The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-06-24
FOUR HUNDRED DROWNED.
THE BRITISH BATTLE SHIP VICTORIA
SUNK OFF TRIPoLL

Observation-Disclosures ryon aud Most OF
the Omcers and Men Carried Down-The
Calamity Cause. Dismay In tho British
Admiralty-Lord Bra.sey Says the Acct
dent Is . Strong Argument Against the
Building of Moro Great War ships.
LONDON. June pa terrible calamity has
befallen the British battle ship Victoria. flag
ship OF the Mediterranean squadron. and
hundreds OF lives have been lost She few the
nag OF Vice Admiral Sir George Tryon. K. @ B..
and was run into and sunk of Tripoli Syria.
on Thursday afternoon. by the British battle
ship Camperdown. also belonging to the Medi-
terranean squadron. ard under the command
OF Capt Charles tombstone.
The Victoria had an enormous hole made In
her side. through which the water poured in
torrents. Her immense hull at once be-
gan to settle. and before those on board
OF her could cast loose the small boats she
went to the bottom. carrying down with her
nearly all on board. Some OF the officers and
crew mana Red to get out OF the suction caused
by the sinking vessel and were rescued.
Among those lost is Vce-Admiral Tryon.
The first reports OF the disaster stated that
about two hundred men had been drowned.
but later dispatches show that the loss OF Life
was far greater, not less than four hundred OF
the officers and crew OF the Victoria having
gone down with their ship
As soon as the officers Of the Victoria saw
that there was danger OF their ship founder
ing. orders we're given to close the collision
bulkheads In order to conflne the water to tho
com partment into which the Camperdown had
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 were still making the effort. the ves-
sol with hor i'm m and hpayv tom
hamper. turned over and went down.
The complement OF officers and crew OF
the Victoria comprised 900 men. The list
OF officers drowned includes. besides Vice.
Admiral Tryon. Chaplain Morris. Lieut..
Munro. Fleet Paymaster Ricord. Fleet En-
Rineer Foreman. Engineer Harding, Assistant
Engineers Deadman. Hatherly. and Seaton.
Gunner Howell. Boatswain Barnard. Carpenter
Beall. Midshipmen Inglis. Grieve. Fawkes.
Lanyon. Henley. Gambler. and Scarlet. Cadet
Stocks. and Clerks Allen and Savage.
A change had recently been made in the
Commander attached to the Victoria. Charles
L. Ottley having been detached and succeeded
By Commander Fellicome who was saved. As
were also Captain the Honorable Maurice A
Bourke son OF the late Earl OF Mayo. and If
teen other officers The Right Hon. Lord
Richard Clifford. Vice Admiral Tryon's Flag
Lieutenant and eldest son and heir Of the Earl
Of Clanwilliam. was among those saved.
Tho first dispatches concerning the acci-
dent led to the belief that tho disaster had
occurred Of tho coast Of TripoM in northern
Africa Later advices show that the scene
OF the calamity was near Tripoli. seaport
town on tbs eastern Mediterranean. Dfty miles
northeast Of Beyroot. Syria. and compara-
lively short distance from the Island Of Cyprus.
The eastern Mediterranean has proved .
most unfortunate cruising ground for the
Victoria. In January OF last year she ran
aground of the Greek coast near Plstea, and
she was foated OF only after an immense
amount Of labor and large expense. It was
said that this accident was due to Careless
ness. A boats Grew from tho Victoria was
sent to mark with buoy shosl. the exist
ence Of which was known to the Victoria's
officers. The shoal Is q narrow one. and e1-
tends out from the Greek shore. The boats
crew was instructed to proceed along the
shoal from tho shore until ten fathoms Of wa
ter was reached and then to mark the spot
with buoy.
When within hundred yards OF tho END the
boat got off the shoal. and as tho next sound.
ing showed ten fathoms Of water the buoy was
anchored. The Victoria then came along at Q
good rate OF speed. at right angles. to the shoal
to take position for torpedo practice. and.
passing we'll outside the buoy. struck the
Bcurke. Captain OF the Victoria. who is the
youngest Post Captain In the British navy.
was held responsible for the accident. and
was severely reprimanded by o court martial
Capt Bourke was in command OF the Victoria
when she sank.
Rear Admiral Albert II. Markham OF the
Trafalgar, the flagship Of Rear Admiral in the
Mediterranean. has telegraphed to the Admir-.
atty from Trpoli. Syria. under date Of day.
as follows:
II regret to report that while man9uvering
of Tripoli this afternoon the Victoria and Cam
perdown collided. Tho Victoria sank In fifteen
minutes, in eighteen fathoms OF water. She
lies bottom uppermost. The Camperdown's
ram struck the Victoria forward Of the turret on
the starboard side. Twenty-one officers were
drowned. Two hundred and 6fty-lve men
were saved. Tho injury to the Camperdown
has not yet been fully ascertained. but 1t IL
serious and will necessitate her going on dock
for repairs l propose to send the survivors to
Malta"
A despatch received late to- night from Boy
root says that the collision occurred at 5
O'Clock In the afternoon about seven miles
from TripolL The vessels were almost at
right angles when tho Victoria was struck.
Those on the Victoras deck at tho moment
OF tho collision scram bled away. and were res
cued by the boats from the Campsrdown and
several other vessels. The men below had no
time to reach tho deck. The sudden heeling
OF tho Victoria caused her to begin to Ill i'm
mediately. and no escape was possible. She
went down in eighty fathoms OF water. 1t 10
difficult to obtain the names OF the men res
cued. AS they are aboard several vessels and
SO far all efforts have been devoted to recov.
erng bodies
Shortly altar the collision five bodies were
taken from the wator. one Of them was the
body OF tho chief paymLstoE They were
buried last evening with military honors at
TripolL The Campordown was severely dam
AIRED forward, in the collision. TEMPORARY re-
pairs will be made, and She then will start for
home.
1t Is said that several times the Victoria had
shown signs Of weakness in her steering
gear. One theory is that on account Of this
weakness she became unmanageable and
could not be got out OF the Camperdown's way.