The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-06-27
TRY0N'S FATAL ORDER
The Victoria Went to the Bottom
Cut to Her Middle.
SANK IN EIGHT MINUTES.
Two Tremendous Explosions as
She Took the Plunge.

Liue-when Five Miles from Shore Ad.
mirnI Tryon Gnve tho Signal. "SIngle
File" Tho Victoria aud Camperdown
Were leading, Six Cable Lengths Apart
Both Turned Inward and the Crash Came
The Victoria Cut Half in Two Near the
Bow-An Steam Put On to Reach tho
Shore, but In ynin-In Five Minutes Tryon
Ordered "Let Every Man save Himseif''
The Bow OF the Doomed wnr Ship Dis.
appeared, and When the Hull Was Nearly
Perpendicular She Turn ed Over The
Suction Dragged Down tho strongest
Swimmers - Brave Tryon with Folded
Arms Kept to the Bridge and Sank with
His ship BELIEF that tho vlctoria's
Steering Gear FaiIed-sShe Lies In AS0
Feet OF wntcr-A Sixteen.ioot Hole In
the Camperdown's Bow-Two Hundred
and Ninety OEnccrs and Men Arc Rescued.
LONDON. juno 25.-The Uaited Press corre-
spondent sends from Beirut an account OF tho
sinking of the war ship Victoria by the war
ship Camperdown OF Tripoli on last Thurs
day.
Admiral Tryon. no says. visited Beirut last
week with the squadron OF sixteen vessels. and
he and his officers were entertained By the
Anglo American residents. The whole foreign
colony was en- fee.
The guests were entertained at banquets.
balls. and receptions. The final reception was
given at the house OF an English physician on
Wednesday evening. The farewells were said
shortly before midnight.
At 10 o'clock on Thursday morning tho feet
sailed away o the manpuvIes off Tripol. The
weather was sunny. The sea was smooth
as a mirror. The vessels had been drawn up
In double line Abrcas. they we're about six
cable lcneths apart The bow Of each vessel
was two cable lengths from the stern Of the
vessel ahead.
At about 3 o'clock the fleet was thus sp.
preaching Tripoli. Admiral Tyron siRnallsd
the order for single file. At the time when the
order was given tho Victoria and Camperdown
was almost exactly abreast Both turned
slowly inward with u sweeping movement and
their bows converGcd. Tho Victoria was
slightly ahead as they approached.
The Cam perdown pushed heavily upon her
and rammed her on the starboard side near
tho bow. She tore with tremendous force into
the Victorias hull and drove the ram with .
crash right through to tho Victoria's middle.
1t was Just 3:3O o'clock when. with the great
rip in her hull. tho Victoria began to founder.
Admiral Tryon tried Mt first to run her ashore,
but the distance. nearly i've miles. was too
great.
The great vessel turned over broadside. and
eight minutes after she was struck went down.
Rigid discipline was maintained in the few
minutes between the collision and the catas-
trophe The invalids and prisoners were
brought on deck, and provision was made has
THY for their safety in case of the worst, Tho
crew remained Mt their posts.
When five minutes were up Admiral Tryon
apparently realized that hisvessel WAS doomed
beyond all hope of succor. He then gave the
order: Let overy man snve himself"
Many Of the men rushed from their posts to
the vessels side and jumped into the sea.
Others were hurrying from below to follow
them when the end came. The bow disap-
pearsd gradually at FIRST. then rapidly plunged
so that tho hull stood almost perpendiculariy
In the water. paused motion. ess for u moment,
and finally rolled completely over.
Two tremendous explosions were heard. and
then the Victoria settled under. Admiral
Tryon did not leave the ship lie was the last
man seen as she plunged her bow under water.
He stood on the bridge as long as 1t was pos
s!ble to stand anywhere above deck. His body
has not been found. Two hundred and ninety
OF the officers aud crow were saved. Many
were severely injured by the conclusion OF the
two vessels.
The Camperdown has sixteen-foot hole In
her bows Shs made great deal OF water.
and was only kept ailoat by tho closing OF her
water-tight comparlmcnts and by pumping.
The feet lies at anchor of Tripoli. while the
Camporlown il making temporary repairs.
which will enable hcr to reach Malta.
The Victoria lies in rs fathoms OF water. Il
will DO imposs 10 to t!oat her. The bodies OF
twenty victims have been found. and inferred
in Irippl.
The Victoria had band OF Italian musicians
iah
George Wellesley were to have been tho guests
OF Admiral Tryon on the voyage to Tripoli. but
tho Captain II the war ship Edinburgh. who is
m old friend OF theirs, persuaded them to
accept his hospitality. and hgy thus escaped
the disaster.
memorial service for the lost sailors was
held in the Anglo-Amerlcan church in beirut
yesterday. Tho church WAS draped in black.
A despatch from Port Said says II Is learned
that Rear Admiral Markham's dispatches re-
Garding the loss OF tho Victoria have been
sent hy mail to the Admiralty. Tho cruiser
Bsrham. which, it was thought. would carry
the dispatches. has arrived ut Port Said.
Tho officers Of tho vessel con firm the story
already told. but they can give no explanation
as to tho cause OF tho collision. They say that
Admiral Tryon's order was sixteen points to
starhoard for one division. and the Same to
port for tho other division.
This Gridiron movement, as 1t is called. IL
defended in naval circles as teaching COM
mandcrs how to handle their ships and ena-
bling the Admiral OF a fleet to bring the flag
ship readily from leo to windwRrd. or vice
vorsa. In order to bear the lrunt OF an action
or TO obtain tho lest position to control
squadron
The officers OF the Barham say that even
after the men OF tho Victoria were ordered to
save themselves they persisted in their gallant
attempt to fix the collision mat in position.
This usually occupies ten minutes
Admiral Tryons signal for assistance was
promptly obeyed. every vessel immediately