The Globe-republican., 1893-07-07
MARKHAM'S REPORT.
The Commander of the Camper
down on the Disaster.
Story OF the Sinking Of the Warshfp Vic
toria 1t Was Clearly the Result Of
the Order to Maneuver In
Too Limited Space.

Too Limited Space.
LONDON, July "a midshipman from
the Victoria arrived at Calais with Rear
Adm. Markham's dispatches con
corning the collision off Tripoli He
was brought by special steamer, the
Maid of Kent, to Dover and was con
veyed at once by special train to Lon
don. He drove directly TO the admiralty
office where the admiralty board, no
titled in advance of his coming, re-
ceived and read the dispatches at once.
The board decided to publish the dis
patches in full forthwith. The first
dispatch was dated from the warship
Camperdown on June 22. 1t says:
1t is with the most profound regret that
have TO report the total loss Of her majesty 8
ship Victoria. involving the irreparable loss OF
the commander -in-chief, Vice-Adm Sir George
Tryon twenty-five officers and 1856 men under
the following circumstances:
The squadron, consisting OF her majesty 8
ships Victoria Camperdown Nile. Dread
naught. Infiexible. Collingwood, Phaeton, Edfn-
burg. Sans Pareil. Edgar Amphion, Fearless
and Barham left Beyroot about ~ o'clock this
forenoon for Tripoli Shortly after the squad
ron formed single columns line abreast
and proceeded at the rate Of about
eight knots an hour. When about i've
miles from the anchorage of Tripoh. the sig
nal was made at 80 in the afternoon to form
columns OF division in line ahead, disposed
abeam to port-the columns to be six cable
lengths apart We proceeded in this forma
ton until 1923, when the signal was made from
the Victoria to the first division to turn sixteen
points to starboard AS the columns were
-
fore, in my opinion. possible within the
maneuvering distance, to. execute such an
evolution. l directed the flag lieutenant to
keep the signal, which We were repeating At
dip, as an indication that the signal from the
Victoria vas not understood. 1 then directed
him 10 signal with the Semaphore: DO / un-
derstand it is your wish for the columns to turn
as indicated by the signal now flying'' But be-
fore my order could be carried out the COM
mander-.n-chief Semaphored me TO know what
was waiting for
II then struck me that he wished to turn six
teen points as indicated by the signal, and it
was his intention to circle round the second
division, leaving them ON the port Having the
fullest confidence in the great ability of the
commander ~ vancouver the squadron without
even risa of collision. I ordered the signal
hoStcd as an indication that / understood
When the signal was hauled down the helm OF
the CamperdOwn was put hard aport At the
same time the holm of the Victoria was star
boarded. / watched very carefully the helm OF
the Victoria as indicating the purpose OF her
signals. as the two ships turned toward
each other, and seeing that the helm OF
the Victoria was still starboard. I directed
the captain Of the Cam lerdown to so full speed
astern with the starDoard screw, in order to
decrease our circle of turning. Seeing that q
collision was inevitable, l then ordered to 60
full speed astcrn with both engines. but before
our speed could be materially checked the stem
of the CamperdOwn struck the Victoria on the
starboard bow about twenty feet before the
turret and crushed into the ship almost to the
center line, the fore and aft lines of tine ship
at the time OF the collision. being inclined
toward each other at an angle OF about eighty
degrees.
1t was. think. quite two minutes before the
Camperdown was able. although going with
full speed astern with both engines to get clear
of the Victoria The water.tight doors of the
Campcrdown had been closed By my orders be.
fore the collision occurred Seeing the critical
condition OF the Victoria, which seemed to be
settling down by the head. boats were i'm
mediately prepared and the boom boats were
got ready TO be hois,ed out. when the open
pendant was hoisted by the Victoria and the
signal was made not to send boats A very few
minutes later she keeled over to starboard,
and, turning upward disappeared The time
that elapsed between the occurrence Of the
collision and the disappearance was only about
thirteen minutes Shortly before the Victoria
turned over the men were seen jump
ing overheard. Observing this, 1 imme-
diately ordered the signal made to send all
boats to the rescue and directed the Barham
and Fearless to close in ut once to save life,
steaming up in the Camperdown at the same
time 10 succor the officers and men Strug.
Cling in the water. The combined efforts of the
squadron resulted in the saving Of twenty
nine officers and about 26s men, but l regret
that no less than twenty-five officers and
about men, the majority OF whom were in
all proba bility below at the time. were lost
The sea was smooth and there was only q
light breeze at the time OF the accident The
injuries TO the Camperdown are serious. but
hope that with the assistance of the artifcers
CT the squadron they may be temporarily re-
paired SO that she may be sent to Malta and
doched.