Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1893-06-29
MET AN AWFUL FATE
AUTHENTIC STORY oFTHE VIC
TORlA'S LOSS.
five Hundred Men Caught In tho Macl-
strom Caused by the sinking Ship and
Drawn within Reach OF the Screws.

New York, June %. Am extra edi-
tion of the World, contains special
cable from Tripoli, Syria, giving the
first full details of the sinking of the
flagship Victoria, They are as fol-
lows:
! About 3 o'clock last Thursday after
noon the English fleet came in sight
of lei Nina, the port and town of Tri-
poll. II was coming from the North
east and making directly for the har-
Dor, The five big ironclads-Nictoria
Camperdown, Edinburgh, Nile and
Sans Paroll-were drawn up in full
front. The Victoria was in the center,
the Camperdown was on her left and
the Edinburgh on her right.
When they were within five miles of
shore Vice Admiral Sir George Tryon
signaled to turn and form in double
| line. This meant that the Victoria AMI
| Camperiown were to go ahead u little
and describe Il turn-thc Victoria turn
ing TO the left and the Camperdown
turning to the "ight--then they would
/ advance side by side in the direction
| from which they had come, the others
would swing into double-column order
and advance two and two behind the
leaders.
When the order was given the dis
| lance between the ships was less than
two cable lengths. The execution of
the order was easy enough for ships
farther away from the center, but eX-
tremcly difficult for the Victoria and
the Camperdown. In turning, their
bows would pass within few faith
oms of each other, even il the move-
ment was executed with the greatest
of precision, This movement is rarely
made, and is chiefly for the purpose Of
training the ship commanders to move
expeditiously away from shoaling wa
| ters
Whether because Admiral Markham
| of the Camperdown could not believe
this movemement was to be tried when
the ships We're so close together, or
because he thought Admiral Tryon
had miscalculated the distance, he
didn't set about executing Admiral
Tryons order but signaled that he
| didn't understand it.
| The Victoria and the other vessel
had not hesitated. The Victoria be-
| gan to turn at once, as she still held
to the signal. The Camperdown no
| longer hesitated, but also began to
turn. The brief delay, however, had
been fatal.
The Victoria had nearly turned, and
! the Camperdown, swinging around,
bore down upon her.
Both admirals were quick to act.
Admiral Tryon swung the Victoria so
! as to receive at the smallest angle the
blow which both officers saw was in
vinclble and Admiral Markham did
| tho Snpa for. tho IA, m own hpSilau
reversing her screws.
The twelvc-foot ram of the Camper
down struck the hull Of the Victoria
| just in front of the armored bullShead,
AMI plunged into the thin plates of
her starboard side The armor ends
at thu bullIhead and the forward part
of the Victoria above the water line
was mere cardboard to the great iron
wedge SO nightly propelled.
There was Il smashing of wood and
iron plates, and the ram and c ght
| feet of the bow OF The Camperdown
crashed twenty feet into the bowels
of the Victoria The Clmperlo
was halted by the heavy amor of the
! Victoria, and as her S raws were re-
versed she at once began to back
away.
The Victoria began to forge straight
] for the shore under full steam. / is
one of the ru ei of tie British navy
that if n ship is in danger of sinking
and shore is rot far away she must
be got into sh lllow water, so that if
| she goes down she may be raised
again. So Admiral Tyron was maxi
ing for the shore and was widening
the distance betwc IN the Victoria and
other ships.
Discipline was perfect. The admiral
| and officers remained steadfast upon
the bridge, setting an example. So
! good was the discipline that within
five minutes after the blow n diving
suit had been brought on deck and
diver was getting into it to obey an
order 10 go below and find out the ex-
tent of the damage.
| The untlngling and getting under
full Roadway had taken some tine.
| About ten minutes after the blow the
| Victoria, having got something like
| two miles nearer shore from the scene
| of the collision, all at once leaned
away over to starbord and with a
| great roll and plunge burr her bow
beneath the calm surface of the sea. 1t
was almost instantaneous.
There was only a chance for a few
4 VIII CEIcS anu Jlt ' lCbOFld was alIlDSL
| half submerged, bow foremost, with
her swiftly revolving screws Willing
clear of the water and high in the air
Those on deck were plunged immedi-
ately into the water.
/ The men forward ana below had no
time TO rush to the deck, but found
themselves cropping for doors of rooms
filled with water and compressed air
| There was little more time for those in
officers quarters. They heard the
shouts and cries and rushed to the al
most perpendicular deck.
The huge hull was drawing on the
water as it went down, and several
| hundred men HURLED suddenly into the
water fully dressed, had TO battle
| against increasing suction. A moment
more and new peril more horrible
descended upon them. The great en-
| CINE, deep in the heart of the hull and
| inclosed in watertight compartments
was still throbbing at full speed, and
| the great steel phlanges of the twin
screws were whirling round up in the
| air.
! As the vessel sank the screws came
| nearer and nearer to the water and
| descended into the midst of struggling
human beings. The vessel sank slowly
and when the screws were low enough
to begin to whirl in the water again
| the suction had increased until there
was deepening vortex like NAL
| strom.
At the bottom Of this malstrom the
screws were revolving like circular
knives. The poor creatures battled in
vain against the suction. They were
drawn down and thrown against the
swift blades.
Then came scene which made the
officers on the decks of the other war
ships of the feet turn away, sick with
horror.
ii. II. Warmers Assets and Liabilities
ROCHESTER,, n. ", June 23.--Jobe +.