The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-07-04

an.,uyc DrrAILs OF THE SINKING
or THE yIcTORfh.
.., Markham ucsitated to Obey III
George's order, Knowing That 'hef'
va. Not Room to Execute H.

,oorplog with Rear AdfniIi MAJ"
nam.s dispatches concerning the Johnston
~ r,inol. lie was brought by speeial
steamer. the Maid Of Kent 10 Dover
"a ,,,s conveyed thence by special tram
,o1ooaon. lie drove directly TO the "A
..,..t,, Office. where the Admiralty
800 notified in advance Of his coming
,ecelvea and read the dispatches at once
r,e hoard decided to publish the DIS
patches IN FUN forthwith. 80 from, tho
nm erst dispatch was dated from 'l,o
.r.. ramuerdoWn on June I'd IL
says. ..,,.,, that have
-, tbe total loss OF her Majesty
sbin Victoria. involving the HlepdraD,e
80 ~, ne ornmaudcr-ln-chiet, VICE AZ
- e,r George Tryon. y oihcers ana
see mon under the following ciicui'-
stancos. ,-.,... If bcr Ma
.estvs ships Victoria. camp uy ,''.,.,I
Droadnought InheNipie' '"Ii'"5 49,.
Phaeton. Edinburgh, sans I"l,", iofi
An,rbion Fearless and Bafh"m' ic''
yyD'..,.'., ,t.o,,f 40 o'clock this forenoon Tor
gri,oH shortly after the squadron FORM
"A ein,io column lire abreast ana pro
eeofed m the rate OF about eight kho's an
80 when about 1--WE miles from 'i'
,'rrbo,sec OF Tripoli the signal was ma"e
:, Don o'clock I'm the afternoon 10 ioih
columns Of divisions In line ane"', u
,.,sl5 ,tcen 10 port. the columns 10 u"
six cable lengths apart A.. .,,.l
owe proceeaed in this formation uhtt
s.2 =. NJ. when the signal was Hl"uo
from the Victoria 10 the hfsl uiNislo"
a. t,,r, eivfoon points 90 port. ana 10 inc
.econa division 20 turn sixteen poln's ~
.tarboard AS the columns were ohy SIN
cable lengths apart IT was not lh my
orlnlou posslble within the mahoeuNiihb
distance 10 execute such an eE"'u'ion
I directed the fag lieutenant 20 Keep ,h'
t..,.l which We were repeating, at Dip
as an Indication that the sishal rom inc
Victoria was not understood. ] then di-
rected him 60 signal with the -
no understand Sc is your wish Tor me
ool,,,one ia turn as indicated b. the sig
nal now flying.
"Rut before my order could be carried
,ut. the commander-in-chief semaphored
,uc 20 know what ] was waiting iof. Ut
men struck me that he wished me 20
ttrn sixteen points. rs indicated by the
signal and IL was his intention 10 circle
round the second division. leaving them
on the port hand Having the fullest
confidence i'm the great ability or the
commander TO manOeuvre the squadron
without even risk OF collision. l ordered
the signal hoised as al indication that J
Understood When the signal was hauled
down the helm Of the Cam
perdown was put hard a-port. At the
same time the helm Of the Victoria was
starhoarded.
II watched very carefully the helm Of
the Victoria. as indicating the purpose Of
her signals AS the two ships turned
toward each other. and seeing mat the
helm of the Victoria WAS stiii bard star
board. directed the captain Of the Cam
perdown 10 go full speed astcrn with the
sfarboard screw. i'm order 10 decrease our
circle Of turning. Seeing that a collision
was inevitable. i then ordered him 10 20
full speed astern with both engines, but
before our speed could be materially
checked the stem of the Camoerdown
struck the Victoria ON the starboard bow,
about twenty feet before the turret, and
crushed mo the ship almost 10 fhe centre
line. the fore and AFT lines OF the shiDs
al the time of the collision being inclined
toward each other at an angle Of about
S. degrees
1T was. think. quite two minutes
though going fun snced astern with both
engines. TO get clear OF the Victoria.
The water-tight doors OF Tho Camperdown
had been closed by my orders before the
collision occurred.
Seeing ihe critical condition Of the
Victoria. which seemed TO be settling
down by the head, boats were immediate
~ prepared ana the boom boats got ready
10 be hoisted ont when the open pendant
was hoistcd by the Victoria. and the sig
nal was made not 60 send boats a very
few minutes later she keeled over TO star
board, and, turning bottom upward, dis
appeared
The time that elapsed between the oc-
currence OF the collision and the disap-
pearance was only about thirteen min
utes. Shortly before the Victoria turned
over the men were seen jumping over
board Observing this. | Immediately
ordered the signal made 10 send an boats
70 The rescue, and directed the Barham
and Fearless 90 close i'm at once 20 save
Ire. icaming mp I'm the CamperdOwn at
the me time 60 succOr the officers and
men Struggling I'm the water. The com
bined efforts OF the squadron resulted
In the saving OF % officers and about 2s2
men, but ! regret that no less than ~
oihcefs and 1876 men. the majority of
whom were I'm AN probability below al
the time. were lost.
Inc sea was smooth. and there was
only a light breeze at the time OF the
accident The injuries to the Camper
down are serious. but ] hope that. with
the assistance Of the artincers of the
squadron. they may be temporarily re
paired $50 that She mas be sent TO Malta
and locked"
mere Admiral Markham gives a de-
t"lleu ana technical description OF the
injuries sustained by the Campcrdswn:
regret that the ships books OF tho
'IV'otld We're lost. In fact. nothing OF
Importance has been recovered 50 far.
for some hours after the sinking OF the
victoria the water remained agitated
over The wreck. The screws were re-
NV'Nlns as she sank. l remained in the
NoAly OF the catastrophe with the
squadron until $50 o'clock when. as the
''HpeldoWn was making water /
deemed 81 advisable 20 anchor the ships
Oh lnpoli. The Amphion. Barham and
Ieaiiess remained until after dark, but
uid not recover anything OF Importance.
cannot express the deep grief and
sorrow telt ia consequence OF this la
ihehl"Dle catastrophe by myself, the cap
taius' The officers and the men Of the
Mediteiianean squadron sorrow that is
very materially enhanced by the great
ana lirepaifabie loss which the navy and
Hatloh nave sustained in the death Of
ouI DeioFed commander. Sir George Try
on whose Kindness OF heart no less
unah ms signal ability in the profcs-
s'oh OF which he was such DISTINGUISHED
o1l"ni'"t had endearcd him to all who
served In his command.
y. MARKHAM,
u q Rear Admiral.
a., o-tNitnongh ships have been search
20. s"e" Jay the only bodies recov-
ered up TO thu present are thoso ~, T,oet
Iaymaster Rckcord. James Vit,les
sup steward, Spiro Porteu. captains