The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1893-07-01
INSIDE STORY OF TIE
DISASTER.
Bb Cable to the United Press.

withstandlng the efforts that are being
made by the naval authorities here TO
prevent the survivors of the Victoria
dieaster from giving any information
concerning the loss of the vessel. your
correspondent has succeeded in obtaining
from reliable sources q full story Of
the casualty, the first report covering all
the details Mt the ccident that had been
sent to the q nited States. Most of the
men seen decline for obvious reasons of
have their names published, but the
reliability of the interviews following
may be entirely depended upon.
A sub-otiicer who was ATTACHED to the
Victoria says:-'sThe fleet was manPu-
vering when Vice Admiral Tyron slg-
nailed to the first division to turn six
teen points to port and to the second TO
turn sixteen points to starooard. The
object of this mangvre was to bring
the ships in position for anchoring.
Vice.Admiral Tryon either forgot or
mistook the distance between the Two
columns, which were six cable lengths
5000 feet) apart.
The leading ships having turned. toward
each other in circle. the diameter OF
which was three cable lengths q, 800 feet)
a collision was inevitable
THE COLLISION.
The Camperdown strnck the Victoria
on the starbcard side. midway between
her caEheads and the turrent. When Rear
Aslmirsl Markham saw that his ship was
bound to strike the Victoria, he slgnalled
for the Camperdown's engines to be
reversed It was too late, how
ever. to cheek the Camperdown's he ad-
way and she struck the Victoria a fear ful
blow. Not only did the ram of the
Camperdown penetrate the fagshi D,
but her forecastle was showed ten feet
under the forecastle of the Victoria. A
bugle call was sounded on the flagship
calling all hands to their stations and the
order given to close the water tight
doors in the bulkheads a minute before
the collision occurred. The Camperdown,
however, was swinging rapidly
towards the Victoria, and those
on the flagship scarcely had
time TO reach the compartments before
the vessels came together. Then the
water rushing into the ship, through
several of the forward doors. prevented
access to those compartments. The OIL
GERS who were in the wardroom felt the
shock, which was tremendous. and heard
the sound of tearing iron and the rushing
OF the water in board.
PERFECT DISCIPLINE.
A bueler sounded the collision alarm,
but though everybody aboard the snip
kuaw he was in imminent danger there
was not the slightest panic. Perfect
discipline was maintained and every
order was obeyed as soon as it was
given. The pumps were cleared aud
rugged for action, and Captain Maurice
Bonrke, flag captain of the fleet. made
an fns pection to ascertain in what bulk
neld doors were closed. All hands were
then ordered to fall in on the port side
Of the ship. The collision mat and
boom was got ont. An attempt was
made to place the mat over the hole in
the forecastle, but it failed. While this
was being done Commander Jellicoe was
engaged In getting the boats out. The
rapid and increasing list the ship
WIS making made this task difficult
one. The port side of the ship was
crowded with men, their anxiety plainly
showing in the counteuances, but perfect
order was maintained. The men who
had been condemned to imprisonment
were brought from the brig and the sick
were conveyed from che hospit al.
One man who had been below forward at
the time of the collision had both legs
broken by being hit by this Camper
downs ram. The Victoria lay with list
OF from twenty to twenty-five degrees
for ABOUT two minutes. She was settling
by the head all the time.
SUDDEN RUSH.
Suddenly the water rushed through
| the main d eek ports and i'll less than ten
| minutes after the ship went down. In
| the last few minutes she heeled over
with frightful rapidity, but. ciutching
stanciDns aud anything else that would
\ hold Them the men hung on. no one at
| tempting to leave the ship. Vice Admiral
Tryon saw tnat all hope was gone aud
l gave the order" Jump: save yourselves"
| Thep, and not till then, did the men
| break ranks.
Tbeysclinbed into the weather Noting,
| crying she Ia going down." and scram-
| bled to get hold of so nethiug on the up-
per side of the ship. The men who were
| on the STERN above the port propeller,
which was revolving rapidly, were, when
! they jumped. forced to jump close TO 1t.
Some did n it clear The blades aud
stern, seeing the fats of their comrades
| cried stop The engine. for Gods sake. 7
This, of course, could not be done, as II
WAS impossible, even hal any one dared,
! to enter the engine room. The sight oi
men meeting tneir death by being hit by
the screw was u horrible one.
| Many who jumped went down beneath
! the water, but rose again. In the mean
| time the Victoria had turned bottom up,
aud Sin II few moments she plunged
| down, bow first, CARRYING with her many
of the men who were still clinging to her,
| they having clanibered toward her Keel
as she turned slowly over after getting
down on her side.
-FOUR HUNDRED GOT CLEAR
| About four hpudred got clear or the
shin before she sank. bat many OF them
were struck BY floating wrecka ge
afterward aad so injured That they
drowned The air that escRpeF1 B.Qpq
,sfie Ship as she went down "a &s6d any'
I thing tnab would float to ce<Sp to the sur
face vith tremendous Fce. and 1ht