The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-07-18
SINKING OF THE VICTORIA.
The Court martial Proceedings Begin
at Malta.

Commander Hawkins Smith the
Principal Defendants-The Mistake o
of Vice Admiral Tryon In Attempting g
the Maneuver With Only Six Cable
Lengths Between +he Ships Again
Brought Out.
Valetta, July 1.-THE court martial
appointed TO try the surviving OH
GERS of the Victoria, sunk in collision with
the Camperdown, opened to-day upon the
Hibernia, the flagship Of rear Adm iral
Richard E. Tracy.
The president of the court is Vice Ad-
miral Seymour of the cruiser Hawk who
succeeded Vice Admiral Tryon. Rear
Admiral Tracy is vice president.
The principal defendants were Captain
Maurice, a. Bourke and STAFF Com
mander Hawkins Smith
A letter was read from Rear Admiral
Markham which bears upon the pub
hshed statement that Rear Admiral Mark
ham had refused to obey vice Admiral
Tryon's order. In this letter the state
ment is made that in reply to Admiral
Tryon's question: What are you wait
ing for signalled after the vice admiral
sawthat his order for the manuever was
not being obeyed, Rear Admiral Mark
ham had signalled that he did not quite
understand the vice admiral's orders.
CAPT. BoURKE's DEFENSE.
Capt. Bourke was then placed on the
stand in his own defense. He repeated
the story of the accident as already told
in these dispatches. In substance he said
that he and Staff Commander Hawkins
Smith went to Vice Admiral Tyron s cabi-
net and received their order from MIN as
to the maneuvers to be carried out. Capt.
Bourke repeated the conversation that
then took place regarding the distance
from each other to be observed by the
ships, and how the vice admiral, after
after having originally fixed this distance
at six cable lengths, agreed with the
suggestion of the staff commander that 1t
should be eight cable lengths.
SIX CABLE LENGTHS DESIGNATED.
Subsequently when the signals were set
the flags designated six cable lengths.
and when the vice-admiral's attention
was called to this fact he said they were
to remain. Capt. Bourke added that he
saw, when the ships began to swing to-
ward each other, that there was not sufi-
eient distance between them to allow Of
the evolution ordered, and that
he asked permission to reverse
the port screw in order that the
ships should make shorter turn. This
was given him and subsequently both en-
gines were ordered full speed astern. II
was too late, however, to avoid the dis
aster The Victoria had turned twelve
or thirteen points when the Camperdown
struck her. Capt. Bourke described at
length the efforts made to
save the ship after the collision,
descriptions of which have heretofore
been published He said his dispatches
to the admiralty truly described all the
details of the disaster. He had no com
plant whatever to make regarding the
conduct of any of the survivors.
Capt. Winsloe the prosecutor, asked
the survivors if they objected to anything
in Capt. Bourkes narrative of the dlsas-
ter. or if they had charges to make
against any one All the survivors an
swered Nothing in nchorus.
THE CAPTAIN SILENT.
In the course of Capt. Bourke's exam
ination Prosecutor Winlsoe asked him:
''When Staff Commander Hawkins Smith
suggested to Vice Admiral Tryon that
eight cable lengths would be better dis
tance in which to form the columns than
six cable lengths did you say anything in
regard to the subject"
Capt. BOurke responded mo"
He then stated that after the cOnversa-
tion in the admiral's cabin Sir George
Tryon went out and sat an the stern
walk Fleet Lieutenant Clifford came TO
the witness and said that the staff
commander had told him that "eight
cablesn was to be signalled. Capt.
Bourl1eI reminded Admiral Tryon that he
certainly had said the distance ought TO
be more than six cable lengths.
LEFT AT SIX.
The admiral turned to Lieut. Clifford
and said: 'Leave it at siX.n Lieut..
Clifford left the cabin. Capt Bourke
Iroi, mo to
gether Capt. Bourke first declined to say
what passed between them after Lieut..
Clifford left them.
The president reminded the wit
nessthat he must make full
statement, otherwise he would
inculpate himself. Capt. Bourke
then said that he called Sir Georges at
tention to the fact of the Victoria's turn
ing "A circle Of 500 yards. The admiral
replied Let it remain at six cables"
Capt BOurke then went on deck.
TEsTIFIEs WITH RELUCTANCE.
Capt. Bourke displayed extreme reluct-
ance to say what passed between himself
and Amiral Tryon, on the ground that
Admiral Tryon, if he had lived, might
have qualified the report of the conversa-
tion. In replying 10 further questions
put by the prosecutor, he said he was
at the top Of the fore chart house when
the first signals were hOisted. He did
not then say anything to Admiral Tryon,
who was talking jOcularly with the staff
commander about other matters. He did
not remember about the signal to turn in
ward being hoisted. He explained that
the Victoria's turning diameter at the
ordinary speed Of the feet was just under
600 Yards, with the extreme helm at 30
degrees. The helm was ususlly used at
2S degrees and gave an estimated circle Of
500 yards The Camperdown's turning
circle was practically the same.
REVERSING OF THE SCREW.
Capt. Winsloe. the prosecutor-Did you
ask permission to reverse the port screw
when the signal was hauled down7
Capt Bourke-Directly after the signal
was hauled down and the helm put
over the ship having swung about two
points with the extreme helm. | ad-
dressed the Admiral thus: I'VE shall
come very close to the Camperdown. I
then tnrned to my aid de camp MILDLY
Lanyon, and told him to take the Camper
downs distance. To the best Of my re
collection when / addressed the Admiral
he looked up but made no reply.