Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1893-06-27
The VICTORIA DISASTER.
SiCk0nlD6 Details Of the Struggle for
Life in Tho Deep.
Full Account Of the sinking OF the
Great English Man.
ot-war.

eleViai chble from IripOli, Syria,
giving full details oftho sinking ot the
flagship Victoria. About 3 O'Clock
last Thursday afternoon the English
heut WIS sighted making directly Tor
tbs harbor Of Tfipoli. Rive big iron.
clads, the Victoria, Camperdown,
Edinburgh, Nile and 5ansparell, were
drawn uU la iull front, tbs Victoria Ia
the center the Camperdow On tho
ieit ana tho Edinburgh on the right.
w men within Ave miles Of the shore
Vice Admiral Sir George Tryou
signnlei to turn aud form In double
llhc' When the order was given the
distance between the shirs was lets
lhan Two cattle lengths, and the exc.
culion OF the order wRs extremely difii.
cut TOT the Victoria anu ChmpoTdoWu.
AumifarAiAtkhAm OF the CampurdOw
tigualct that he didn't und,tHlaud II.
Tue other vessels did not heaitgte.
me brei delay, however, had been
fatal. The Victoria hal nearly turned
anu the CHmpvuiown, swinging
around, bore down upOn her.
Both animals were quick 10 act and
swung their vesoels NJ as 10 receive at
The smallest angle tue blow which both
0illcer- faw was inevitable, and the
Campetdown began reversing her
screws. The ram OF the Camprrdown
struck the Victoria just In front Of her
armed bulkhead Hud plunged Into
Tue lhin plates Of her siafepard side.
Tue other vessels moving 70 yet into
a double liue were bearing down upon
the ruiangled ships, and catastrophe
involving all the ir0uclads was Imml-
| mont Only the GOODNESS and prompt
action Of the other commanders pre-.
vented q general disaster.
II seems that Admiral Tryon did not
relinzc the extent u the damage 10 tho
Victoria, ilr When the ether shlps
egnaled, Offering boats, he replied that
he lid not need them. The Victoria
began 10 Jorge straight tor shore under
full steam. Ihe disci, line was perfect.
Tho admiral anu the officers remained
steadiant upon the bridge, and within
I've minutes after the blow a diving
suit WINS brought on deck and diver
was gotten iulo II TO find out the
extent VI the damage. About ten
| minutes after the blow the
| Victoria, having got something
like two miles bearer tho shore,
all At once leaned why over ~ star
board with a great roll and the plunge
buried her how beneath the calm sur.
face Of the sea. IL WAS almost instan.
tanccus. There was only n chance
/ for a few wild cries, and the Victoria
was almost half submerged, bow fore.
most, with her swiftly revolving screws
high In the air. These on deck were
thrown Immediately into the water.
The men forward aud below had no
time to reach the deck, AMI bat little
more time for those In the oillcerH'
/ quarters. Several hundred men were
hurried suddenly into the water, and
fully dressed, had TO battle against the
incteasing suction.
A moment more and new peril
more horrible descended upon them.
! As the vessel sank the screws came
nearer anu nearer 10 tbs water, and
ieelendeI into the midst Of the stTug-
Cling human beings. The poor creA-
turee bs'tled In vain against tbs sue
/ ton. They were Drawn down anu
thrown against tho swiftly revolving
blades, Then came scenu which
made the officers on the decks OF the
other warshlps OF the fleet turn away
sick with horror.
In the white foam appeared the
Redeemed arms and legs ana wtcuchod
aud torn bodies OF all within reach Of
the vortex. iThey lost their presence OF
mind. Men VINO knew how 70 swim
ceased swimming aud fought. one
man who was ravod says he saw In the
great vortex at least day Ut his fellows
fighting with each other. la "A moment
Or 40 the knives disappeared and the
vortex began to cl0te up.
The ship was beneath tho surface.
Then there was u mullled sound OF
thunder. The waters were tossed up
and the steam burnt from them. Again
shriekH aud screams came from the
gwimmeu. The boilers had exploded
and the swimmers were beating waves
Of scglding waters.
With the first under plunge OF the
Vic Orla all the boats were called away
from tho other ships and came strain
ing over the calm sea to save the
struRglefs. The boats soon picked up
the fortunate ones who got out VI resch
Of tue terrible vortex.
Admiral Tryon stuck TO the bridge
anu refused u leave It. just before the
| Victoria made the under plunge lac
cav what was about to happen anu
Issued an order Tor each mau to save
himself, but that order never got hey.
oud the bridge. There were many
acts Of horJisni, seli-iOrgetfulnees anu
daring. The peril VI those In the water
was increased by the fact that the sea
Is Infested with sharbe.
Its the uuty Of marines whom a
collision occurs INN idiatsly TO close
all the water-tight compartments.
When the Campsrdown struck the
| Victoria the marines went below Tor
duty, and Az n result, Of the 100 ma.
rlnes on the Victoria, ninety.niue We're
oct,