The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-07-02
THE WAY BRAVE MEN DIED.
op1pBIC DETAILS OF THE SINKING
OE TIE HICTORId.

o.. On, Abandoned Ship Until the Order
.snys Yourselves" was Gtven-Mnny
Acts or ueroisu In the Half Hour After
tho Crnsh-Tryon just or the Sick List
vuErrA. Malta. July 1.-Notwith standing
enc Efforts that are being made by the naval
authorities to prevent the survivors OF the
yictorin disaster from giving any Information
concerning the loss Of the vessel. your CORES
nondent has succeeded In obtaining from re-
liable sources full story Of the casualty. the
arst report covering all the details Of the accl-
dsnt that has been sent TO the United States.
Most OF the men seen decline. for obvious rea-
sons to have their names published. but the
availability OF the interviews may DO entirely
depended upon.
sub-ofIlcer who was attached to the Vic
toris says: The feet was mannuvrinG when
vice. Admiral Tryon siRnalled the first division
In turn sixteen points to port. and the Sec
ond to turn sixteen points to starboard. The
object OF this man6uvre was to bring the ships
IN position for anchoring. Vice-Admiral
Trron either forgot or mistook the distance
between the two columns. which were ak
cable lengths g. 600 feet) apart The leading
sbips having turned toward each other in n
sircIe, the diameter Of which was three cable
lengths q, 800 feet. collision was inevitable.
"The Camperdown struck the Victoria on
the starboard side. midway between her cat
heads and the turret. When Rear Admiral
MARKHAM saw that his ship was bound to
striks tho Victoria he signalled for the Camp
erdown's engines to be reversed. 1t was too
iats however. to much check tho Camper
downs Roadway. and she struck the Victoria o
fearful blow. Not only did the ram OF the
Camperdown penetrate the flagship. but her
forecastle was showed ten feet under the fore
castle Of tho Victoria. A buGle call was sound
cd on the flagship calling all hands to their
ststtons. and an order was given to close the
vater-tight doors in tho bulkheads. a minute
before the collision occurred The Camper
Gown. however. was swinging rapidly toward
the Victoria. and those on the flagship scarcely
had time to reach the compartments before the
vessels came together:
"Then the water. rushing into the ship
through several Of the forward doors. prevent
. Cd access to these compartments. The officers
who we're In the ward room felt the shock.
which was tremendous. and heard the sound
Of tearing iron and tho rushing OF the wnter
tnboard. A bugler sounded the collision
= alarm, but though everybody aboard of the
ship knew he was in imminent danger there
was not the slightest trace OF q panic. Per-
feet discipline was maintained and every order
was obeyed as soon as 1t was given. The
pumps were cleared and rigRed for action. and
Captain Maurice Bourke. Flag Captain Of the
aeet made an inspection to ascertain in what
bulkheads doors were closed. All hands were
then ordered to fall in on tho port side Of tho
ship Tho collision mat and boom were got
out An attempt was made to place the mat
over the hole In the forscastle, but 1t failed.
while this was being done Commander
Jelicos was engaged in getting the boats out.
Tho rapid and increasing list tho ship was
making made this task Q difficult one. The
port side Of the ship was crowded with men.
senancss. but perfect order was maintained.
The mon who had boon condemned to impris-
onmsnt we're brought from III the brig and the
Of tho collision had both legs broken By being
Wy The Victoria iaJ With a list Of from twenty
totwenty. FIVE degrees for about two minutes.
sy Ss s asa FL & ss
vent down In The let few minH.es she
eIutshins Sanctions and anythine els. that
would hold them. the men hung on. no one at:
th.t s al so 1s' wss gone ea1s
sna ss
81 hold Of something on ths upper side q tho
H. were. when they Jumped. forced to jump
%hoss e..
seeing their fate. cried: Stop the engine, for
sn. Sd DSt he
men nestins their death By Being lit 81 tho 20
MANY who Jumped went down beneath tho
water. but rose again. In the meantime the
PIGMENTS she plunged down. bow first. carry;
idg with her many Of tho men who were still
her keel as So she turned Slowly over later after
getting down on her side.
About four hundred got clear OF the ship
that they drowned. The air that escaped from
would ost 10 to surface Wts
tremendous force. and the men struck by the
SDvso articles were in many instances
vessel sank the water was a sesthing mass:
Or tSS; among those %hS were Killed TIl the
Of those who mot their death in this way were
terribly manGled. and legs and arms were seen
h9sRhRs IN s w ssea tsr Ar $ F r1on
house He did not have a, single chance Tor
went down he made no attempt I to leave sh his
@ bsdEs Tsson
when tho Victoria sank. Lord Clifford. the flag
:gt am, had wonderful escape from be-
4 ,..ENothing too high in praise Of the behavior
OF the mon can be said They behaved mag
Efficiently. Their fate was met bravely. Their
discipline and obedience were pathetic, as they
stood, on the deck waiting for the word to
aseandon ship When in the water their ac-
lions were heroic. Men swan around helping
others. and many, Of them seemed to think
more Of rescuing their comrades than of saw
inG their own lives, After the fret few sec
. aInds following the disappearance of the ship
there was no shouting or screaming, and those
who died met their death silently. During the
terrible Terri half hour from the time OF the collision
nntn all had been saved whom IL was pos siblo
To- rescue. many acts Of heroism and Kindness
were done and offered"
Another officer, said: AT the moment Of the
crashing shock there was a rush for stations.
d df,sal FOLLOWED three minutes OF suspense. the
upper deck. At tho last the Victoria gave
swift lurch to starboard as tho ship rolled
over, and then followed terrible struggle to
get hold Of something to winiward. These
struggles. however. were in many cases futile.
owing owing to the rush OF water, and tho men were
swept INTO the sea or carried down with the
ship, which sank gradually by tho bows. Then
VII long roll she turned clear over and took
from the perpendicular deck to the leewRrd