Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1893-07-18

which was sunk in collision with the
British battleship Camperdown, OIL
Tripoli, Syria, on June %, opened to-
day upon the Hibernia, the flagship OF
Rear Admiral Richard E. Tracey, Ad-
miral Superintendent Of the Malta Dock
! Yard.
All the survivors were on board the
| Hibernia at o'clock in the morning,
and shortly thereafter the proceedings
opened.
The President Of the court martial is
Vice Admiral Sir Michael Cuele Sey-
mour, of the cruiser Hawke, who sue
ceeded Vice Admiral Sir George Try
on. who lost his life In the Victoria dis
aster.
Judge Advocate Rickard read letter
| addressed TO Rear Admiral Tracey, In
which Captain Bourke said that In his
opinion the engines of both the Victoria
and Camperdown were put three-quar-
tiers instead of full speed astern before
! the collision.
Captain Bourke in this letter said be
! concluded that the telegraph indicators
| In the engine room deviated from the
indicator on the bridge, rnd thus the
signal from the bridge had been mis-
| read by the engineer on watch.
Constructor Newnham OF the Malta
! dock ward testified that the last time
! the Victoria was in the dock yard her
water tight chambers and scuttles were
In perfect order.
Captain Bourke was then placed on
the stand in his own defense. be re
peated the story of the accident as al
ready told In these dispatches. In sub
stance, he said that he and Staff Com
mander Hawkins Smith went TO Vice
Admiral Tyron's cabin and received
their order from him as 10 manouvres
to be carried out. Captain Bourke re-
peated the conversation that then took
place regarding the distance from each
other to be observed by the ships and
show the Vice Admiral, after having
originally fixed this distance at six
cable lengths, agreed with the sugges-
tion of the Staff Commander that 1t
should be eight cable lengths.
subsequently,, when the signals were
set, the flags designated six cable
lengths, and when the Vice AdmiraPs
attention was called to this fact he said
they were to remain so.
Captain Bourke added that he saw
when the ships began TO swing toward
each other that there was not sufficient
distance between them 30 allow OF the
evolution ordered, and that he asked
permission to reverse the port screw in
order that the ships should make a
shorter turn. This was given him and
subsequently both engines were ordered
full speed astern. 1t was too late, how
ever, TO avert the disaster. The Vic
toria had turned II or Is points when
! the Camperdown struck her.
CAPTAIN Bourke described at length the
efforts made TO save the ship after the
collision, descriptions which nave here
tofore been published.
Captain Winsloe, the prosecutor, asked
the survivors II they objected to any
thing in Captain Bourke's narrative OF
the disaster, or II they had charges 10
make against any one.
All the survivors answered: Moth
ing" in chorus.
In the course of Captain Bourke's ex-
animation Prosecutor WiDsloe asked
him: "When Staff Commander Hawkin-
| Smith suggested TO Vice Admiral Try
on that eight cable lengths would be
the better distance In which to form the
columns than six cable lengths did you
say anything In regard to the subject"'
CAPTAIN Bourke responded "No."
| He then stated that after the conver-
sation in the AdmiraPs cabin Sir Geo.
! Tryon went out and sat on the stern
walk.
Fleet Lieutenant Guilford came to
the witness stand aud said that the
staff commander had told him that
| "eight cables" were TO be siRnalled.
Captain Bourke reminded Vice Admiral
| Tryon that he certainly had said the
distance out to be more than six cable
| lengths.
The Admiral turned to Lieutenant
Gullford and said: Leave 1t at six"
Lieutenant Gulford then left the
cabin. Captain Bourke and Vice Ad-
miral Tryon remained together
Captain Bourke at first declined to
say what passed between them after
| Lieut.. Guiford left them.
The President reminded the witness
that he must make a full statement,
otherwise hs would inculpate himself.
Captain Bourke then said he called Sir
Georges attention to the fact OF the
Victoria's turning In circle OF oOO
yards. The Admiral replied: LET u
remain at six cables" Captain Bourke
then went on deck.
Captain Bourke displayed extreme re-
luctance to say what passed between
himself and Admiral Tryon, on the
ground that Tryon, II he had lived,
might have qualified the report OF the
conversation. In replying to further
questions put by the prosecutor, he said
| that he was atop the fore charthouse
when the first signals were hoisted. de
did not then say anything to Admiral
Tryon, who was talking iocularly with
/ the staff commander about other mat
ters. He did not remember about the
signal to turn inward being holsted.
| He explained that the Victorias
turning diameter at the ordinary speed
of the feet was just under 600 yards
with the extreme helm Of 35 degrees.
The helm was usually used at % de-
grees and gave an estimated circle OF
500 yards. The Camperdown's turning
circle was practically the same.
Captain Winsloe, the prosecutor
ibid you ask permission to reverse the
port screw aA1ln the signal was hauled
capsSd ESke-D Directly after the
EfN