Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1893-07-06
Saint Maru's Beacon
The Less Of The Victoria.
. Details Of the Wreck.

y
the sinking of the British warship
by her consort, the Camperdown,
of Tripoli, Thursday, June %,
1893. Admiral Tryon, he says,
visited Beyroot 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-
fefe. The guests were entertained
at banquets, balls and receptions.
The final reception was given at the
home of an English physician on
Wednesday evening. The farewells
were said shortly before midnight.
At 10 o'clock on Thursday morning
the feet sailed away to the maneu-
yrs of Tripoli. The weather was
sunny. There was NO breeze. The
sea was smooth as q mirror.
The vessels had been drawn up
in double line. Abreast they were
about six cable lengths apart. The
bow Of each vessel was two cable
lengths from the stern of the ves-
sci ahead. At about o'clock the
feet was thus approaching Tripoli.
Admiral Tryon signaled the order
for single file. At the time when
the order was given the Victoria
and Camperdown were almost ex-
actly abreast. Both turned slowly
with a sweeping movement and
their bows converged. The Victo-
ria was slightly ahead as they APP
preached.
The Camperdown pushed heavy
upon her and rammed her on the
starboard side near the bow. She
tore with tremendous force into the
Victoria's hull and drove the ram
with a crash right through the Vic
toria's middle. 1t was just $3.50
O'Clock when, at the great rip in
her hull, the Victoria began to
founder. Admiral Tryon tried at
first to run her ashore, but the dis
tance nearly five miles was too great.
SANK IN EIGHT MINUTES.
The great vessel turned over
broadside, and in eight minutes
after she was struck went down.
Discipline was maintained in the
few minutes between the collision
and the catastrophe. The invalids
were brought on deck and provis-
ions were hastily made for their SAT-
ETY. in case of the worst. The crew
remained at their posts. When five
minutes were up Admiral Tryon
apparently realized that his vessel
was doomed beyond all hope of pre-
servation.
He than gave order, "Let every
man save himself 70
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 dis
appeared gradually at first, then
rapidly plunged so that the ship
stood almost perpendicular in the
water, paused motionless for a mo-
ment and finally rolled completely
over. Two tremendous explosions
were heard and then the Victoria
settled under.
Admiral Tryon did not leave the
ship. He was the last man seen as
she plunged her bow under water.
He stood on the bridge as long as
1t was possible to stand anywhere
above deck. His body has not been
found.
Two hundred and ninety of the
officers and crew were saved. Many
were severely injured by the con-
cussion of the two vessels.
The Camperdown has a sixteen
foot hole in her bows. She made
a great deal of water and was only
kept afoat by the closing of her
water-tight compartments and by
pumping.
The fleet lies at anchor before
Tripoli while the Camperdown is
making temporary repairs which
viii enable her to reach Malta.
The Victoria lies in seyenty-six
fathoms Of water. 1t will be i'm
possible to float her. The bodies of
twenty victims have been found and
inferred at Tripoli.
The Victoria had q band of
italian musicians aboard. English
Consul Trotter and Sir Geo. We'll
lesley were to have been the guests
of Admiral Tryon on the voyage to
Tripoli. but the captaiu of the war