Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-07-18
ADMIRAL rRYoN's FATAL ORDER.


Prevent the Victoria Disaster.
In the naval court-martial into the cause Of
the Victoria disaster held at valetta, Malta, yes
terday after The Stars telegraphic report
closed in the course Of Capt Bourkes examina-
ton Prosecutor Winsloe asked him: when
STAFF Commander Hawkins Smith suggested to
Vice Admiral Tryon that eight cable lengths
would be the better distance in which to form
the columns than six cable lengths did You say
anything in regard to the subject?'
| Can't. Bourke responded: "No." He then
stated that after the conversation in the ad-
mirars cabin Sir George Iryon went out and
sat on the stern walk. Fleet Lieut. Clifford
came to the witness and said that the staff
Commander had told him that "eight cables
was to be sisnsled. Capt. Bourke reminded
| Vice Admiral Tryon that he certainly had said
the distance ought to be more than six cable
| lengths.
said: Leave 1t at six" Lieut. Clifford then
left the cabin. Capt. Bourke and Vice Admiral
Tryon remained together.
Capt Bourke at first declined to saw what
passed between them after Lieut.. Clifford left
them.
must make full statement, otherwise he would
inculpate himself. Capt Bourke then said that
be called Sir Georges attention to the fact Of
the Victoria's turning in a circle Of 500 Yards
The admiral replied "Let 1t remain at six ca
bles"
Capt. Bourke then went on deck.
Capt. Bourke displayed extreme reluctance
to say what passed between himself and Admit
raj Tryon, on the ground that Tryon, IL he had
lived, might have qualified the report Of the
conversation. In replying to further questions
put by the prosecutor. he said that he was atop
the fore chart house when the first signals were
hoisted. He did not then say anything to Ad-
mirsl Tryon, who was talking jocularly With
the stan 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 900 yards with
the extreme helm at thrty-fve degrees The
helm was usually used at twenty EIGHT degrees
and gave an estimated circle Of 800 yards. The
Camperdown's turning circle was practically the
same.
Capt winslow, the prosecutor-Did you ask
signal was hauled down?
Capt. Bourke-Directly after the signal was
hauled down and the helm put over, the ship
having swung Of about two points with the ex-
treme helm. addressed the admiral thus:
I'VE shall come very close to the Camperdown."
then turned to my aid-de-camp, MILDLY
Lanyon, and told him to t,ke the Camperdown 3
distance. To the best of my recollection, when
l addressed the admiral, he looked up, but
made no reply.
AFTER spoke to Lanyon added the remark
| TO him: we better do something; we shall come
very close to the Camperdown.' All this time
| We were turning Receiving no answer. I again
| addressed the admiral. repeating quickly two
or three times: May I 60 astern full speed
with the port screw At last the admiral said:
Yes The port screw was Immediately started
| full speed astern. Very shortly afterward
ordered both screws full speed astern.
Il cannot say exactly what was the relative
bearing OF the two vessels, but the Camper
down cert ainly was on the starboard bow. We
| had turned eight points. The approximate
| time between hauling down the signal and the
| collision was three and one-half to four min
| utes. At the moment Of the collision both
telegraphs indicated full speed astern. can
| not say, however, what the engines we're doing
| The ships way had not been checked apprecia-
bly,. Directly after the collision the engines
Capt. BourLe was examined at great length
concerning the Yictoria's bulkheads. He ex-
| planned, with the aid OF models, exactly what
was done and what was the nature of the dam
| age. He gave an order, he said to close the
gunports, but Thought that 1t was not executed
The commaudsr-in-chief had at once hailed
| the Camperdown. he said, and had ordered her
| to 60 astern. Everybody had come up from
below except the poor fellows in the engine
| room. He himself lad been the last one to
| come up.
He had heard no order to abandon the ship,
and did not know that any order was given for
| the engineers to come up. He should say that
ten minutes elapsed between the collision and
the sinking. The greatness Of the mortality
had been partly due to the fact. he thought,
| that many stokers and marines were unable to
swim.
Nobody believed the end was 60 near" con-
tinued Capt. Bourke. myself did not sup
pose that the vessel would turn over"
After describing the splendid behavior Of
| the men and the wonderful self-control dis