The Indianapolis journal., 1893-07-03
First True Account of the Sad Loss
of Her Majesty's Ship Victoria.
Rear Admiral Markham, Of the Camper.
down, Reports that Commander in Chief
Tryon Made o Terrible Mistake.
Subordinates on the Inflated Vessel
Substantiate the Indictment.
Orders Were Given for the Squadron COL
umns to Swing in Too Narrow Spses
and the Collision Was Inevitable.

LONDON. July "A midshipman from the
Victoria arrived st Calais early this morn
ing with Rear Admiral Markbsm's dis
patches concerning the collision of Tripoli.
he was brought by special steamer. the
Maid of Kent. to Dover. and was conveyed
thence By special train TO London. He
drove directly TO the Admiralty Office.
where the Admiralty Board. notified in al.
vance of bis coming. received and read the
dispatches ct once. The board decided to
publish the dispatches in full forthwith.
The first dispatch was dated from the wal
ship Cam perdown on June %. liz says:
"lt is with most profound regret that j
have TO report the total loss of her Maes-
ty's ship Victoria, involving the irreparable
loss of the mmander-in-c chief. Vice Ad.
miral Sir George Tryon. together with
twenty-five officers and $50 men. under the
following circumstances: The squadron,
consisting of her Msjesty's ships Victoria,
Camperdowp. Nile. Dreadnaught. Inflex-
ible. Collingwood. Phaeton. Edinburgh.
Ssnsparcil Edgar. Amphion, Fearless and
Barhanl. left Beyrout about 10 O'Clock, this
forenoon. for TripolL shortly after the
squadron formed singlo columns. line
abreast. and proceeded at the rate OF about
eisht knots an hour. When about five
miles from the anchorage of Tripoli
the signal was made. at 2:20 o'clock
IN the afternoon. TO form columns OF
divisions in line ahead. disposed abeam TO
port, the columns to be six cable lengths
apart. We proceeded in this formation un-
til 3:2S O'Clock, when the signal was made
from the Victoria to the first division TO
turn sixteen points to port and the second
division 30 turn sixteen points to star
board. AS the columns were only six cable
lengths apart it was not. therefore. in my
opinion, possl BILE within the mRneuvering
distance te execute such an evolution.
directed the flag lieutenant to keep the sig
nal. which We were repeating at dip. as an
indication that the signal from the Victoria
was not understood. / then directed him
to signal with semaphore: DO 1 under
stand it is your wish for the columns TO
turn as indicated by the signal now ty ingf
THE FATAL BLUNDERs.
Before my orders could be carried out
the commander-in-chief eemaphored me "a
know what was waiting for. It then
struck me that he wished me to turn six
teen points. as indicated by the signal. and
it was his In tention to circle round the Sec
ond division. leaving them on the port
hand. Having the fullest confidence In the
great ability of the commander TO ma
neuver the squadron without even risk or
collision, | ordered the signal hoieted as an
indication that L understood. When the
signal was hauled down the helm OF the
Camperdown was put hard aport AZ the
same time the helm of the Victoria was
starboarded. | watched very carefully the
helm of the Victoria as indicating the pur-
pose OF her signals. AS the two ships turned
towards each other. and seeing that the
helm of the Victoria was hard starboard,
/ directed the captain OF the Camperdown
TO full speed astern with the stsrboard
screw. in order TO decrease our circle of
turning Seeing that collision was insv-
liable, then ordered him TO go full speed
asteTn with both engines, but before speed
could be materially checked the stem or
the Camperdown struck the Victoria on
the starboard bow, about twenty feet be-
fore the turret, and crushed INTO the ship
slmost to the center line. the fore-aDd-after
lines of the ship at the time of the collision
being inclined towards each other at an
angle OF about eighty degrees. It was. L
think. auite TWO minutes before the Cam
perdown was able. although going with
full speed astern. with both engines. TO get
clear of the Victoria. The water-tight
doors Of the CamperdOwn mad been closed
by my orders before the collision occurred
"SeeIng the critical condition OF the Vic
toria which seemed to be settling dow n,
the head boats were immediately prepared.
and the boom boats were got ready TO be
boisted out. when the open pendant was
hoisted by the Victoria and the signal was
made not I'd send boats. very few min
utes later she beeied over 20 star board.
and. turning bottom upwards. disappeared.
The time that elapsed between the occur
renee of the collision and the disappear
ance was oaIy about thirteen minutes
Shortly before the Victoria turned over
the men were seen Jumping overheard.
Observing this Immediately ordered the
signal made TO send all bosts to the rescue.
and directed the Bsrham aud Fear
less TO close IN at once aud
save life. steaming mp in the
~. rA,.r IN
the officers and men struggling In the
water. The combined efforts of the squad
ron resulted in tho saving of twenty-Dine
officers and about 262 men. but regret that
no less than twenty-five officers and about
$50 men. the majority of whom were IN all
probability below at the time. were lost.
The sea was smooth and there was only
light breeze at the time of the accident.
The injuries TO the Camperdown are
serious, but hope that with the assistance
of the artificers of the squadron they may
be temporarily repaired so that she may be
sent to Malta and docked."
Here Rear Admiral Markham gives a de-
tailed aud technical description OF the In
jnries sustained by the CamDerdown. be
then continues:
Il regret that the ships books of theVic.
toria were lost In fact. nothing of
Importance has been recovered. so far. For
some hours after the sinking of the fictoris
the water remained agitated over the
wreck. The screws were revolving as che
cataatrophe with the squadron until $50
O'Clock, when, as the Camperdown was
making water l deemed it advisable TO an
cnor the ships of Tripoli. The Amphion.
Barhain ana Fearless remained until after
dark. but did not recover anything OF I'M
portance.
Il cannot xpress the deep grief and sor-
row felt In consequence of this lamentable
catastrophe by myself. the captains. the
officers and the men of the Mediterranean
squadron-sorrow that 10 very materially
enhanced by the great and Irreparable loss
which the navy and the nation have sus-
tained in the death of our beloved COM
mander. Sir George Tryon. whose kindness
of heart. no less than his signal ability IN
the profession of which he was such q dis
tinguIshed ornament. had endeared him TO
all who served in his command.
"A. MARKHAM. Rear Admiral"
The maneuvering consisted OF two lines
turning towards each other. exactly revers-
ing their course In parallel lines. Owing
To the lack OF room. the figure that re-
suited was like al inverted letter ''W."
Hon. Maurice A. Bourke, the captain OF the
Victoria, sends Co the Admiralty letter
dated her Maiesty's shin Nile. June %
Captain Bourke recites technically his
orders up 20 the point OF making the turn.
FROM THE IIL-FATED VICTORIA.
''The signal was hoisted for the fret 6i.
vision to alter course sixteen points TO
port. and the second division 20 alter
course sixteen points TO starboard. The
leaders tonether fha rest In sueeessiou