The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1893-06-28
AN OCEAN HORROR.
The British Battleship Victoria
Sank by a Collision
With the Warship Camperdown In the
Mediterranean-At Least Four Hum
drod Persons Drowned-Whlle
Maneuverlng tho Two YES
sells Come Together
With Awful Re-
suits.

W
LONDON, JunA PA most terrible
calamity has befallen the British bat
tleship Victoria, flagship of the Medi-
terranean squadron, and 430 lives have
been lost.
The Victoria, which flew the flag of
vice admiral Sir George Tryon, X. c.
b., was run into off Tripoli by the Brit
ish battleship Camperdown, also be-
longing to the Mediterranean squadron,
under the command of Capt. Charles
tombstone. The Victoria had an enor-
nous hole made in her side, through
which the water poured in torrents.
The immense hull of the Victoria Mt
once began to settle and before those
on board of her could east loose their
small boats she went to the bottom,
carrying nearly all down with her who
were on board.
Some of the officers and crew man.
aged to get out of the suction caused
by the sinking vessel and were rescued.
Among those lost is Vice Admiral
Tryon. The first reports of the disas-
ter stated that about 200 men had been
drowned, but later dispatches show
that the loss of life was far greater
and that not less than 400 of the Off
GERS and crew of the Victoria had gone
down with their ship. The Victoria
was twin screw battleship of 1047O
tons and $4,000 horse power, She
mounted fifteen guns. The Camper
down is first-class twin screw battle
ship. She is of 10000 tons and 1880
horse power and carries ten guns. Ad-
miral Sir George Tryon was command
er-in-chief of the Mediterranean sta
tion. He was made vice admiral Au-
gust 20, 1891.
Rear Admiral Albert ii. Markham,
of the Trafalgar, flagship Of the rear
admiral in the Mediterranean, tele-
graphed to the admiralty from Tripoli,
Syria, under date Of Friday, as follows:
II regret to report that while ma
neuvering off Tripoli this afternoon
the Victoria and Camperdown collided.
The Victoria sank in fifteen minutes in
eighteen fathoms of water. She lies
bottom uppermost. The Camperdown's
ram struck the forward part of the tur-
ret on the starboard side. Twenty-one
officers were drowned. Two hundred
and ffty-fve men were saved. The in
jury to the Camperdown has not yet
been fully ascertained, but it is serious
and will necessitate her going on dock
for repairs. propose to send the sur
vivors to Malta"
All official kilograms in regard to the
loss of the ship are sent to the queen,
at Windsor castle. AS soon as her maj
esty received Rear Admiral Markham's
dispatch, which was Immediately for
warded to her. she gave orders for the
postponement of the state ball that
was to have taken place at Bucking-
ham palace last night.
Mr.. Gladstone was greatly shocked
when he was informed of the sinking
of the Victoria and the great loss Of
life that attended the laundering Of
the vessel The prime minister in
formed the house OF commons of the
accident and paid a most glowing trib-
ute to the worth Of Vice Admiral Try
on, who, he said, was one of the ablest
and most esteemed officers in the serv-
ice of her majesty.
Mr.. Gladstone said that there were
Oil officers, seamen and boys, and 1O7
marines on board the ship. 1t was
feared that out OF this total of 7lS souls
430 had been lost.
As soon as the officers of the Victoria
saw that there was danger of their
ship laundering, orders were given to
close the collision bulk heads in order
TO keep the water in the compartment
into which the Camperdown had showed
her ram. The sailors tried to obey the
order, but the ship was making water
too fast to allow of closing the bulk
heads, and while the men were still
trying to shut them, the vessel, with
her immense guns and heavy top ham
per, turned over and carried them
down. AS soon as the news of the dis
aster became known in London the
Duke of Edinburg, who was lately pro-
NOTED to the position of admiral Of the
feet, visited the admiralty and con-
ferred with the officials there.
The news Of the calamity has caused
the most intense excitement.
The Victoria was single turret ship
carrying two ll0-ton guns, mounted in
a forward turret coated with IS inches
OF compound armor, one ten-inch go
ton gun, firing aft, and a broadside
auxiliary armament Of IL six-inch five
ton guns. OF the artillery Of smaller
nature she carried twenty-one quick
firing and eight machine guns. Her
maximum speed was 1918 knots. Her
armored belt and bulkheads consisted
OF compound armor from 10 to 1s inches
In thickness.
Details Of the accident are meager
and are received in a struggling man
ner, owing TO the remoteness of Tripoli.
The first dispatch concerning the ac-
cident led TO the belief that the disas-
ter had ACQUIRED off the coast Of Trip
oil, northern Africa. Later advices
show that the scene of the calamity
was near Tripoli, seaport town on the
eastern Mediterranean, fifty miles
northeast Of Beyroot, Syria, and q
comparatively short distance from the
Island Of Cypruss.
Vt~xl. nora.ns. n Iattsra