Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1893-06-29


perdown pushed heavily upon her and
rammed her on the starboard side, near the
bow. She tore with tremendous force into
the Victoria's hull and drove the ram with
a crash right through to the Nictoria'S
middle.
he TRIED TO BuS THE VICTORIA ASHORE.
1t was just $50 O'Clock when, with the
great rip in her hull. the Victoria began to
founder. Admiral Tryon tried at first to
run her ashore. but the distance, nearly
| five miles, was too great. The great vessel
turned over broadsde, and eight minutes
after she was struck she went down. Rigid
discipline was maintained in the few
minutes between the collision and the
catastrophe. The invalids and prisoners
were brought on deck and provision was
| made hastily for their safety in case of the
| worst. The crew emained at their posts.
| When five minutes were up Admiral Tryon
| apparently realized that his vessel was
| doomed beyond all hope Of succor. He
then gave the order, Let every man save
! himself" Many of the men rushed from
| their posts to the vessels side and Jumped
! into the sea Others were hurrying from
| below to follow them when the end came.
! The bow disappeared gradually at first;
| then the vessel rapidly plunged so that
| the hull stood almost pcrpendcuIarly in
| the water, paused motionless for moment
/ and finally rolled completely over. Two
| tremendous explosions were heard, and
then the Victoria settled under.
| ADMIRAL rRYoH STOOD BY HIS sHIP.
Admiral Tryon did not leave the shin.
| He was the last man seen as she first
/ plunged her bow under water He stood
ON the bridge as long as il was possible to
! stand anywhere above deck. His body has
| not been found. Two hundred and ninety
| of the officers and crew were saved. Many
IN nv
| the two vessels.
| The Camperdown has lG.foot hole in
| her bows. she made great deal of water
and was kept atloat only by the closing of
her water-tiyht compartments and by
| pumping The fleet lies at anchor off
| Trlpoli while the Camperdown Is making
| temporary repairs which will enable her
| to reach Malta.
The Victoria lies in 76 fathoms of water.
| It will he impossible to float her The
| bodies of 20 victims have been found and
have been buried at Tripoli. The Victoria
| had band OF Italian musicians on board.
| Mr.. Irotter, the English consul, and Sir
| George Wellesley We're to have been the
! guests OF Admiral Tryon on the voyage to
4 Trippli, but the captain oil the warship
Edinburgh, who is an old friend of theirs,
persuaded them To accept his hospitality,
and they thus escaped the disaster. A
memorial service for the lost sailors was
held in the Anglo American Church at
Bcyrout yesterday. The church was draped
in black.
THEY CANNOT EXPLAIN THE COLLISION.
A dispatch from Port Said says it is
learned that Rear-Admiral Markham 5
dispatches regarding the loss of the Vic
torla have been sent by mail to the Ad-
niralty. The cruiser Barham, which 1t is
thought would carry the dispatches, has
| urpiNill ~ M p,rt kniI fnho nnfp ,,F -.
vessel confirm the story already told, but
they can give no explanation as to the
cause of the collision. They state that
Admiral Iryun'S order was l6 points to
starboard for one division and the same
to port for the other division.
This Sridlron movement, as it is called,
is defended in naval circles rs teaching
commanders how to handle their ships
and enabling the admiral of q fleet t.
bring the flagship readily from lee to
wlndward or vice versa, in order to beaI
the Drunt of an action or to obtain the best
position TO control a squadron The officers
Of the Barham say that even after the meI
of the Victoria were ordered to save them
selves they persisted i'll their gallant at
tempt to fix the collision mat III position
This usually occupied 10 minutes.
MANY MEN KILLED BY THE rRoPELLERs.
Admiral Tryon's signal for assistance
| WAS lIbHnlllN DDeSeu. every vessel l1ltnB
diately sending boats 10 the rescue but tho
suction caused by the sinking of the vesse
dragged down the strongest of the swim
mers. The great fatality was due to til,
fact that when the vessel went down the
propeltrS were still revolving rapidly. \!
the ship sank many Of the sailors were oh
served crawling up the sides OF the hui
to .he keel. All agree that Admiral rryor
showed rare herOism, After be had or
dered all to save themselves the CoXswail
ran up to him with a iife-belt. Tryon re
fused to take it, and told the man to seek
his own safety lie stood on the bridg,
motionless and with folded arms, awatin,
sure death
Without exception the officers and crew
behaved nublv The explosions after the
Victoria turned over are supposed 10 have
been the bursting of her boilers.
Besides those already mentioned in this
admiralty dispatches the list of tho
drowned includes Lieutenant Munro. Sub
Lieutenant Ciiiiett, Engineers Harding
Foreman, DcIdman and lIathcrly; Gunnc
Howell, Doatswain Bernard and Carpenter
Bell
THE NILE NEARLY STRUCK TUE VICTORIA.
The officers of the Barhan say that tn,
warshi!, Nile narrowly missed striking thu
Victoria on the purt side just after she has
been rammed by the Campcrdown.
The admiralty think that the collision
was due to The momentary failure Of tn,
Nlctprla's steering gear. So far nothing
has been published here to censure any
body III connection with the disaster.