The Lamar register., 1893-07-01
FOUR HUNDRED DROWNED.
Tho English warship Victoria Sunk In n
Collision and Nearly all Her
Crew Drowned.

Collision and Nearly all Iter
Crew Drowned.
A most terrible calamity has befallen the
British battleshlp Victoria of the Mediter-
ranean squadron AMI hundreds of lives were
lost. The Victoria, which flew the flag of
Vice Admiral Sir George Tyron, X. g. b.,
was run into of Tripoli by the British battle
ship Camperdown, also belonging to the
Mediterranean squadron and under the COM
mand OF Captain John johnson, on the 23rd.
The vessels with others were maneuvering
within q comparatively small space near
Tripoli. The vessels we're almost at right
angles when the Victoria was struck by the
ram of the Camperdown. Those the
Nictoria's deck at the time of the collision
scrambled away, and were rescued by boats
fon the Camperdown and several other
vessels The men below had no time to reach
the deck. The sudden reellng of the Vic
toria caused her to begin to fill Immediately,
and no escape was possible. She went down
in nineteen fathoms of water, bottom up
wards.
As soon as the officers of the Victoria saw
that there was danger of their ship founder
ing, orders were given to close the collision
bulkheads in order to keep the water in the
compartment ram. The sailors tried to obey
the order, but the ship was making water too
fast to allow OF closing the bulkheads, and
while still trying to shut them the vessel, with
her immense guns and heavy top hamper,
turned over and carried them dowu.
The Victoria was twin-screw battlcship
Of 1910 tons and 1900 horsepower. She
mounted fifteen guns The Camperdown Is
also hrst-class twiu-screw battleship- She
is IO,6OO tons and 1,50O horsepower and car
ried ten guns.
The complement of officers and crew of
the Victoria comprised Gil men, besides
whom there we're 1o7 marines. The list of
officers drowned included Vice Admiral
TyIou and twenty-one others.
a change had been recently made in The
commander attached to the Victoria. Charles
L. Ouley having been detached and succeed
ed by Commander Fellicome, who was saved,
as were also Captain Hon. Maurice A Bourke
and fifteen other officers.
Two hundred and fifty men are Thought 10
have been saved, but all attention IS devoted
to recovering the dead bodies.
The news Of the calamity has caused the
most intense excitement, not only among
those who had friends on board the Inflated
ship but among all classes OF the population.
I The admiralty office in Whitehall Is besieged
/ By relatives and fr1euds Of tie officers and
l crew. reporters seeking further details of the
disaster and throngs OF people attracted by
I curiosity. So dense was the throng in the
I vicinity that the admiralty officials were com
/ PEELED to Summon the police to restrain the
[ crowd
| AL official telegrams 10 regard TO the loss
I Of the ship will be sent at once to the queen
/ at Windsor castle As soon es her majesty
received Rear Admiral Markhams Dispatch
/ which was Immediately forwarded to her, she
4 gave orders for the postponement OF the stale
I BALL that was to have taken place at Buck
/ ingham palace that night.
Mr. Gladstone was greatly shocked when
/ be was Informed Of the sinking of the Vic
l torla and the great loss of life that had at
\ tended the foanderins of the vessel The
/ prime minister informed the House of Com
mons OF the accident and paid most glow
/ Ing tribute to the worth Of Vice Admiral
/ Tryun, who he said, one of the ablest
and most esteemed officers ia the service of
her majesty.
The loss OF the Victoria IS looked upon as
confirming the opinion of many naval officers
that the monster warships of the present day
are entirely too unwieldy for serious maneuv-
erinr OF seaboard. Naval engineering has
not progressed rapidly as naval architee-
ture. and the stupendous mass of the 10000
ton warship cannot be controlled with the
ease the navy officer generally desires. There
Is but little doubt that the loss of the Nictoria
was mainly due to this defect. 1t is probable
that either the Camperdown or the Nictoria
could could no, lessen the impetus received
from its engines when required.
It's also commented that, while scarcely
anything has been done TO nullify the deadly
action Of the ''ram.'' the navies OF the world
have given hardly a thought to life-boat drill
proof Of which IS seen in connection will
the sinking OF the Victoria