The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1893-07-26
Sinking OF the Victoria.

While the British war fleet in the
Mediterranean was manoeuvrlng OH
Tripoli on the 23d ult., the V Fictoria was
run ipto by tho CamperdoWn and
sank almost Immediately, carrying
down nearly 400 officers and men.
This is one of the greatest disasters
with which the British navy has re-
Gently met.
The Victoria was one Of the largest
and best constructed of the ships of
the navy. She was built in 1887 at a
cost of three and a half millions of
dollars. She was $4,000 horse power
vessel with q displacement of l0,470
tons. She was protected with armor
lS inches thick. She carried A guns,
one of which was G9-ton gun and two
Hilton guns. She had powerful
ram and eight torpedo tubes.
When the CamperdoWn struck her,
nearly at right angles, great hole
was torn in her steel-covered side, the
water rushed in in torrents, and before
the bulkheads could be closed she
turned to one side, was almost instant
ly capsized by the enormous weight OF
her big guns, etc., and went to the bot
tom with more than half of all on
board.
1t is an appalling disaster and one
that could scarcely have happened to
any vessel except one of these new and
supposedly nearly indestructible war
ships. It seems from this event that
these ships are really desth traps, in
stead of protecting fortresses. The
heavy steel plating is no protection
against the ponderous beaks of Lostile
vessels, we'll aimed blow of which in
al engagement would be more de-
structive than the firing of the big
guns or the explodingof the torpedoes:
The features of these ships which had
been 30 much praised as protective in
the highest degree are proved by this
accident to be elements of very great
danger. The immense quantities OF
metal put into them make the dividing
line between safety and danger a very
narrow one. It is almost certain that
in an actual engagement more lives
would be sacrificed through the perils
of the ships themselves than from the
fighting.
1t is to be hoped that the English
people and all others will open their
eyes 20 the folly of proceeding any
further along this line of warship
building. These huge monsters of the
deep are out of harmony with our
time. They represent spirit that is
dying out. The English are paying
heavily for their unwiSdom, for others
of their ships have previously gone to
wreck in storms. The British navy has
lost seventy vessels in fifty years.
England's boast that she has the big
gest and best equipped navy in the
world is not at all to her credit. 1t Is
a striking proof that the barbarism Of
the past which beat down its foes with
bludgeons and clumsy swords still ex-
lists in her borders, encircling itself in
steel plate and armipg itself with hun
dred-ton guns.
This event is leading many of the
military men to say that no more such
ships should be built, that smaller yes
sells are much better. From their
standpoint this is probably true. But
it would be much better still to build
none at all. If England would break
up her navy, strip off all the steelplate
from her her warships, dismount her
big guns and recast them into anchors,
plOws and shovels, she would be much
safer In every way than she is to-day.
Every nation would respect her and
would hasten to follow her example.
This, instead of being unreasonable
and utopian, is simply what is de:
manded of her by the civilization of
the time, in which she has such lead
ing share. 1t il also what she will one
day do. She ought to commence at
once, and not sacrifice another 400 of
her citizns to an inexcusable folly.
The heart of England has been uni
versally moved to grief at the swift
death that came to these men. Is it
possible that this same heart could in
this Christian day be moved to wild
rejoicing If an enemy's ship should be
hurled by one of her own steel-clad
beaks to the bottom of the ocean. car
rying down 400 Russian or French
men with 1t it?-American Advocate of
Peace