The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1893-06-30
SENT TO THE BOTTOM.
The British Battle Ship Victoria
Sunk OF Tripon.
Vice-Admiral Tryon and Over -Four Hun
dred OF the Crew Go Down with
Her-The Result of Collision
with the CamPerdown-

~o-oAAASJ has OCAdAAcn thC DAAOloh DSse-
tie ship Victoria, flagship of the Medi-
terranean squadron, and hundreds of
lives have been lost
The Victoria, which few the flag of
Vice-Admiral Sir George Tryon, K. c.
b., was run into off Tripoli by the Brit
ish battle ship Camperdown, also be-
longing 70 the Mediterranean squad
ron, and under command of Capt.
Charles Johnstone. An enormous hole
was made in the side of the Victoria,
through which the water poured in
torrents The immense hull of the
Victoria at once began TO settle and be-
fore those on board of her could cast
loose their small boats she went to the
bottom carrying nearly all down with
her who were on board.
Some of the officers and crew man.
aged to get out of the suction caused
by the sinking vessel and were res
cued. Among those lost is Vice-Ad-
miral Tryon.
The first reports of the disaster stated
that about 200 men had been drowned,
but later dispatches show that the loss
of life was far greater, not less than
400 of the officers and crew of the Vic
toria having gone down with their ship.
The Victoria was twin-screw bat
tie ship of 10, 47O tons and IA, 900 horse
power. She mounted fifteen guns.
The Camperdown is a first-class twin
- IL IL = -
tons and 1,5OO horse power and car
ries ten guns. Admiral Sir George
Tryon was commander-in-chief of the
Mediterranean station. He was made
vice-admiral August 20, 1891.
LATER-Rear-Admir Albert III.
Markham, of the Trafalgar, the flag
ship of the rear-admiral in the Medi-
terranean, has telegrapbed to the ad-
miralty from Tripoli. Syria, as follows:
81 regret to report that while
maneuvering off Tripoli this (Friday)
afternoon the Victoria and Camper
down collded. The 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 fif-
ty-five men were saved. The injury
fully ascertained, but it is serious and
will necessitate her going on the dock
for repairs. l propose to send the sur
vivors to Malta"
In January of last year the Victoria
ran aground off the Greek coast, near
Platea, and she was only foated off
after an immense amount of labor and
large expense. 1t was said that this ac-
cident was due to carelessness. A boats
crew of the Victoria was sent to mark
with a buoy a shoal the extent of
which was unknown to the Victoria s
officers. The shoal is narrow one and
extends out from the Greek shore. The
crew was notified to proceed along the
shoal from the shore until ten
fathoms of water was reached and
then mark the spot with a
buoy. When within 100 yards of the
end the boat got off the shoal, and as
the next sounding showed ten fathoms
of water, the bouy was anchored. The
Victoria then came along at a good
rate of speed at right angles to the
shoal to take position for torpedo
practice, and, passing well outside the
buoy, struck the shoal and remained
f. ,%os,
of the Victoria, and a son of the late
earl of Mayo. who is the youngest post
captain in the British navy, was held
responsible for the accident and was
severely reprimanded by court-mar-
tial.
Capt. Bourke was in command of the
Victoria when she sank. According to
the navy list the principal officers of
the Victoria were: Vice-Admiral Sir
George Tryon, Capt. Maurice A. Boprlxe,
Commander Charles L. Ottley, Chap
lain Rev. Samuel S. o. Morris, Fleet
Surgeon Thomas Bolster, Fleet Pay
master Valentine ID. ]. Rickccrd, Fleet
Engineer Felix Foreman.
The complement of officers and crew
of the Victoria comprised 900 men. The
list of officers drowned include, besides
Vicc-Admiral Tryon, Chaplain Morris,
Lieut.. Monroe, Fleet Paymaster
Rickcord, Fleet Engineer Fore
man, Engineer Harding, Assistant
Engineers Deadman. Hatherly and
Seaton, Gunner Howell, Boatswain Bar
nard, Carpenter Bell, Midshipmen
Fawes, Lanyon, Henley, Gambler and
Silxlett, Cadet Stokes and Clerks Allan
and Savage
A change had recently been made in
the commander attached to the Victo-
ria, Charles L. Ottley having been de-
tached and succeeded by Commander
B. Fellicome, who was saved, as
were also Capt Bourlze and
some foreign officers. The first
dispatch concerning the accident
led to the belief that the dis
aster had occurred off the coast of Tri-
poll in northern Africa. Later advlces
show the scene of the calamity was
near Tripoli, a seaport town on the
eastern Mediterranean, 80 miles north
east of Beyroot. Syria, and eompara-
lively short distance from the island
Of Cyprus. The eastern Mediterranean
has proved most unfortunate cruising
ground foF the ViesoFis. for, Es sbeys