Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-07-23

the consequent olstre6o
and suffering attendant upon them become
fully known. Such an eventful and distressing
was the loss Of the Royal George.
The Royal George was . line-of-bsttle ship Of
the first-class, and at the time Of the disaster
was the largest ship In the British navy. She
carried 1903 guns, nearly all brass ones; she had
the tallest masts, the heaviest metal and
had more admirals' flags hoisted in her than
had any other vessel In the royal navy. Ad-
mirals Lord Arson, Boscawen, Lord Howe
and other celebrated men repeatedly COM
manded her, and Lord Hawke commanded her
In the squadron which fought the French feet
under CONTAINS In 1859, when she sunk the
Superbe Of seventy guns with her brasen cannon
and drove ashore and burnt the Soleil Of eighty
four guns, to the great discontinue Of the
French navy.
TO RIFIr AT sPrTHEAD.
The Royal George having been ordered into
spithead to reft with all possible haste and
proceed from thence to the relief Of Gibraltar,
still beleaguered by the French and Spanish
hosts. arrived at that port August Is, 1854 She
carried the flag Of Rear Admiral Kempenfelt,
had her full crew Of SIS seamen and marines on
board and q she was expected TO soil In two
days to join the feet 70 'sail forsign" Is 1t was
termed, the crew had been paid In golden
gutneas and it was said that the ransom Of an
emperor's daughter in good hard gold went
down with her. As was usual in those days q
number Of women and children were allowed to
come on board when the ship cast anchor,
where they could remain until the order for
sailing was received. There were nearly or
quite 800 Of these on the vessel, all belonging
to the crew, and there were also . number Of
Jews on board who we're engaged in peddling
watches and other small articles Of jewelry and
wearing apparel to the sailors, so that when the
fatal moment arrived 1t is computed that there
were nearly 1900 souls on the vessel and Of
these about 800 we're instantly launched into
eternity. Admiral Kempenfelt was in the cabin
engaged in writing He had only hoisted his
to her loss and was considered in point Of pro-
fessional knowledge, science and Judgment one
Of the first naval officers in the world, par
ticularly in the art Of maneuvering feet.
HOW THE DISASTER oocURRID.
Now, let us see how this unique and deadly
disaster occurred.
Early In the morning of the 2Sth Of
the month, the seamen having to wash the
decks, the carpenter had been ordered to let
the water in, when 1t was found that the water
cock, which was about three feet below the
water line, was out Of orderAnd it was necessary
that it should be repaired. The foreman came
of from the dockyard and stated that 1t was
necessary that the ship should be careened over
to port sufficiently to raise the mouth of the
pipe, which went through the ships timbers be-
low, clean out Of the water, that they might
work at It. Tho following ny, tho 2sth,
breeze from the west, and in the roadstead at
the time were nearly four hundred men
of-war, merchantmen and smaller craft,
all at anchor. Upon examination on
board the Royal George 1t was found
that the water cock must be taken out and q
new one put in, to do which 1t was necessary to
give the ship a heel Cor tilt over) on her lar
board side, enough to raise the outside Of the
water pipe above the water. To effect this the
whole Of the larboard guns we're run out as far
as they could be, thus leaving the larboard
lower deck ports open, and the starboard guns
were also run in amidships and secured by the
tackles. The shifting over of this great weight
Of metal brought the larboard lower deck port
stills just level with the water. The workmen
were then enabled to get at the mouth Of
the pipe to the water cock on tho starboard
side a. 1t was clean out Of water, and for about
an hour they were working hard at 1t, the ship
remaining all on one side.
About 9 O'Clock, just after breakfast, the
hands were turned up, when Q victualing lighter
came alongside, having on board cargo Of rum
for the ships use, and the men were detailed to
unload her. She was q sloop Of about fifty tons
burden named the Lark, and belonged to
three brothers, two Of whom were drowned
when the vessel went down, the third being
saved. She was secured to the larboard side Of
the ship, and some Of the men went into her to
sling the casks, others were at the yard tackle
and stay falls, hosting in the rum, others stow
ing away in the spirit room Of the Royal George,
30 that nearly all the men were on the larboard
side Of the vessel, which brought her down still
more to port. The water in the harbor now be-
gan to get a little rough, q land breeze having
arisen, and some of it began to wao into the
lower deck ports, and Of course had no escape,
SO that there was very soon Q good weight Of
water in the lower deck.
THE DANGER FfRsT PERCEIVED.
The carpenter was the first that perceived
danger, and went on deck to the lieutenant,
who was officer Of the watch, requesting that he
would be pleased to order the ship to be righted
somewhat, as she could not bear 1t, but re-
ceiving . very short answer in reply he went
down below. He found, however, that the
water WINS now coming in so fast that he could
plainly see she was getting past her bearings.
and he therefore came up second time on the
quarter deck to the lieutenant and said to him:
"H you please, sir, right the ship; 1t Ia my duty
TO tell you that she viii not bear 1t any longer
He spoke in Q very positive way, as was his
duty, but the lieutenant only answered: IF you
think, sir, that you can manage the ship better
than can you had better take the command"
In the waist at the time were good many men,
and they heard what the carpenter said and
the heutenant's anwer.
ordered the drummer to be called to beat to
quarters that the guns might be run into their
places and the ship righted. The drummer
name was passed along quick enough, for all
were alarmed at their situation, for the ship
had Just then heeled over still more. All the
men jumped down OF the gsngway as soon as
the drummer was called and fastened down To
their stations. The drum was not beat, for the
man had not time to get his drum. All hands
were now tumbling down the hatchwsy as fast
as they could to their quarters, that they might
run their guns into their places and 80 right
the ship, and thus five or SIX hundred men
(about thirty or forty tons weight, must have
gone over to the larboar6 side to get the gum
ut which they were stationed properly secured
As the isrboard lower deck ports were now very
near the water the weight Of SO many men 60
ing over at once to that side caused the mid
ship ports to dip little under water, and aftei
that took place there was no hope left; nothing
could then save her.
THE SHIP TURNED oyKR SUDDENLY,
her masts went under water and continued x
for nine or ten minutes. The starboard side d
her bottom, on which many hundreds Of mel
and some women had scrambled Wa thel
tons, crying aloud in their despair. This con
tinued a. long as the air In the hold sup
ported the chip in that position, but a. the wa
ter forced it out she sank from under them, tn
vessel vibrating and the surge sweeping tn
people into the whirlpool formed by her disap
pearance. She carried the rum lighter dow