The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1893-07-01
TDYON WAS TO BLAME.
The Dead Admiral's Error Caused
the Victoria Disaster.
DISCIPLINE IN THE FACE OF DEATH.


The Remarkable Bravery Displayed by
British sailors After Their Vessel Had
Been struck--waited for tho Command
Before Struggling for Life.
LONDON, July IA dispatch from Trip
oil now establishes that the disaster to the
Victoria was not due to a collapse OF her
machinery. but arose from an error Of judg-
ment In ordering the m aneuver Of chang
ing columns when the vessels were too
near together, the mistake apparently ly-
ing with Vice Admiral Tryon.
The Times correspondent at Malta says
that In spite of the interdict placed upon
the mouths of the survivors he learns that
Vice Admiral Tryon admitted that the &C
cident was all his fault. Rear Admiral
Markham, realizing the impossibility of
executing the order to deviate sixteen
points while the columns were SO Close, did
not respond promptly, but the Victoria
again signaled what are you doing"
Thereupon the Camperdown obeyed the
order It is asserted that Staff Commander
Smith, of the Victoria, remarked to Vice
| Admiral Tryon, "There is no room for the
| ships to turn in" but Tryon replied, Let
har 60"
Then 1t became question which ship
would strike the other. The Camperdown
struck the Victoria just in front of the
turret, cutting over six feet into the
doomed vessel, and leaving her figure
head on the Victoria's mess deck. All the
| ships in the feet seeing the danger began
| to lower and send off boats to the aid Of
| the yictoria's crew. but Vice Admiral
Tryon. evidently believing that the Vic
| toria would float, ordered the boats back
| 49, al he 70
| theless sent her boats to the rescue. Try
on's chief anxiety was for the safety of his
| ship.
| 1t Is asserted that the Victoria's winter
tight compartments were not closed. The
men were ordered to close them, but some
| of the bulkheads could not be closed. Cap
tain Bourke, seeing that it was impossible
| to save the ship, ordered the men to save
| themselves as best they could. Vice Ad-
miral Tryon remained on the vessel until
| she sank, thirteen minutes after the col
| lision happened.
The Camperdown had a narrow escape
| from sinking. When she reachen Tripoli
after the accident she was five feet down
| by the bows. Ali who witnessed the dis
aster describe the sight as most appalling.
1t is clear beyond controversy that If the
order signaled from the Victoria had been
| Iuity tNtCuted every pair VI SHIPS Woulu
| have come into collision. The other yes,
| sells, however, observed what would hap
| pen in time to prevent disaster to the
whole squadron.
| NALETTA, July 1.-The representative
here OF the United Press had interviews
with survivors of the disaster An officer
! who was an eye witness of the whole af-
| fair, after detailing how the ram of the
| Camperdown had stove an enormous hole
In the hull of the Victoria below the water
line. said that almost immediately after
the collision the Victoria began to settle
| by the head, and in four minutes the yes.
sci turned partly over with her bows I'M
der water The officer added that he did
not see single man jump overheard until
/ the order was given for every person to
| save himself.
| Many of the men were good swimmers,
but they were unable to get at safe dis
lance from the ship before she turned com
pletely over and went down. They were
caught in the vortex caused by the found.
ering ship, and their strength and ability
as swimmers awaited nothing against the
suction, which drew them down. The
officer corroborates the statement of men
being cut to death by the revolving pro
peller blades
A sailor who was Of the crew Of the
Victoria said that he was below when the
collision occurred. Shortly after the sailor
got to the upper deck the ship listed hsae-
lily to starboard and an order was given to
jump and for every man to save himself.
Until that order was given not man left
his post, although the vessel was lying at
such an angle that Il was necessary for the
men to hold on to supports to keep them
from sliding overheard All knew the
Victoria was doomed, but every man stood
by her until ordered to abandon her.