The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1893-07-03

~. 4sulL Aboai q " Ia,si--a iihsashas
Order paussd q

ms fsulh Ahaai d " li,st-~A utuaasFiHg
Order paassd g
LRHnou, inly I-At illi - have ihp
truth about ne atoli naval Disaster,
nlno dayi ago, 10 a iaF Garner d The
hodltoFEanoln. Il.Vas q very human
bluudor which cen, the monster engine
Of war, with nearly 400 Of her crew, 70
the bottom Of the sea The man who
by common consent, ranked as the
ablest commander Of the finest navy the
world ever saw, gave the order which
involved the deadllsHt peril II II did not
make disaster ileyitable.
This, however does not throw the re-
sponsibillty entirely upon the dead adj
miEal Assuming that Sir George made
the blunder that IL imputed to him, the
rules Of the British admiralty will still
hold commanders OF their respective
vessels directly responsible fora colll-
sion, The point Is this; A captains
first duty in peaceful eYolutions ia to
avoid letting his vessel collide or run
ashore, even II necessary to disregard q
HppeFior's orders In order 10 escape ca
tastFophe, This rule was distinctly em-
phasized at q recent court martial on
the stranding Of the battleship Howe.
II was this rule which Admiral Mark,
ham obeyed when he failed to respond
at first TO Trypn's order to turn the
Camperdown's prov toward the Vic
toria. Had Markham, or rather the
captain of the Camperdown, persisted,
in disregard OF the COMMANDMENTS
chiefs order, under protection Of this
rule, the disaster would have been
syerted,
Tryon, who was q stern disclplinaIian,
hoisted the peFemptory signal; "Why
are my orders not obeyed2' The posi-
ton Of the Campsrdown's commander
was like that 1.-THE commander Of the
Light Brigade at Balaclaya, who knew
Some one had Numbered"
II must be said in defense OF both
captains thar Admiral Iyron not only
was never known to make mistake,
but he possessed, TO degree which
probably no living naval commander
enjoys, the absolute confidence and
loyalty Of every man under him, Lord
Charles Beresford, illustrating this
point in conversation with the corre-
spondent the other day, said;
"My confidence In the judgment and
ability in Admiral Tryon was so great
that, had ! been in q general action and
ON the point Of yanqulshing the ship
with which / engaged, and Sir George
had signalled meto withdraw, i should
have obeyed without even u doubt OF
the wisdom Of his order arising in my
mind, so sure would / be that his gu.
perior judgment saw for me more
effective part TO play"
TWAS from such man that the com.
mandera Of Britain's greatest naval
squadron received a fatal order, What
wonder is it that 1t was obeyed, even
against instructive protests Of judgment
Of his subordinates2 No one has ques-
toned yet Tryon's self.possession at
the time but it is a point of perhaps
the greatest significance that he had
only that morning returned to duty
from the sick list.
The facts printed about the causes Of
the calamity have made most painful
impression in England. There Ia no
disposition 10 denounce the gallant adj
miral who would make no effort to save
his own life. The correspondent tele.
graphed Lord Beresford whose CONF
ments on the meager news Of the accl-
dent early in the week attracted wide
spread attention, asking II he would
discuss the matter in the light OF the
latest developments. The following
| reply was received:
"No, thank you. deprecate all con.
lectures as unfair to the dead and living
alike. The service inquiry will surely
unravel everything. Accidents are in.
separable from the life Of a seaman.
Men are but mortal; machinery is
treacherous Tryon was the most brill
liant seaman the state possessed, !.