Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1893-06-27
WHIRLING WHEELS.
Horrible Death Of Many Of the
victoria's Sailors.
Cut, mangIed and 0ismembercd by
Swiftly Revolving PropeiIors.
Cause d Disaster Mas o. Esres q Iudsnsat
By A1miral Tyres.

causs d Disaster Mas a Esrss u ludsasai
By AAairai Tyres.
Nsm Yosk, June 26.-The Evening
World publishes an extra this evening, in
which i. the following special cable dispatch
dated Tripoli, Syria. About three O'Clock
last Thursday afternoon, the English fleet
came in sight of ElmirA port, and the town Of
Tripoli.
Five big iron clads, the Victoria, Cam.
perdown. Edinburgh, Nile, and Sans Par
ell. were drawn up in full front. The
Victoria was in the centre, Camperio~n on
her left, and Edinburgh on her right.
When within five miles Of shore Vice Ad-
miral Sir George Tryon sigIalled to turn
and form in double.
This meant for the Victoria and Camper
down to go ahead little, describe turn,
the Victoris turning to the left, the Camper
down to the right, then they would advance
side by side in the direction from which
they came. and the others would swing into
double column order and advance two and
two behind leaders.
When the order was given the distance
between the ships WAS less than two cables
length. Whether because Admiral Marx
ham of the Camperdown could not believe
that this movement was to be tried when
the ships were 50 close together, or because
he thought Admiral Tryon miscalculated
the distance, he did not set about executing
Admiral Tryon's order, but signalled that
he did not understand il.
The Victoria and other vessels had not
H. "a tnI Nt.t.rt. h.,.p Ia t,pn anal
AS she still held 10 the signal, the Camper
turn. The brief delay, however, was fatal.
The Victoria had nearly turned and the
Camperd,wn, swinging around. bore down
upon her.
Both admirals were quck TO act. Admi-
raj Tryon swung the Victoria to receive
at the smallest angle the blow which both
officers saw was inevitable. Admiral
Markham did the same tor the Camper
down, besides reversing her screws.
The l2-foot ram of the Camperdown
struck the hull of the Victoria just in front
Of the armored bulkhead, and plunged into
the thin plates of her starboard side. The
armor ends at the bulkhead aud the for
ward part of the Victoria above the water
line WAS mere cardboard to the great iron
wedge 60 nightly propelled.
The ram and eight feet of the bow Of the
Camperdown crashed 20 feet into the bow
els Of the Victoria. The Camperdown was
halted by the heavy armor of the Victoria,
and as the screws were reversed she at once
began to back away.
As all the other vessels were moving to
get into double line behind the two lead
ers, they were bearing down upon the en-
tangled ships and q catastrophe involving all
the ironclads was imminent. Only the
GOODNESS and prompt action of the other
commanders prevented general disaster.
The Victoria's bow was now pointed full
owards the shore.
1t seems that Admiral Tryon did not real
ize the extent of the damage to the Vic
toria. lie no doubt thought as only one
compartment was damaged, the others
would keep his ship afoat, so when the
Camperd0wn and other ships signalled Of
fcrs of boats, he replied that he did not
need them.
The Victoria began to forge straight for
the shore under full steam.
1t is one of the rules of the British navy
that if ship is in danger of sinking and
the shore not far away she must be got into
shallow water, so that if she goes down she
may be raised again.
Discipline was perfect. About 10 min
utes after the blow the Victoria, having got
something like two miles nearer shore, all
at once leaned away over to starboard and
with great roll and plunge buried her
bow beneath the surface of the sea.
II was almost instantaneous. Those on
deck were plunged Immediately into the
water. The men forward and below had
no time to rush to the deck, but found
themselves cropping for the doors of the
rooms filed with water and compressed air.
There was little more time for those in
the officers quarters. They heard shouts
and warning cries and rushed to the almost
perpendicular deck.
Commander Jellicoe, lying in his berth
sick with a fever, dashed to the deck in his
pajamas to find himself struggling in the
water. A lieutenant swan to him put his
arm around him and was able to get away
from the side of the sinking ship.
The huge hull was drawing in the water
as it went down several hundred men.
hurled suddenly into the water, fully
dressed, had to battle against the increasing
suction.
The great engine, deep in the heart of
the hull, enclosed in watertight compart-
ments, was still throbbing at full speed and
the great steel phlanges of the twin screws
we're whrring up in the air. The vessel
sank slowly and when the screws were low
enough to begin to whirl the water again,
the suction had increased until the deepen
ing vortex was like maelstrom.
At the bottom of this Ihaelstrom the
screws were revolving like circular knives.
iae poor creatures battled in vain against
the suction. They were drawn down and
thrown against the swift blades.
In the white foam appeared reddeDed
arms and legs and wrenched and torn
bodies. Headless trunks were tossed ou,
of the vortex to linger 4 moment, and sink
out of sight. In moment or so the knives
disappeared and the vortex began to close
up.
The ship was beneath the surface just a
IN. wbirl was shallow ed almost to the sur.
face. Then there was a muffled sound OF
thunder, the waters we're tossed up, and
steam bust from them. The boilers had
exploded. the sea had rushed into the fur
naces and the swimmers were beating wave.
Of scalding water.
With the first under-plunge of the Vict0
ria all the boats were called away from al
the other ships, and came straining over tbs
sea to save the strugglers. These boat
we're soon picking up those who got out Of
the reach Of the vortex.
1t Is thought that more than half OF those
lost got out Of the ship, but were caught in
the vortex or scalded to death by the boil
ing water.
Admiral Tryon refused to leave the
| bridge. Just before the under-plunge, he
issued an order for each man TO save him
self, but the order never got beyond the
| bridge.
The peril Of those in the water was in
creased by the fact that the sea hereabout,
| is infested with sharks.
II il the duty Of the marines when q col.
Iision occurs to Immediately go below an'
close all the water-tight compartments.
| When the Csmperdown struck the Vic
| toria the marines went below, and a. a re
suit, ont Of the l20 marines on the VIC
toria, 30 were lost.
naiss Postal Changes.
WasHtserox, June 26.-These change,
in the posta; service in Maine are an
! nounced:
| gonta i.1g nak Paint hv Ravside II