The Yellowstone journal. [volume] (Miles City, Mont.) 1893-1901, 1893-06-24
An Appalling Disaster to the
British War Ship, Victoria,
BY Which Over 400
Lives Were Lost.
Out Of n Grew of Over seven Hundred
Two Hundred and Finy-Fiye
Escaped With Their
Lives.

LONDON. June %. The British battle
ship Victoria foundered off Tripoli.
More than 400 persons were drowned.
4 frightful calamity has befallen the
British battleship Victoria. the flag
ship Of the Mediterranean squadron. and
hundreds of lives have been lost. The
Victoria. which flew the flag of Vice Ad.
miral Sir George Tyron. X. c. b., was
run into off Tripoli by the British battle
ship. Camperdown. also belonging to
the Mediterranean squadron, and under
command Of Capt. Chas johnson. The
Victoria had an enormous hole made in
her side. through which the water
poured in torrents The immense hull
Of the Victoria at once began to settle
and before those on board could cast
loose their small boats she went TO the
bottom carrying down with her nearly
all on board. Some of the officers and
crew managed toget out Of the suction
caused by the sinking vessel and were
rescued Among those lost is Vice .Ad-
mral Tyron. The first reports of the
disaster stated that about oDO were
drowned. but later dispatches show the
loss of life was far greater. not less than
400 officers and crew having gone down
with the ship. The Victoria is a twin
screw battleship of 1910 towns and
l4.0CO horse power. She mounted fifteen
guns. The Camperlown was also a
first class twin screw battleship Of lO.-
600 tons and 1880 hurse power and
carried ten guns. Admiral Sir George
Tyron was the commander in chief of
the Mediterranean station.
Rear Admiral Albert II. Markham. of
the Trafalgar the flagship of the rear
admiral in the Mediterranean. tele-
graphed the admiralty from Tripoli.
Syria. under date Of to-day as follows:
Il regret to report that while naneuver-
ing off Tripoli in the afternoon the
Victoria and the Camperdown collided.
The Victoria sank in fifteen minutes in
eighteen fathoms Of water. She lies
ooltoth uPlioSt. uG II b
ram struck the Victoria forward Of the
turret on the starboard side. Twenty
one officers were drowned Two hun
dred and fiftytive men were saved. The
injury to the Camperdown has not yet
been fully ascertained. but it is serious
and will necessitate her going on the
dock for repairs. ] propose to send the
survivors to Malta
The vessel carried 600 officers and
men. As soon as the officers Of the
Victoria saw there was danger Of the
ship foundering orders were given to
close the collision bulkheatls to keep
the water in the compartment into which
the Campertlown showed her ram. The
sailors tried to obey the order. but the
ship was making water too fast to allow
Of closing the bulkheads and, while the
men We're still trying to shut them. the
vessel with her immense guns and
heavy top hamper, turned over and car
ried them down.
The news Of the calamity caused the
most intense excitement. not only among
those who had friends on board the i'll
fated ship, bnt among all classes Of the
population. The Admiralty office in
Whitehall was besieged by relatives and
friends of the officers and crew. reporters
seeking further details of the disaster
and throngs Of people attracted by curl
osity. SO dense was the throng in the
vicinity of the Admiralty office that they
were compelled to summon the police to
restrain the crowd.
\ official kilograms in regard to the
ship are sent at once to the Queen at
Windsor Castle. As soon as Her Maj
esty received Rear-Admiral Markham's s
dispatch. she gave orders for the post
ponement of the state ball. to have taken
place at buckingham palace to night.
Gladstone was greatly shocked when
informed of the facts. He informed the
House of Commons of the accident. and
paid the most glowing tribute to the
work Of Vice Admiral Tryon. who. he
said. was one of the ahlest and most
esteemed officers III the service. Glad
stone said there were GIL officers, sea-
men and boys and lO7 marines on board.
II was feared Of this total Of rs souls
i.m had been lost. He was sure the
deepest sympathy IN the House would
be felt for the brave men who found an
early grave i'm the service of their
country. and that would be extended to
their relatives and friends.