Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1893-07-02
Of the Sinking Of the Victoria by the
CamperdOEn.
THE SURVIVORS TELL THE TALE.
Rear Admiral Markham Disre-
garded Admiral Tryon's Orders
Twice, and Did Not Make the
Fatal Turn Till the Command
Was Made Imperative-Splen-
did Discipline Maintained.s

withstanding the efforts that are Oelng
made by the naval authorities here to
prevent the survivors OF the Victoria
disaster from giving any Information
concerning the loss OF the vessel, your
correspondent has succeeded in obtain
ing from reliable sources full story or
the casualty, the first report covering
all the details of the accident that has
been sent TO the United States. Most
of the men seen decline, for obvious
reasons, to have their names published,
but the reliability OF the interviews fol-
lowing may be entirely depended upon.
A sub.oflicer attached TO the Victoria
says:
The feet was manRuvering when
Vice Admiral Tryon signaled to the first
division to turn sixteen points to star
board. The object of this maueuvre
was to bring the ships in position for
anchoring. Vice Admiral Tryon either
forgot or mistook the distance between
the two columns which were six cable
lengths (3,6OO feet) apart. The lead
ing ships having turned upon each
other in a circle the diameter OF which
was three cable lengths (1,S00 feet) a
collision was inevitable.
The Camperdown struck the Victoria
on the starboard side, midway between
her catheads and the turret. When
Rear Admiral Markham saw that his
ship was bound TO strike the Victora, he
signalled for the Camperdown's engines
to be reversed. 1t was too late, how
ever, to check the Camperdown's head
way and she struck the Victoria fearful
blow. Not only did the ram OF the
Camperdown penetrate the flagship, but
here forecastle was showed ten feet un-
der the forecastle OF the Victoria. A
bugle was sounded on the flagship call
ing all hands 10 their station and the
order given to close the water-tight
doors in the bulkheads minute before
the collision occurred. The Camper
down, however was swinging rapidly
toward theVictoria. and those on the nag
ship scarcely had time to reach the COM
partments before the vessels came to-
gether.
Then the water rushed into the ship
through several of the forward doors,
preventing access to those apartments.
The officers, who were In the wardro0m,
felt the shock, which was tremendous,
and heard the sound of tearing iron and
the rushing OF the water. A bugler
sounded the collision alarm, but though
everybody aboard the ship knew he was
in imminent danger there was not the
slightest trace OF panic. Perfect dis
cipline was maintained and every order
was obeved as soon as 1t was given. The
pumps were cleared and rigged for ac-
tion, and Capt Maurice Bourke, flag
captain OF the fleet, made an inspection
to ascertain what bulkhead doors were
closed. AL hands were then ordered to
fall in on the port side of the ship.
The collision mat and boom were got
cut. An attempt was made to place the
mat over the hole In the forecastle but
il failed. While this was being done
Commander Jellicoe was engaged in
getting the boats out. The rapid and
increasing list the snip was making
made this task difficult The port
side Of the ship was crowded with men,
their anxiety plainly showing in their
countenances, but perfect order was
maintained. The men who had been
condemned TO Imprisonment were
brought from the brig and the sick
were conveyed from the hospital. One
man who had been below forward at
the time OF the collision had both legs
broken by being hit by the Camper
downs ram.
The Victoria lay with list OF from
twenty TO twenty-five degrees for about
two minutes. She was settling by the
head at the time. Suddenly the water
rushed through the main deck ports,
and in less than ten minutes after, the
ship went down.
In the last few minutes she reeled
over with rapidity, but clutching
stanchions and anything else that would
hold them, the men hung on, no one at
tempting TO leave the ship. Vice
Admiral Tryon saw that all hope was
gone, and gave the order, Jump. save
yourselves.
Then, and not till then, a. the men
break ranks. They climbed INTO the
weather nettings crying, she's going
down." and scrambled to get hold OF
something on the upper side OF the
ship. The men who were in the stern
above the port propeller which was re-
volving rapidly were. when they
Jumped, forced to jump close TO 1t.
Some did not clear the blades and were
instantly killed. Those still on the
stern, seeing the fate, creid "stop the
engine for Gods sake" This. Of course,
could not be done. as IL was impossible
even had anyone dared to enter the en-
oine room. The sight Of men meeting
their death by being hit By the screw
was horrible.
Many who jumped went down be-
meath the water but rose again. In the
meantime the Victoria had turned
bottom up aud in a few minutes she
plunged down bow first, carrying with
her many OF the men who were still
clinging 10 her, they having climbed
toward her keel as she turned slowly
over, getting down on her side,
About 400 got clear ofthe ship before
she sank but many OK them were struck
by floating wrecksge afterward and so
injured that they were drowned. The
air that escaped from the ship as she
went down caused anything that would
float 10 come 10 the surface with tre-
mendous force aud the men struck by
the articles were in maRy Instances
never seen afterward.
For 200 yards around the spot where
the vessel sank the water was seeth-
ing mass, the men being whIried around
half choked aud dashed against the
wreckage for minuteOr two.
Among those who was killed By the
propeller was LIeot Phiili2 n. MuHhi.
Sou1n5f those who nes RsiS. Death IN
~ were terI - MAUD