The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-06-27
FRIGHTFUL SCENE.

fhlGHTt UL SCENEs
How the Crew of the War Ship Victoria Met
Death-Detaiis of the Accident.
NEW YORK. June 26.-An extra edition of
the Evening World. issued this evening.
contains special cable from Tripoli. Syria.
sivin the first full details of the sinking
s of the flagship Victoria. They are 90 fol-
lows:
AT about O'Clock last Thursday after
noon the English fleet came in sight Of Ell
Nina. the port and town Of Tripoli. II was
coming from the northeast and making di.
rectly for the harbor. The tive big IRON
clads-Victoris, Csmperdown. Edinburgh,
Nile and Sanspsreil-were drawn MP in
full front The Victoria was in tho center,
the Cam perdown was on her left and the
Edinburgh on her right When they were
within five miles of shore Vice Admiral Sir
George Tryon slgnaled to turn aud form in
double line. This meant that the Victoria
and Camperdown were to 90 ahead little
and describe turn. the Victoria turning
to the left and the Camperdown turning to
the right; then they would advance side by
side in the direction from which they had
come and the others wonld swing into
two behind the leaders.
"When the order was given, the distance
between the ships was less than two cable
lengths. The execution of the order was
easy enough for ships further away from
the center. but extremely difficult for the
Victoria ana the Camperdown. In turning
their bows, they would pass within q few
fathoms of each other even If the move
mont was executed with the greatest preci-
sion. This movement is rarely made, and
is chiefly for the purpose of training the
ship commanders to move expeditiously
away from shoaling waters.
Whether because Admiral Markham, of
the Camperdown. could not believe this
movement was to be tried when the ships
were so close together, or because
he thought Admiral Tryon had
calculated the distance. he did not set
about executing Admiral Try on's order. but
signaled that he did not understand il.
The Victoria and the other vessels had not
hesitated. The Victoria began to turn at
once. as she still held to the signal. The
CamperdOwn no longer hesitated. but also
began to turn. The brief delay, however,
had been fatal. The Victoria had nearly
turned. and the Campcrdown, swinging
around, bore down upon her. Both sdmi-
rails were quick to act Admiral Tryon
swung the Victoria SO as to receive at the
smallest angle the blow which both officers
saw was inevitable. and Admiral Markham
did the same for the Camperdowr. besides
reversing her screws.
THE FATAL CRASH.
''The twelve-foot ram of the CamperdOwn
struck the hull of the Victoria just in front
of the armored bulkhead and plunged into
the thin plates of her starboard SIDE The
armor ends at the bulkhead and the for
ward parts of the Victoria above the water
line were mere cardboard to the great iron
wedge so nightly propelled. There was O
smashing of wood and iron plates. and the
ram and eight feet of the bow of the Cam
perdown crashed twenty feet into the bow
els of the Victoria. The Csmperdown was
halted by the heavy armor OF the Victoria.
and as her screws were reversed she at
once began to back away. AS all the other
vessels were moving to get into double line
behind the two leaders. they were bearing
down upon the entangled ships and q
catastrophe involving all the ironclads
was imminent Only the GOODNESS and
prompt action of the other commanders
prevented a general disaster.
THE Victoria's bow was now pointed
full towards the shore. 1t seems that Ad.
miral Tryon did not realize tho extent Of
the damage to the Victoria. AS no acci-
dent OF exactly this kind had happened be.
fore he could not know what the effect of
the hole in the com pertment was to be. He,
no doubt thought that as only one COM
partment was damaged the others would
keep his ship afioat 80. when the Camper
down and the other ships sIRnaled offers
of boats he replied that he did not need
them. The Victoria began to forge straight
for the shore under full steam. 1t is one of
the rules of the British navy that if q ship
is In danger of sinking. aud the shore is
not far away. she must be got into shallow
water so tn at if she goes down she may be
raised again. So Admiral Try yonswas max
ing for the shore and was widening the
distance between the Victoria aud the
other ships.
when the Camperdown's ram struck
the Victoria. Admiral Tryon the navigat-
ing officer. two signal officers and the men
at the wheel were all mp in the bridge.
either in full view or in the chart house.
Most of the crew was on the forward deck
lounging about trying to keep cool under
the blazing sun Of the clear. calm day.
With the crash they rushed into the bat
terry and as far aft as possible but when
the two vessels separated all returned to
their places. Discipline was perfect. The
! admiral and officers remained steadfast
upon the bridge. setting an example. So
| good was the discipline that within five
minutes after the blow diving suit had
been brought on deck and diver was get
ting into it TO obey an order to SO below
and find out the extent of the damage. The
untangling and getting under full head
way had taken some little time.
HER SCREWS wHIRLING IN THE AIR.
about ten minutes after tae blow, the
| Victoria. having got something like two
miles nearer shore from the scene of the
! collision. all at once leaned away over to
| the starboard. and with a great roll and
plunge. buried her bow beneath the calm
| surface of the sea. 1t was almost instan.
taneous There was only a chance for a
| few wild cries. and the Victoria was almost
| half submerged. bow foremost. with her
swiftly ly-revolving screws whring clear
| out of the water and high In the air. Those
| on deck were plunged immediately into the
| water. The men forward and below had