Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1893-06-27
The Sinking of the Victoria.

lSh battle-shlp Victoria, says
"When the fleet was within i've
miles of shore Vice Admiral Sir George
Tryon signaled to turn and form IN
double line This meant that the VIC
toria and Camperdown were to go
ahead a little and describe turn-the
Victoria turning to the left and the
Camperdown turning to the right
when they would advance side by side
in the direction from which they had
come. the others would swing into Gou-
Bile column order and advance two and
two behind the leaders.
"When the order was given the dis
lance between the ships was less than
400 feet. Tie execution OF
the order was easy enough for ships
farther away from each other, but eX,
tremely difficult for the Victoria and
Camperdown, who, in turning their
bows, would pass within few iathoms
of each other, even if the movement
was executed with the greatest pre-
cision. This movement is rarely made
and is chiefly for the purpose of train
ing the ship commanders to move eX-
peditiously away from shoaling waters,
"Whether because Admiral Mark
ham, of the Camperdown, could not
believe this movement was to be tried
when the ships were so close together
or because he thought Admiral Tryon
had miscalculated the distance, he did
not set about executing Admiral Try
on's order, but signaled that he did not
understand it.
"The Victoria and the other vessels
had not hesitatcd. The Victoria began
to turn at once, as she still held to the
signal 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 Admiral Tryon
swung the Victoria, so as to receive at
the smallest angle the blow which both
officials saw was inevitable, and Admir-
al Markham did the same for the Cam
perdown, besides reversing her screws.
"As all the other vessels were moving
to Get into double line behind the two
leaders they were bearing down upon
the cntangled ships. and catastrophe
involving all the ironclads was immi-
nent. Only the GOODNESS and prompt
action of the other commanders pre-
vented a general disaster. The Vic
tori..'s bow was now pointed full toward
the shore. 1t seems that Admiral Try
on did not realize the extent of the
damage to the Victoria. He no doubt
thought that rs only one compartment
was damaged the others would keep
his ship atloat, so when the Camper
down and the other ships signaled
offers of boats he replied that he did
not need them, and the Victoria began
to forge straight for the shore under
full steam.
"About ten minutes after the blow
the Victoria, having got something like
two miles nearer the shore from the
scene of the collision, all at once leaned
away over to starboard and with a
great roll and plunge buried her bow
beneath the sea. 1t was almost instan-
taneous. There was only chance for
few wild cries and the Victoria was
almost half submerged, bow foremost,
with her swiftly revolving screws whir-
ring clear of the water and high in the
air. Those on deck were plunged i'm
mediately into the water.
"The great engine, deep in the heart
of the hull and inclosed in water-tight
compartments, was still throbbing at
full speed and the great steel phalanges
of the twin screws were whirling round
up in the air. As the vessel sank the
screws came nearer and nearer to the
water and descended into the midst of
the struggling human beings. The YES
sci sank slowly, and when the screws
were low enough to begin to whirl in the
water again the suction had in
creased until there was a deep
ening vortex like a maelstrom.
At the bottom of this maelstrom the
screws were revolving like circular
knives. The poor creatures battled in
vain against the suction. They were
drawn down and thrown against the
swift blades. Then came scene which
made the officers of the decks of the
other ships of the fleet turn away sick
with horror Screams and shrieks arose
and in the white foam appeared red
dened arms and legs and wrenched and
torn bodies. Headless trunks were
tossed out of the vortex to linger a mo-
ment on the surface and then sink out of
sight.
One man who escaped says that he
saw in this great vortex at least fifty
of his fellows fighting with each other
and with inevitable death. A moment
or so the blades disappeared and the
vortex began to close up.
Again the shrieks and screams burst
from the swimmers. The boilers had
exploded, the sea had rushed into the
furnace, and the swimmers were beat
ing waves of scalding water Thus
in less than ten minutes death in three
awful forms attacked the officers and
crew of the Victoria-death by drown
ing, death by knife like-screws and
death by scalding water. 1t is thought
that more than half of those drowned
got out of the ship, but were caught in
the vortex or were sCalded to death by
the scalding water.
The number of lives lost by the Vic
toria catastrophe was less than origi
nally feared and will not exceed % Of
ficers and 93S men, while the saved
numbered % officers and 261 men.
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