The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1893-06-29
A CALAMITY,
Two British Battle-Shirs Collide In the
Mediterranean--Ove Four Hundred Lives


LONDON, June 24.--A most terrible
calamity has befallen the British attic-
ship Victoria, flagship of the Mediter-
ranean squadron, and hundreds Of lives
have been lost
The Victoria, which flew the flag of
Vice Admiral Sir George Tryon, K. G.
B., was run into off Tripoli by the
British battleship Canperdown, also be-
longing to the Mediterranean squadron,
and under the command Of Capt.
Charles Johnstone. . n
The Victoria had an enormous hole
made in her side through which the
water poured in torrents. The immense
hull Of the Victoria at once began TO
settle, and before those on board could
cast loose their small boats she went to
the bottom, carrying down with her
nearly all 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 Admir-
raj Tyron.
The first reports of tho disaster
stated that about 200 men had bsen
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 have gone
down with their ship.
The Victoria was an armor-clad ves-
sci made of steel, and was launched In
1887. Her side-armor thickness was IS
inches. She carried two 11-inch guns,
one 29-tonner and 12 fve-tonners.
Only one other of the British war yes
sells has her horse power (l4,OOO), that
is the Trafalgar. She had record Of
16L knots-over 10 miles-an hour, and
was the pride of the royal navy.
The Victoria was q twin-screw bat
tle-ship of 1O,47O tons.
The Camperdown is also first-class
twin-screw battle-ship. She is Of 10000
tons and IL 500 horsepower and carries
10 guns.
Admiral Sir George Tyron was COM
mander-in-chief of thl Mediterranean
station. He was mad q vice admiral
August 20, 1891.
Rear Admiral Albert II. Markham, Of
the Trafalgar, the flagship Of the rear
admiral in the Mediterranean, has tele-
graphed to the admiralty, from Trfpoli,
under date Of Friday, as follows:
81 regret to report that, while ma
neuvering of Tripon this afternoon,
tho Victoria and Camperdown oollidsd
The Victoria sank in fifteen minutes In
eighteen fathoms Of water. She lies
bottom uppermost. The Camperdown's
ram struck forward Of the turret on the
starboard side. rwenty-one officers
were drowned Two hundred and ffty.
five men were saved Tho injury 10
the Camperdown has not yet been fully
ascertained, but it is serious, and will
necessitate her going on the dock for
repairs. propose to send the survivors
to Malta"
Capt. Bourke was in command Of the
Victoria Friday when she sank. Ac-
cording to the navy list the principal
officers of the Victoria were:
Vice-admiral, Sir George Tryon; Cap
tain, Maurice A. Bourke; commander,
Charles Ottley; chaplain, Rev. Samuel
8. o. Morris; feet surgeon, Thomas
Bolster; fleet paymaster, Valentine D.
]. Rickord; feet engineer, Felix Fore
man.
The complement of officers and crew
of the Victoria comprises 600 men. The
list of officers drowned include, besides
vice-Admiral Tryon, Chaplain Morris,
Lieut.. Monroe, Fleet Paymaster Rick
ords, Fleet Engineer Foreman, En-.
gineer Harding, Assistant Engineers
Deadmon, Hatherly, Seaton, Gunner,
Howell and Boatswain Barnard.
Capt. Bell, Midshipmen Fawes, Ian.
yon, Henley, Gambler and Scarlett,
Cadet Stokes and Clerks Allen and Sav.
age.
A change had recently been made in
the commander attached to the Vic.
toria, Charles L. Ottley having been de.
tached and succeeded by Commander
B. Fellicone, who was saved, as were
also captain, the Hon. Maurice A.
Bourke and Is officers.
The first dispatches detailing the &C.
cident led to the belief that the disas
ter had occurred off the coast Of Tripol
in northern Africa.
Later advices show that the scene Of
the calamity was near Tripoli, sea
port town on the eastern Mediter
ranean, 80 miles northeast of Beyroot
Syria, and comparatively short dis
tance from the Island Of Cyprus.
The eastern Mediterranean has proved
a most unfortunate cruising ground fol
the Victoria, for, as above stated, Il
was in this part Of the sea that she met
with her serious accident in January
1892.
GETTYSBURG BATTLEFIELD.