The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-06-27
An Account Of tho Collision Between
the English WarShlps.
MEN ALL FIGHTING FOR LIFE.
A Terrible Story OF Death and Destruc-
tion-The Victoria Drifted Two Miles
Nearer shore and Then Wont Down
Bow First.

ing copyrighted special cable:
TRIPoII, June T-About 8 o'clock last
Thursday afternoon the English fleet came
In sight Of the port and town of Tripoli.
1t was coming from the northeast and
making directly for the harbor. The five
big ironclads Victoria, Camperdown,
Edinburgh, Nile and Sans Parile were
drawn up in full front. The Victoria
was in the center, the Camperdown was
on her left and the Edinburgh on her
right. When they were within five miles
of shore Vice Admiral Sir George Tryon
signalled to turn and form in double line
This meant that the Victoria and Cam
perdown were to go ahead little and de-
scribe a turn--the Victoria turning to the
left and the Camperdown turning to the
right-then they would
Advance Side by Side
IN the direction from which they had
come. the others would swing into double
column order and advance two and two
behind the leaders When the order was
given the distance between the ships was
less than two cables length. The execu-
tion of the order was easy enough for ships
further away from the center, but ex-
tremely difficult for the Victoria and the
Camperdown. In turning their bcws
would pass within few fathoms OF each
other, even il the movement was executed
with the greatest precision. This move
ment is rarely made and is chiefly for the
purpose Of training the ship commanders
to move expeditiously away from shoal-
ing waters.
Whether because Admiral Markham Of
the Camperdown could not believe this
movement was to be tried when the ships
were SO close together, or because he
thought Admiral Tryon had miscalculated
the distance, he did not set about executing
Admiral Tryon's order. but signalled that
he did not understand it. The Victoria
and the other vessels had not hesitated.
The Victoria began To turn at once, as she
still held to the signal. The Camperdown
no longer hesitated, but began to turn.
The brief delay. however,
Kad Been Fatal.
The Victoria had nearly turned, and the
Camperdown, swinging around, bore
down upon her. Both admirals were
quick to act Admiral Tryon swung the
Victoria so as to receive mt the smallest
angle the blow which both officers saw
was inevitable, and Admiral Markham
did the same sor the Camperdown. besides
reversing her screw The 12-foot ram OF
the Camperdown struck the hull of the
Victoria just in front of the armored bulk
head and plunged into the thin plates of
her starboard side. The armor ends at the
bulkhead and the forward part of the
Victoria above the water line was mere
cardboard to the great iron wedge so
nightly propelled.
There was II smashing Of wood and iron
plates, and the ram and eight feet Of the
bow of the Camperdown crashed 20 feet
into the bowels of the Victoria. The
Camperdown was halted by the heavy
arinor Of the Victoria and, as her screws
were reversed, she at once began to back
away. As all the other vessels were NOV
ing to get into double line between the
leaders. they were bearing down upon the
entangled ships and catastrophe involv-
ing all the ironclads was imminent Only
the
Goodness and Prompt Action
of the other commanders prevented gen
eral disaster.
The VictoIia's bow was now pointed full
towards the shore 1t seems that Admiral
Il yon did not realize the extent OF the
damage to the Victoria, as no accident OF
exactly this kind has happened before. He
no doubt thought rs only one com part
ment was damaged the others would keep
his ship anoat, so when the Camperdown
and the other ships sgnalled offers of
boats, he replied that he did not need
them. The Victoria began to forge
straight for the shore under full steam
II Is one of the rules OF the British navy
that IL ship is in danger Of sinking and
shore is not far away she must be got into
shallow water, so that il she goes down
She may be raised again. So Admiral
Tryon was making for the shore and was
widening distance between the Victoria
and other ships.
The untangling aud the getting under
headway had taken some time. About 10
minutes after the blow the Victoria, hav-
ing got something like two miles nearer
shore. all at once leaned away over to star
board and with great roll and plunge
Buried Her Bow
beneath the calm surface of the sea- It was
almost instantaneous There was only
chance for few wild cries, and the Vic
toria was almost half submerged, with her
swiftly revolving screws clear OF the
water and high in the air.
The vessel sank slowly, and when the
screws were low enough to begin to whirl
| in the water the suction had increased un-
I'll there was II deepening vortex like a
| maelstrom. At the bottom of this mael-
strom the screws were revolving like cir
| cular saws. The poor creatures battled in
vain against the suction. They were drawn
| down and thrown against the swift blades.
| Then came a scene which made the officers
| on The decks Of the other warships Of the
| fleet turn away. sick with horror.
Screams and Shrieks Arose,
| and In the white foam appeared arms and
legs and wrenched and torn bodies Head
less trunks were tossed out Of the vortex,
TO linger mement on the surface and To
| sink out of sight All within reach OF
| that vortex lost their presence Of mind
Men who knew how to swim ceased swim.
ming and fought with the waters. Men
clutched each other In frenzy and struck
each other or The deep cone Of whirlina
water. with tho swift knives choppinl
human bodies at the bottom Of 1t, was q
horror to dannt the bravest. One mar
who escaped says that he saw In this great
vortex at least 80 Of his fellows fighting
with each other and with inevitable death.
In moment or so the knives disappeared,