Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1893-06-27

I
! engine deep in the heart Of the hull and in.
| closed in water tight compartments was
/ still throbbing at full speed and the great
/ steel hanges of the twin screws were
whirlng round up in the air.
As the vessel sank these screws came
nearer ana nearer to the water and de-
scended into the midst Of struggling hu-
man beings.
The vessel sank slowly, and when the
screws were low enough TO begin to whlrl
/ into the water again the suction had IN
creased until there was deepening vortex
like maelstrom.
At the bottom of this maelstrom the
screws were revolving like circular knives.
The poor creatures Dattled in vain against
the suction. They were drawn down and
thrown against the swift blades.
Then came q scene which made the OIL
| GERS on the decks Of the other war ships OF
the feet turn away sick with horror.
Screams and Shrieks arose, and in the
white foam appeared Redeemed arms and
legs and wrencned and torn bodies.
Headless trunks were tossed out or tue
vortex to linger moment on the surface
and sink out Of sight.
All within reach Of that vortex lost their
presence Of mind. Men who knewhow to
swim ceased swimming and fought with
the waters. Men ciutched each other in
frenzy ana struck each other OF.
The deep cone OF whirling water with
the swift knives chopplng human bodies
at the bottom Of IL, was horror 10 daunt
the bravest.
One man who escaped says that he saw
| in this great vortex at least fifty or his fel-
| lows fighting with each other and with In
evitable death.
Ina moment or so the knives disappear
q IL
| ship was beneath the surface just as the
whirl was shallo we'd almost 10 the surface
Then there was muffled sound OF thun-
| der; the waters were tossed up and steam
| burst from them.
| Again the shrieks and screams burst from
/ the swimmers.
The boilers had exploded.
The sea had rushed into the furnaces and
| the swimmers were beating waves OF scald-
/ ing water.
Thus in less than ten minutes death in
| three awful forms attacked the officers ana
/ crew of the VictOria-death by drowning,
| death by the knite-like screws and death oy
/ scalding water.
With the first uuderplunge of the Vic
toria, all the boats were called away from
/ all the other ships.
These boats were soon picking up those
! fortunate ones who had got out OF reach OF
/ the terrible vortex.
| So long as the vortex was there the boats
/ dared not venture near, but they did MT
| from the scalding water several wretc he'd
| sailors, wso were horribly burned.
! IL is thought that more than half OF
those drowned got out OF the ship but
were caught in the vortex or scalded to
/ death by the boiling water.
| Admiral Tryon stuck on the bridge and
/ refused 70 leave il. Just before the VIC
| tOria made her underplunge be saw what
/ was about 70 happen and issued an order
| for each man TO save himself but the order
never got beyond the bridge for ruin de-
I scended straightway.
| The diver whom be had ordered to go
/ below 10 look into the damage, was still on
/ deck and dressed for his descent, except
( his helmet.
He would have been dragged TO the bot
| tom by his heavy lead shoes had 1t not been
I for q SeamaH, who stopped TO cut MIN loose
I from his heavy clothes.
The diver was saved, but the man who
/ cut him free was drowned. There were
many acts of herOism, self-forgetfulness
and daring.
The peril Of those in the water was in
creased oy the fact that the sea thereaoouts
/ is infested with sharks.
it is the duty of the marines when col
| lision occurs to Immediately go below and
close all the water tight compartments.
When the Camperdown struck the Vic
| tOria the VictOria's marines went below
for their duty, aud, as result, out OF one
hundred and twenty marines on the
| Victoria ninety-uine were lost.