The state chronicle., 1893-06-28
The Sinking Of the Victoria.

NEW 4OHC, June Ao.-Auo I'S
ing World publishes en- extra this
evening in which was the following
special cable dispatch from Trlpoh'
Syria, regarding the sinking OF the
battleship Victoria.
About 3 o'clock last Thursday
afternoon the English fleet came In
sight of Ell Nina, the port and town
of Tripoli The five big ifonclads,
Victoria, Camperdowp, Edinburgh,
Nile and Sans Parell were drawn up
in full front. The Victoria was in
the centre, the Camperdown was on
her left and the Edinburgh on her
right.
When they we're within five miles
of shore Admiral Sir George |
Tryon signalled to turn and form
in double line. This meant that the
Victoris and Camperdown were to
go ahead q little and describe a
turn-the Victoria turning to the
left and the Camperdown turning
to the right-then they would ad-
vance side by side in the direction
from which they had come, the
others would swing into double col
umn order and advance two and
two behind the leaders.
When then 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 centre, but extremely difficult
for the Victoria and the Camper
down, who in turning their bows
would pass within few fathoms of
each other, even if the movement
was executed with the greatest pre-
cision.
| Whether because Admiral Mark
ham, Of the Camperdown, could not
believe this movement was to be
| tried when the ships weTs so close
| together or because he thought Ad-
miral Tryon had miscslculated the
distance he did not set about exc
cutting Admiral Tryon's order, but
signalled that he did not understand
it.
The Victoria and the other vessels
had not hesitated The Victoria be-
gan to turn at once as she still held
to the signal.
The Camperdown no longer hest
tated, but al 0 began to turn. The
brief delay, however, had been fa-
| tai. The Victoria had nearly turn
sd, and the Camperdown, swim gin g
around, bore down upon her.
J. Both admirels were quick 20 act.
Adzniral Tryon swung the Victoria
= SO as tc receive at the smallest angle
the blow which both officials saw as
; inevitable, and Admiral Markham
did the same for .he Camperdowa
besides reversing the screw. Tee
II foot ram of the CamperdowI
, struck the hull of the Victoria just
. in front OF the armcred bulahead
and plunged into the thin plates Of
her starboard side The armor ends
: OF the bulkhead and the forward
part of The Victoria abo7e the water
i. line was mere cardboard to the great
=, iron wedge 60 nightly propelled
There was smashing Of wood and
iron plates, and eight feet of the
bow of the Camperdown crashed
twenty feet in the bowels ef tn.
Victoria.
The Camperdown WAS halted by
; the heavy armor OF the Victoria,sne
as her screws were reversed she q
, once began to back away. As al
s the other vessels were moving to ge
}, in double line behind the two lead
ers, they wers bearing down upo,
? the entangled ships and catas
" trophe involving all tie iron clad
# was imminent.
!, Only the coolness end promp
d action of the other commanders pre-
l. vented general disaster. The Vic
i toria Was at once headed for shore
and steamed ten minutes, the dis
r cipline meanwhile being perfect.
II Suddenly the Victoria leaned t
l. starboard, and with q great roll, an
IL plunge, buried her bow in the SCI
Her engines continued working an
e the screws whirled ia the air as tn
= vessel gradually sunk.
The suction of she vessel wa
iz drawing everything in the whirl
l. pool, and when the screws becam
D. submerged they created gres
,s. vortex into which men were draw
aa in plain sight of the other vessel
e and dismembered by the revolvin
q blades of the screws
Hosds, limbs ead trunks OF b,
G. man bodies were thrown out of tt
h deep cone Of water, and fell bae
and disappeared.
IS The horror Of this scene turns
a. sick all who bsheld it, and the me
al in the water in danger of this ne
ss death lost their presence of mir
e. and good swimmers ceased to swi,
tic Scarcely had the vesssl settled
as low that the vortex closed UP, 1,
boilers burst, and those who hs
IN, escaped the chopping knives we
'ut beating waves of scalding water.
nd With the first uraerplunge CT t.
Victoria all the beats were call,
we away from the othor ships and car
lr- straiaing over the calm sea 20 sa
ne the strugglers.