Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-06-27
THE eATTLE-sHlP VICTORIA.


THE eATrLE-sHIP VICTORIA.
Particulars of Her sinking by the Cam
perdown.
tBy telegraph to the Dispatch.l
Nrw YORK, June 26.-The Erening World
published an extra this evening IN which
was the following special cable dispstcn
from Tripoli, Syria. regarding the SINKING
of the batte-ship Victoria:
About O'Clock last Thursday aftern oon
the English feet came IN sight OF III hina'
the port and town OF Tripoll.
Tho five big iron n-clads-Nictorla, Cani-
perdown. edinburgh. Nile, and sans Pa
reil-yere drawn up in flli front. The
Victoria was in the centre, the Camper
down was on her left, and the Edinburgh
on her right.
When they were within FIVE miles OF
shore Vice-Admiral Sir George Tryon sig-
nailed 10 turn and form in double line;
This meant that the Victoria and Gam
perdown were TO 60 ahead little and de-
scribe turn--the Victoria turning 10 the
left and the CamperdOwn turning TO the
right-then they would advance side by
side in the direction from which they had
come; the Others would swing into double
column order and advance two and TWO
behind the leaders.
DISTANCE BETWEEN THE SHIPS.
When the order was given the distance
between the ships wes less than TWO caole
lengths. The execution of the order was
easy enough for ships further away from
the centre. but extremely difficult Tor tne
Victoria and the Camperdown. who, In
turning their bows, would pass within
few fathons of each other, even If the
movement was executed with the greatest
precision.
Whether because Admiral Markham. of
the CamperdoWn, could not believe this
movement was to be tried when the ships
were so close together or because ne
thought Admiral Tryon had mlscalculated
the distance. he did not set about exc;
cutingAdmiral Iryon's order, but signalled
that he did not understand 1t.
The Victoria and the other vessels had
not hesitated. The Victoria began TO turn
at once. as she still held TO the signal.
FATAL DELAY.
The Camperdown no longer hesitated
but also began to turn. The brief delay,
however, had been fatal.
The Victoria had nearly turned, and the
Camperdown, swinging around, bore down
upon her.
Both admirals were quick TO act. Admi-
raj Tryon swung tho Victoria so as 20 re-
ceive at the smallest angle the blow. which
mirnl Markham did the same for the
Camperdown. besides reversing her
screws
The 12-foot ram of the Csmperdown
struck the hull of the Victoria Just In
front of the armored bulkhead and
plunged into the think plates OF her star
board side.
SMASHED AS CARDBOARD.
The armor ends of the bulkhesd and the
forward part of the Victoria above the
Water-line was mere cardboard 10 the
great iron wedge so nightly, propelled.
There was q smashing OF wood and IRON
plates .and.the ram and $ feet of the bow OF
the Camperdown crashed 20 feet IN tne
bowels of the VIctOria.
The Camperdoyu was halted by the
heavy armor Of he Victoria, and. o. her
screws were re-, sf, sho at once began
to back away.
Asall the Others vessels were moving TO
get into double line behind the two leaders.
they were bearing down upon the entan,
gled ships, and a catastrophe invOlYlng al
the ironclads was imminent. Only the
coolness and prompt action OF the other
commanders Jre vented q general disaster.
The Victoria was at once headed tor
shore and steamed ten minutes, the dis
cipline mean while being perfect. sue:
denly the Victoria leaned 70 starboard and
with a great roll and plunge buried her
bow in the sea. Her engines continued
working and the screws whirled III the ar
IA the vessel gradually sunk. Tho suction
of the vessel us drawing everything IN
the whirlpool. 81 when the screw became
submerged il created q great vortex. into
which men were irawn IN plain sight OF
the other vessels and dismembered by the
revolving blades Of tho screws. Heads,
limbs. and trunks of human bodies were
thrown out of the deep cone OF water and
fell back and disappeared.
SCENE or HORROR.
The hosior of this scene turned sick oil
who beheld IT, and men IN the water IN
danger Of this new death lost their pres
ence of mind and good swimmers ceased
to swim. Scarcely had the vessel settled
so low that the vortex closed up the boil
ers burst and those who had escaped chop
ping knives were beating waves OF scaId'
Ing water.
With the first under plunge of the Nicto-
ria all the boats were called away from all
the other ships and came stralnlng over
the calm sea to save the strugglers.
These boats were soon picking up the
fortunate ones who mad got out of reach
of the terrible vortex. so long as the
vortex was there the boats dared not ven
ture near. hut they did lift from the
ScnlUluE water SENfIuA MANkNANA oN''D4
who were horribly burned. IL ls thought
that more than half of those drowned got
out of the snip, but were caught IN the
vortex or scalded 70 death.
STUCK TO TIE BRIDGE.
Admiral Tryon stuck on the bridge and
| refused 10 leave it, Just before the VIC
! toria made her under plunge he saw what
was about 70 happen and issued an order
for each man to save himself, but the order
never got beyond the bridge, for ruin de
scended straIghtway.
I 1he peril of those in the water was in
creased by the fact that the sea here
abonts is infested with sharks. IL Is the
J duty OF the marines when collision oc
ours 10 Immediately 20 below and clost
1 all the water-ticht compartments. Wher
| the Camperdown struck the Nlctorin the
! NictOrias marines went below tor theii
| duty, and as a result out of 120 marines Oh
! the Victoria % were lost.
Ld'er.-Of the 100 occupants. at first u
was reported that score or moro had
been killed. As soon as the excitement
had quleted down 1t was found that all
were accounted for. though Itis possible
that somO transient body NAV still be N
the ruins. Three womon were badly hurt.