Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1893-06-30

New York, June 26.-An extra edition
of this evenings World contains spe-
cial cable from Tripoli, Syria, giving
the full details of the sinking of the
flagship Victoria.
About : o'clock last Thursday after
noon the English fleet was sighted max
ing directly for the harbor of Tripoli.
Five big ironclads, Victoria, Camper
down, Edinburg, Nile and Sanspareil,
were drawn up in full front, the Vic
toria in the center, the Camperdown ON
the left and the Edinburg on the right
! When within five miles of shore Vice
Admiral Sir George Tryon signalled to
| turn and form in double line. When
, the order was given the distance be-
tween the ships was less than two
cables length. and the execution of the
! order was extremely difficult for the
| Victoria and the Camperdown.
Admiral Markham, of the Camper
down, signalled he did not understand
it. The other vessels began to turn at
once. The Camperdown no longer hes
itated but also began to turn. The
brief delay, however, was fatal. The
Victoria had already turned and the
Camperdown in swinging around. bore
down upon her. Both admirals We're
quick to act and swung their vessels
10 ct Lost p,vl.x
the blow which both officers saw was
inevitable, and the Camperdown began
reversing her screws. The ram of the
CamperdOwn struck the Victoria just
in front of the armOrcd plate, plunging
into the tin plates of her Starboard side
The other vessels, moving to get into
double lime, were bearing down upon
the entangled ships and Il catastrophe
involving all the ironclads was immi-
nent. Only GOODNESS and prompt ac-
| iton of the other commanders prevented
"a general disaster.
1t seems that Admiral Tryon did not
realize the extent of the damage to
/ the Victoria, for when the other ships
; signalled the officers of that boat he
replied he did not need them. The
Victoria began to go straight for shore
under full steam y,
! The discipline was perfect. The ad-
miral and officers remained steadfast
upon the bridge and within n minute
after the blow Il diving suit was brought
on deck and diver went into it to
obey an order to go below and find out
the extent of the damage
About ten minutes after the blow, the
| Victoria having got something like two
miles nearer shore all at once leaned
way over to Starboard, and with Il
great roll and plunge buried her bow
beneath the surface of the sea. 1t
was almost instantaneous. There was
only a chance for few wild cries and
the Victoria was almost submerged,
bow foremost, with her swiftly revolv-
ing screws high in the air. Those on
deck Were thrown Immediately into
the water.
The huge hull was drawing on water
as it went down, and several hundred
men We're hurled suddenly into the
water fully dressed, and had to battle
against the increasing suction.
A moment more and Il new peril
more horrible, descended upon them.
AS the vessel sank the screws came
nearer to the water and descended into
the midst of the struggling human
beings. The poor creatures battled In
vain against the suction. They were
drawn down and thrown against the
swift blades.
, Then came u scene which made the
officers on deck the other warshipS Of
the feet turn away sick with horror.
Screams and shrieks arose while on the
foam appeared REDEEMED arms and legs
and wrecked and torn bodies. All with
i'm reach Of each other lost their pres
ence Of mind and men who knew how
to swim closed swimming and fought.
One man who was saved says he
saw in the grew vortex at least fifty
of the fellows. fighting with each other
and with an inevitable death In
moment or so the knives disappeared
and the vortex began to close up. Just
as the ship went beneath the surface
there was a mu cd sound Of thunder,
waters tossed up and steam burst from
them. Again the shrieks and screams
burst forth from the swimmers. The
boilers had exploded and the swim.
mers were beating waves of scalding
water.
With the first under plunge Of the
Victoria all boats were called away
from the other ships and came strain
ing over the calm sea to save the strug
glers. The boats soon picked UP the
fortunate ones who got out Of reach
Of the terrible vortex.
Admiral tryon stuck on the bridge
Just before the Victoria made hei
under plunge he saw what was about
to happen and issued an order for each
man to save himself but the order
never got beyond the bridge.
There was many acts of hero1sm,
self forgetfu1ness and daring.
The peril of those I'm the water was
increased by the fact that the sea was
infested with sharks. 1t Is the duty
of marines when a collision occurs to
Immediately close water-tight the COM
partments. When the Camperdown
struck the Victoria the marines went
below for duty and as a result, Of the
120 marines on the Victoria ninety nine
were lost.