Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1893-07-03
FAULT WAS TYRON'S.
Admitted Responsibility for the Ter.
rible Victoria Disaster.
4 Nest Appalling SisAt-Jhs whole Fleet
Narrowly Eseassd ossisseiien.

LoNpoS. July a-Thc Times correspond.
ent at Malta says that he learns that Vice
Admiral Tryon admitted that the accident
to the Victoria was all his fault Rear Ad-
miral Markham, realizing the impossible
lty Of executing the order to deviate 10
points while the columns werc So close
did not respond promptly, but the Victoria
again signaled What are You doing."
Thereupon the Camperiown obeyed the or
Smith Of the Victoria remarked to Vice
Admiral Tryon: There is no room for the
ships to turn In" but Tryon replied: Let
her 60" Then it became aquestion which
ship would strike the other.
The Camper,iown struck the Victoria
just in front of the turret, cutting over six
feet into the doomed vessel and leaving
All the ships in the fleet seeing the danger
began to lower and send OH boats 10 the
aid of the Victoria's crew, but Vice Adj
miral Tryon. evidcntly believing that the
Victoria would float, ordered the boats
back TO their ships.
The Camperiown nevertheless sent her
was for the safety Of his ship Captain
Bourke, seeing that 1t was impossible To
save the ship, ordered the men To save
themselves as best they could Vice Ad-
miral Tryon
Remained On the Vessel Until She sank
Is minutes after the collision happened.
Many who uccesded In scrHmbling upon
the bottom Of The ship as she turned ouer
were killed by being struck by the blades
of the propeller.
The Camperdown had narrow escape
from sinking When she reached Tripoli
after the accident she was five feet down
by the bows. In consequence OF the col
lision the other ships of the fleet incurred
great risk OF colliding also.
All who witnessed the disaster describe
the sight as most appalling.
a special dispatch received at Plymouth
from Malta confirms the cause Of the
disaster. II is clear beyond controversy
that if the order signaled from the VictO-
ria had been fully executed every pair of
the ships would have CONS into collision.
The other vessels, however. observed what
would happen in time to prevent the disas-
ter to The whole squadron.
An eyewitness of the collision declares
that the cause Of the disaster WAS the i'm
possibility Of turning 10 points when the
ships were only six cable lengths apart
This statement implies that Vice Admiral
Tryon, in ordering the msnoeuver known
as changing columns at the time he did,
Was Responsible for tho Accident
Important dispatches have been received
at the admiralty Office from Rear Admiral
Albert H. Markham, In which, IL is said,
he places the blame for the disaster which
befell the battleship Victoria where, in his
opinion, II belongs.
The admiralty officials refuse to divulge
the contents Of the kilograms to the press
until after the court martial shall have been
held at Portsmouth to ascertain every fact
connected with the loss Of the bAttleship.
Every effort is being made at Malta to
keep in seclusion the survivors Of the
disaster who arrived there yesterday and
to prevent them from talking about the
collision The government will be ques-
toned in the house Of commons on Mon
day as TO the reasons for this attempt to
maintain secrecy.