Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-07-17
WHO WAS TO BLAME2
Court martial of the Officers Of the
Victoria
TRIAL BEGUN At VALEHfA, MALTA
Two Captains Objected to and Ex-
cused From the Board.
CAUSE OFTHE DISASTER,

vALErrA, July 1.-THE court-martial ap-
pointed to try Captain, the Hon. Maurice A.
Bourke, STAFF Commander Hawkias-Smit th and
the surviving officers OF the British battleship
Victoria, which was sunk in collision with the
British battleship Camperdown of Tripoli,
Syria, on June Is, opened today upon the
RiberniA, the flagship Of Rear Admiral Richard
E. Tracey, admiral superintendent Of the Malta
dock yard.
at 8 O'Clock in the morning, and shortly there
after the proceedings opened.
The president of the court-martial is Vice
Admiral Sir Michael Culme-ssymour Of the
cruiser Hawke, who succeeded Vice Admiral
Sir George Tryon, who lost his hfe in the VIC
toria disaster, as commander-tn-chief OF the
Mediterranean station. Rear Admiral Tracy il
vice president.
Capt. Alfred Leigh winslow, by order Of the
admiralty, appeared Is prosecutor. The other
officers who had been detailed ~ members Of
the court were Capt A. p. Lake, senior officer
Camperdown, Capt Pelham AIdrich Of the
Hawke, Capt Woiierton c. karslske Of the
Colossus, Capt Robert r. Hammick of the
Triumph, Capt. VIM. A. ID. Acland Of the
Edgar and Captain E. r. Jeffreys Of the Hood
The judge advocate is Secretary Rsckard,
Captain Bourke objected 10 Captains john
stone and Acland sitting on the trial, basing his
objections to them on the fact thst they had
been present at the time Of the disaster, and
also on the further fact that they had been
summoned to testify in behalf Of the prosecu-
ton.
The court allowed the objection and Captains
Johnstone and Acisnd were replaced by Cap
tain Grand c. Langley Of the Arethnsa and
Captain Reginald n. Custance Of the Phaeton.
Captain Bourke objected 10 Captain Custance
on the same grounds as in the cases Of Captains
Johnstone and Acland. This objection was also
allowed, and Captain Charles Grey Robinson Of
the Trafalgar was appointed in place Of Cap
tain Custance.
Capt Bourke was then placed on the stand
in lis own defense. He repested the story Of
the accident as already told in these dispatches.
In substance he said that he and Stad Com
mander Havkins-Smith went to Vice Admiral
Tryon's cabin and received their order from
him a. to tho maneuvers to be carried out.
Capt Bourke repeated the conversion that then
took place regarding the distance from each
other 70 be observed by the ship and how the
distance At SIX cable lengths, agreed with the
suggestion Of the staff commander that il should
be eight cable lengths.
Subsequently when the signals were set the
flags designated six cable lengths, and when the
vice sdmiral's attention was called TO this fact
Capt. Bourke added that he saw, when the
ships began 10 swing toward each other, thai
there was not sufficient distance between
them to allow of the evolution ordered, and
he asked permission to reverse the port
screw in order that the ships should make q
shorter turn. This wa given him. and subse-
quentiy both engines were ordered full speed
astern. II vas too late, however, to avert the
disaster. The Victoria had turned twelve or
thirteen points when the Camperdovn struck
her.
Capt Bourke described st length the efforts
made to save the ship sfter the collision, de-
scriptions Of which have heretofore been pub
iished. He said that his dispatches 10 the ad-
miralty truly described al the details Of the
disaster. He had no complaint Whatever to
make regarding the conduct Of any Of the sur
vivors.
Capt wiusloe. the prosecutor, asked the sur.
vivors II they objected to snything In Capt
Bourkes narrative Of the disaster, or n they
had charges to make against any one.
All the survivors answered Nothing" in
chorus
The regular trial opened with the reading By
patch sent BY Bear Admiral Markham. whcse
nag was on the Camperd down at the time Of The
accident, announcing the loss Of the Victoria 10
the admiralty. and the subsequent dispatches
forwarded by the rear admiral
A letter written by Rear Admiral Markham
on SuiV i was also read. In tnh letter minor
points in the dispatches were corrected. and
the statement made that in reply to
Vice Admiral Tryon's question, "What
are you waiting for?" signaled after the
vice admiral saw that his order for the fatal
maneuver was not being obeyed, Rear Admiral
Markham had signaled that he did not quite
understand the vice admiral's order.
The judge advocate also read 0 letter ad-
dressed TO Rear Admiral Tracey, in which Capt.
Bourke SAID that in his opinion the engines Of
both the Victoria and Csmperdown were put
three-quarter instead Of full speed
astern before the collision Capt Bourke
in this letter said he concluded that the tele-
graph indicators In the engine room deviated
from the indicator on the bridge and thus the
signal from the bridge had been misread by the
engineer on watch
Constructor Newham Of the Malta dock yard
testified that the last time the Victoria was in
the dock yard her watsr-tight chambers and
scuttles were in perfect order.
English Courts Martial.
English naval courts-martial are directed BY
the regulations to be held on board ship, and
In the most convenient mart of it though in