
whose name | have not been bic to ascertain
saved !he crew and al on hoard the illated
ran down, nj the Imminent danger ~ his life,
into the engine loom Of the laundering ship,
and opened the seam valves and cocks. thus
causing the Nn to cape and preventing TN
explosion. The officer o. the VANGUARD. with
crew use discipline the ufii 'vrs describe
saliOrlike ana IN ghhreht throughout dtd all
they could To- Uhyiitc the danger hy en- iplvOr-
ing to make tight the Y tious compartments O..
the ship. But nothing could WI hst,nd the
delugo that BEGAN O. Il w through every section.
ON the Vanguard Milling. which sue did rap
idly. the stcl, mcn were removed hr-t ~ the
boats OF the Iron Duke, while he ship her-elf
cane Is clo.r aongside tho Vangu ri posi-
be Ca t. Dawhius then called ont TO the men
Of his ship that II the preserved order Mi
would be saved bat II there was confusion, all
IT. urder. and not man mayed until ordered =
promptly | cred While the Iauncuinu was
Ia. the of he. Tide "A
70 surge upward against the null, ana one Of the
nfngdards crew, a petty officer named John
Marshall, had his fingers badly crushed. Tins
wa, the only injury to the person which hap
pened throughout the catts ruphe. Carts. HEX.
lev and DaNk'ns worked vigorously to get the
men OF the Vanguard aboard the Iron Duke,
ana wiihln twenty minutes the whoie Of the
voluntary delay, individual sailors poiitipned
TO make one more effort 10 sccure chattcl or
i" boys. come INSTANTLY, were not only fl, qun mt.
but stern. As the bells on the Iron Duke were
striking Two ths Vanguard welt down, the
dep h toe cab 'Gts being li;cen iathums. The
twn highest -pNrs remained Visible after her
null touched the rocks beneath. Dufing the
Lot IN nine"t~ COMMANDER thny remeWbtrei
thdt li- dog was Yet on board, but IL puld ave
ri-k ed PERHAPS the loss ot u more valuable life
to have attempted to save him. The poor ani-
mai was the 9niy living creature that fell u VIC
tim to the collision.
The ram ~ the Iron Duko protrudes eight fee;
In front Of the ship beneath the water line This
struck TIE Vanguard some four ttet below tho
arhnr VI tcs' on the uprt quarter The after
portion accordngl, Giled rst. and the water
rushed thence INTO the engine room and eXtin-
Etished the fires. I he officers apartments were
next inundated the ship gave u sudden lurch,
and. sinking stern foremost she went down In
an Inclined position, surrounded los a wreath OF
smoke. Although she was canted To 4 rfuard
a. an angie OF w. on reaching the bottom She
TIE Iron Duke IA much shaken by the col
li-ion, and several plates are wreucacd on tut
We iepuil maj lne mp u leahin- Is incorrect
1eV' IN diameter l. gone, is ai.o ar the jihhpom
and some woodwork the Vanguard cost 11-
liar mn
4VD'Vf. Inc OH -cTs plate 10 valued AT A.N and
the wines at ~.
Iron Duke was murn The more formidable Of
the two. The Vanguard an iron plated
steam ram OF G.lA tOns ana 5Sls horse power
She carried ten L.: IA guns anu four iO-p under
Armstrong. snewa protected ~ rnor plating
~ inches thick, which extended about five feet
MEOW the water line. Tie stem ana stern
which were uhlrptt cled hy tnc plating, were
crossed ana reSio sed IN every direction by solid
watcr-tight compartments.
Exten-tye preparations are being made in
DeNpnpurt puckyari for the expected attempt
70 lse the VANGUARD, large number Of
uivcrs. lighters, snip chains. and other appli-
ances are being collected, and VIII be forward
of the Master Attendant at ID youpOrt The
Vanguard lies "a water 100 feet deep, but the
season of tue year icing favorable, II is proba-
be that at least an ATTEMPT will be made TO
raise her a. she Is valuable snip. DIVING at
such depth, however, wal Ircsent groat Ill
culties, and the weight II the Vanguard Is cuOr-
nous.
Il the sunkcn lron;clad should be raised so as
u H'ut buc' lh'IFs ANr lful VIII he an Infrece-
dented ccomliisbment Of modern naval and
hydraulic engineering. Consultations have been
In progress to-day on the subject .mung expe-
rienced nav ard dockyart authorities, and
the general oplni lon Of rractcil men s. That II
may be dOnc, Ia hne weather, II IS thought,
the div, Is viii have no difficulty IN rem owing
the mhsts ana upper deck guns then the uOoI-
ing chains, OF such enormous Thickness as
astonished many a rural visitor 10 the dockyard
stores, VIII he Slipped uadcr the NlngIard's
hun, Or i It's Is found impraclicable viii be
made last To Ter hawss holes. -Four, or perhaps
six, OF our great Inc If-bAttlc snps now IN re-
serve VIII be then moored ABOVE her, and, the
chains being made last, the Iesistlcss rise Of the
tide Will sunlce 10 litt the Vanguard. such Is
the project, and once OF the bottom she may,
by successive short stages, he slid M the Kish
Bank until the stat Of her injunes can DO
reached.
The Divorce OF the Grand Duke Alexis.