Daily Texarkana Democrat., 1893-06-28
WRECK OF THE VICTORIA.
Details Of the Horrible Disaster in
the Mediterranean Sea.

loss OI utdIIf ndll luoueohVf ii'Noj
were published for the first time by
the Metropolitan press of this Coun-
try. The news was obtained by a
special cable from Tripoli Syria, and is
given as follows: At o'clock last
Thursday afternoon the big ironclads
Victoria, Camperdown, Edinburg, Nile
and Sans Pariel were drawn up in full
front making for harbor. The Nicto-
ria was in the center, the Camper
down on the left and the Edinburg on
the right. When they were in five
miles of shore Rear Admiral Sir
George Tryon signaled to turn and
form double line. This meant the
Victoria and Camperdown were to go
ahead little and describe turn, the
Victoria turning to the left and the
Camperdown to the right. Then they
would advance side by side in the di-
rection from which they had come
and the others would swing into
double column order and advance
down 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 and Camper
down. In turning their bows would
pass within few fathoms of each
other even if the movement was exc
cuted with the greatest precision.
This movement is rarely made and is
chiefly for the purpose of training
commanders to move expertly away
from shoaling waters.
Whether Rear Admiral Markham
Of the Camperdown could believe the
movement was to be tried when the
ships were SO close together or be-
cause he thought Admiral Tryon had
miscalculated the distance, he didn't
set about the execution of the order,
but signaled he didn't understand it..
The Victoria and the other vessels did
not hesitate. The Victoria began to
turn at once, and as she still held to
the signal the Camperdown no longer
hesitated, but ulso began to turn. The
brief delay, however, had fatal eff
feet. The Victoria had nearly turned
and the Camperdown, swinging
around, bore down upon her.
Both Admirals were quick to act.
Admiral Tryon swerved the Victoria
so as to receive at the smallest angle
the shock which both officers saw was
inevitable. Admiral Markham did
the same for the Camperdown, besides
reversing her screws. The twelve
foot ram of the Camperdown struck
the hull of the Victoria Just behind
the armored bulkhead and plunged
into the thin plates on her starboard
side. The armor ends at the bulk
head and the forward part of the Vic
toria above the water line was mere
cardboard to the great iron wedge SO
nightly propelled. There was a
smashing of wood and iron plates and
the ram and eight feet of the bow Of
Camperdown crashed twenty feet IN
to the bowels of the Victoria.
The Camperdown was halted by
the heavy armor of the Victoria, and
as her screws we're 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 en-
tangled ships and catastrophe in
volving all the iron-clads was immi-
nent, Only the GOODNESS and prompt
action of the other commanders pre-
vented a general disaster. The Vic
toria's bow was not pointed full to-
ward shore. 1t seems Tryon did not
realize the extent of the damage to
the Victoria. As no accident of ex-
actly this kind has happened before,
he could not know what effect tho
hole compartment was to be. So
when the Camperdown and other
ships signaled offers of boats he repli-
ed he did not need them.
The Victoria made straight for the
shore, in obedience TO an established
rule of the British navy, that vessel,
when in danger of sinking, shall In
stantly make for shore if there be any
chance of reaching same. Thus the
distance between the ships was mo-
mentarily widened,
The action Of Admiral Tryon and
his superior officers, in the face Of the
great danger, was SO calm and fear.
less as to inspire courage in all breasts
So good was the discipline that with.
in five minutes after the blow diving
suit was brought on deck and diver
was getting into it to obey an order
to 60 below to find out the extent Of