The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1893-07-08

Of rooms filled with water and come
pressed air. Commander Jellico. who
was lying In his berth sick with fever.
started up and dashed To the deck in
pajamas, 10 find himself Immediately
struggling in the water. A lieutenant
swan To him, put his arm around him,
and despite the handicap Of supporting
helpless man. was able To get away
from the side of the sinking ship. The
huge hull was drawing in the water as
il went down. and several hundred men.
hurled suddenly into the water fully
dressed, had 70 battle against the in
creasing suction.
A moment later n new peril dc.
scended upon them. The great engine,
deep in the heart of the hull, and in
closed in n water-tight compartment,
was still throbbing at full speed, and
the great steel flanges OF the twin
screws were whirling around up in
the air As the vessel sank the screws
came nearer and nearer To the water
and descended into the midst of the
struggling human beings. The vessel
sank slowly, and when the screws were
low enough to begin to whirl in the
water again the suction had increased
until there was a deepening vortex like
q maelstrom. At the bottom of this
like circular knives. The poor creatures
battled in vain against the suction.
They were drawn down and in
against the swift-revolving blades.
Then came scene which made
the officers on the decks OF the
other war ships OF the fleet
turn away sick with horror. Screams
and shrieks arose, and in the white foam
appeared Redeemed arms and legs, and
wrenched and torn bodies. Headless
trunks were tossed out of the vortex,
to linger a moment on the surface and
sink out of sight. All within reach of
that vortex lost their presence of mind.
Men who knew how to swim ceased
swimming and fought by themselves.
Men clutched each other in frenzy and
struck each other off. One man who
has escaped says that he saw in this
vortex at least fifty of his fellows fight
ing with each other and with newt
able death. In a moment or so the
knives disappeared and the vortex be-
gan to close up. The ship was be-
meath the surface just as the whirl was
Swallowed almost to the surface. Then
there was a muflied sound of thunder,
the waters were tossed up and the
steam burst from them. Again the
shrieks and screams burst from the
swimmers, the boiler had exploded the
sea had rushed into the furnace. and the
swimmers were beating waves of scald-
ing waters. Thus in less than ten min
utes death in three awful forms at
tackled the officers and crew of the Vic
toria-death by drowning, death by
lSnife-like screws, and death by scald-
ing water. With the first under plunge
Of the Victoria all the boats were called
away from all the other ships, and
came straining over the calm surface
to save the strugglers. These boats
were soon picking up the fortunate
ones who had got out of reach of the
was there the boats dared not come
near. but they did lift from the water
several sailors who were horribly
burned. 1t is said that more than half
of those drowned got out of the ship,
but were caught in the vortex or
scalded to death.
Admiral Tryon stayed on the bridge
and refused to leave it. just before
the Victoria made her under plunge
he saw what was about to happen and
issued an order for each man to save
himself, but the order never got be-
yond the bridge. for ruin descended
straightway.
The diver whom he had ordered be-
low to look into the danger was still
on deck and dressed for his descent
except his helmet. He would have
been dragged to the bott by his
heavy lead-soled shoes haG l. not beer
for seaman who stopped to cut hin
loose from his heavy clothes. The
diver was saved, but the man who cut
him free was drowned. This was one
of many acts Of hcroism, selfforgetful
ness and daring.
The peril in the water was increased
by the fact that the sea Whereabouts i.
infested with sharks. 1t is the duty o.
the marines when a collision occurs u
Immediately go below and close all the
water-tight compartments When The
| Camperdown struck the Victoria tn,
Victoria's marines went below for theil
duty. and. as "a result. Of 1910 marine.
on the Victoria. 81 were lost.
A CANADIAN SCANDAL.