Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1893-06-30
RAM IN NAVAL FIGHTS.
A Sea Tale Recalled BY the Disaster
to the Victoria.


WAsHiNsroN, Jlne s9.-The appallin,
calamity which be ELL the British battleshil
Victofie has served ~ startllng reminde
OF sea tale, written soon after that grea
vessel vas launched. by the vell-knovl
naval expert. II. 0. Arnold Forster. il
which he gives . supposititiOus account o.
= naval battle in which he represents him
self as taking tie Victoria, which he calies
the MAjes.-c. into action.
Naval officers very lerally commented
upon the f-ct that in this graphic account
the Victoria should have been described =.
defeating her enemy by powerful streks
Of her terrible ram, sending her to the bot
tom. very much as she herself was de.
stroyed.
Here 10 an extract from this interestins
narrative:
Suddenly amidst the din Of the firing
and easily distink uished above the thunder
Of the guns, came the report of fierce,
rapid explosion, followed by an instantzn.
eous cessation Of TIE enemy's FIRE. II was
impossible to see wnat had taken place, but
the fact remained beyond doubt. and in
ssantly determined to avail myself of it.
turned to the lieutenant and babe him
transmit my orders through the ship. The
orders were simple.
',s'Lay both guns ahead, full speed. and
prepare to RAM
II was convinced that for time ut any
rate my adversary had lost control of his
ship. We were now separated by distance
of less than 800 yards, and still the same
apparent indecision marked the movement
OF the enemy, who WAS moving slowly, with
almost full br0adside presented to Us and
somewhat on our starboard bow.
Suddenly she appeared to gather full
way, and her head began TO come in slightly
toward us. But it was too late the time
had come. moved my hand and tie Officer
by my side flashed my will to the great
turYet gums
'.On both sides there was roar and u
crash; the thunder of the tornado with the
shock. Swept and shattered by the terrible
artillery to which she had been exposed the
Majestic still held her course and her
course was that on which had launched
her. On either side the last bolt was sped
The gun had had its final wad; greater
power was to give its decision, and from
that decision there WAS no appeal.
"Our opponent lay between us and the
Southern sun, and can ut this moment
remember the instant when the low bow Of
the Majestic entered the shadow cast upon
the water.
Then with deep, grinding, terrible
crash the ram did its work. We struck the
enemy about 80 feet from her bow and the
slight change in her direction made the
blow slan,ing one. The Msjestic shiv-
cred from stem to stern and | could actu-
ally see the iron work on the bow ripping
ani splintering IN it forced its way into the
opposing side. But it was not there that
the fatal wound had been given. Far un-
derneath the water line the Irotruding ram
had struck blow from which no human
Iower could save the victim.
For a mou ent all was still save for the
sound of the stretching and rendiug of the
iron; then suddenly, with a steady but a
ca rtain heaye, the great ship seemed to bow
down toward US. watched her for mo-
ment, long enough to see the surface of the
deck as 1t showed up with the heel of the
ship, and then knew no more. The strain
was over.
my work dole, and ii was not till
month later opened my eyes in Haslar
Hospital and came back once more to the
land of the living. Within quarter of an
hour after the ram of the Majestic struck
her the last vestige of that splendid ship had
sunk beneath the waves. her hull absolutely
broken in two by tire force Of the collision.
We had time to save 120 of her crew with
II e greatest difficulty"