The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-06-27
TRYON WAS ON THE BRIDGE
While the Ship Surged TO the
Seas Bottom.
HER SCREWS WENT HIGH IN AIR,
Then They Came Down and Mangled
the Poor Wretches Swimming
in Boiling Water.
Special to The MORNING CALI.

special TO IHE MORNING CALL.
NEW YORK, June 26 An extra edition
OF the Evening World contains a special
cable from TripoliS, Syria, giving full par
ttculars of the sinking flagship Victoria
About o'clock on last Thursday after
noon the English fleet was sighted max
ing directly for the harbor of Tripolis.
There we're five big iIonclads, the Victc-
ria. CAmperdown, Edin burgh. Nile and
Sanspareil, drawn in full front. with the
Victoria in the center, the Camperdown
on her left and the Edinburgh on her
right.
When the fleet was within five miles of
shore Vice Admiral Sir George Tryon
signaled to turn and form in double line.
When the order was given the distance
between the ships was less than two ca
bIes length, and the execution of the order
was extremely difficult for both the Vic
tora and the Camperdown. Admiral
Markham, on the Camperdown,s signaled
that he did lot understand it. The other
vessels had not hesitated, but began
to turn. The brief delay, however, had
been fatal. The Victoria had nearly
turned when the Camperdowu, swinging
around. bore down upon her. Both ad-
miTals were quick to act and swung their
vessels, So as to receive al the smallest
angle the blow which both officers saw
was inevitable, and the Camperdown be-
gan reversing her screws. The ram of the
Camperdown struck the Victoria just in
front of the armored bulkhead and
plunged into the thin plates OF her star
board side.
The other vessels, moving to get into
double line, were bearing down upon the
entangled ships, and a catastrophe involy-
ing all of the ironclads seemed imminent.
Only the GOODNESS and prompt action of
the other commanders prevented a general
disaster
1t seems that Admiral Tryon did not
realize the extent of the damage to the Vie
tOria, for when the other ships signaled
offers of boats he replied that he did not
need them.
Ihen Inc Victoria began to forge straight
for shore under full steam. The discipline
was perfect. The admiral and his officers
remained steadfast upon the bridge and
within five minutes after the blow a div
ing suit was brought on deck and a diver
was getting into 1t to obey the order to 60
below aud find out the extent of the
damage.
blow, the Victoria. having got something
like two miles nesrer shore, all at once
leaned a way over to starboard and, with
great roll and plunge. buried ner bow
beneath the calm surface of the sea. 1t
was almost ms tantaneous.
There was only chance for a few wild
cries before the Victoria was almost half
submerged, bow foremost, with her
swiftly vi coratvS biob ba
Those on the deck We're thrown immp-
diately into the water. The men forward
and below had no time to rush to the
deck, and there was but little more time
for those in the officers quarters. The
huge hull was drawing on the water as it
went down. and several hundred men
hurled suddenly into the sea, fully dressed.
had 10 battle against the Increasing sue
tlOn.
Then, in a moment, peril more horrible
descended upon them. AS the vessel sank
her screws came nearer and nearer to the
water and descended into the midst of the
struggling human beings. The poor
creatures battled in vain against the
suction. They were drawn down and
thrown against the swift blades. and then
came scene which made the officers on
the decks of the other warship3 of the fleet
turn away, sick with horror. Screams and
shrieks arose, and in the white foam ap-
peared Redeemed arms and legs and
mangled and torn bodies of those who had
been chopped to pieces in the sea. All
within reach of the vortex lost presence of
mind, and men who knew how to swim
ceased swimming and fought against the
iron death and against one another.
One man who was saved says that he
saw in the great vortex at least fifty of his
fellows fighting with each other and with
inevitable death.
In a moment or so the knives disap-
peared and the vortex began to close up.
The ship was meath the sea now, and
just as the whiri Swallowed almost to the
surface there was muffied sound of thun-
der, the waters tossed mp ana steam burst
from them. Again shrieks aud screams
burst from the swimmers, for the boilers
had exploded and those who had escaped
the deadly blade OF the screw felt beating
upon them waves of scalding water
With the first underplunge of the Vic
toria all the boats were called away from
the other ships and came straining over
tie calm sea to save the strugglers. and
they soon picked up the fortunate ones
who had got out Of reach of the terrible
vortex.
Admiral Tryon stayed on the bridge and
refused to leave it, just before the Vic
toria made her underplunge be saw what
was about to happen and issued the order
for each man to save himself. but the or
der never got beyond the bridge: There
were many acts of heroism, self-forgetful-
ness and daring. and The peril of those in
the water was increased by the fact that
the sea is infested with sharks.
1t is the duty OF the marines when a COL
lision occurs to Immediately close all the
watertlght compartments. When the
Camperdown struck the Victoria the
marines went below for this duty, and as
result of 120 marines on the flagship SO
were lost.
HOLD HIM RESPONSIBLE.
Adx .is.nl 1n.IkE D.