Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1893-07-06
ADMIRAL TRYON'S BLUNDER
1t was Undoubtedly the Cause
of the Disaster.
H0WMARKHAM SAW THE DANGER
But He Was Again Directed to
Make the Fatal Move.
ofiicial Report OF the Victoria Disaster,
Made by Admiral MARKHAM of the
Camperdown---Tryon's Order Brought
About the Coliision---Report OF Captain
Bourlse of the Victoria.

the Victoria arrived at Calais early this
morning with Rear Admiral Markhams
dispatches concerning the collision off
Tripoli. Hewas brought by special steamer.
the Maid of Kent, to Dover, and was com
veyed thence by special train to London.
He drove directly to the admiralty Office,
where the Admiralty Board, notified in
advance OF his coming, received and read
| the dispatches at once, The board decided
| to publish the dispatches in full forth with.
| The hrst dispatch was dated from the
war ship Camperdown on June ed, 1t
says;
lit is with the most profound regret that
have TO report the total loss OF ii. NJ. s,
| Victoria involving the irreparable loss Of
the Commander-in.Chi Vice Admiral
Sir George Tryon, % officers and $3.50 men,
under the following circumstances
THE squadron, consisting of her
Majesty's ships Victoria, Camperdown,
Nile, preadnaught, lnlexible, Uolling-
wood, Phaeton, Edinburgh, Sanspareil,
left Beyrout about 10 o'clock this fore
noon for Tppoli, Shortly after the squad
ron formed single column line abreast,
and proceeded at the rate of about eight
knots an hour. When about five miles
from the anchorage off Tripoli, the signal
was made at go in the afternoon to form
columns of divisions in line ahead, dis
posed aoeam to port--the columns to be
SIX cable lengths apart. We proceeded in
this formation until 1913, when the signal
was made from the Victoria to the first
division TO turn 10 points to port and to
the second division to turn 16 points to
starboard.
AS the columns were only six cable
lengths apart II was not, therefore, in my
opinion, possible within the maneuvring
distance to execute such an evolution, /
| dirpptHd tho Han Hantanant 20 la
signal, which we were repeating at dip as
an indication that the signal from the vic
| toria was not understood, then directed
| him to signal with the semaphores: DO
understand 1t islyour wish for the columns
to turn as indicated by the signal now fly
ingp But before my order could be car
RED out the misunderstanding sema-
| phored me TO know what / was waiting
for. II then struck me that he wished me
to turn l6 points as indicated by the signal
and 1t was his intention to circle around
port hand.
Having the fullest confidence in the
| great ability of the commander to ma
nguyre the squadron without even risk
OF eolllslon, ordered the signal hoisted rs
an indication that l understood. When
the signal was hauled down the helm of
| the Camperdown was put hard.a-port. At
the same time the helm Of the Victoria
was starboarded. | watched very care
fully the helm of the Victoria as indeat.
ing the purpose of her signals. As the
two ships turned towards each other, and,
seeing that the helm Of the Victoria was
still hard starboard. directed the captain
of the Camperdown TO go full speed astern
with the starboard screw, In order to de-
crease our circle of turning.
Seeing shat collision was inevitable, /
then ordered him to. 20 full speed astern
with both engines, but before our speed
could be materially checked the stem Of
the Camperdown struck the Victoria on
the starhoard bow, about 20 feet before the
turret, and crushed into the ship almost d
the centre line, the fore and aft lines OF the
ship at the time of the collision being in.
clined toward each other at an angle OF
sOo. 1t was, i think, quite two minutes
before the Camperdown was able, although
going with full speed astern with both en-
gines, TO get clear Of the Victoria.
The water-tight doors of the Camper
down had been closed by my orders be-
fore the collision occurred Seeing the
critical condition of the Victoria, which
seemed TO be settling down by the head,
boats were Immediately prepared and the
boom boats were got ready to be hoisted
out, when the open pendant was hoisted
by the Victoria and the signal was made
not TO send boats, A very few minutes
later she heeled over to starboard and
turning bottom upwards, disappeared
THE time that elapsed between the
occurrence Of tha collision and the dis.
appearance was only about l3 minutes
Shortly before the Victoria turned over
the men were seen jumping overheard
Observing this, Immediately ordered the
signal made TO send all boats 10 theil
rescue and directed the Barham and Fear
less to close in at once to save life, steam.
Ing up IN the CampeTdown ut the SAINT
time to succor the officers and men strug.
Cling in the water. The combined efforts
Of the squadron resulted in the saving Of
~ officers and about 262 men, but regret
that no less than "a officers and about sSt
men, the majority Of whom were in al
probability below at the time, were lost.
THE sea was smooth and there was only
light breeze at the time of the accident
The injuries to the Camperdown ar,
serious, but hope that with the assistance
Of the artilicers Of the squadron they may
be temporarily repaired so that she may bS
sent to Malta and locked
~ regret that the ships books OF thu
Victoria were lost. In fact, nothing Of
importance has been recovered so far.
"For some hours after the sinking Of
the Victoria, the water remained agitatet
over the wreck, The screws were revolving
as she sank. remained in the vicinity oil
the catastrophe with the squadron unit
$50 o'clock, when, as the Camperdowr
was making water deemed 1t advisable
to anchor the ships off Tripoli. Tn,
Amphion, Barham and Fearless remained
until after dark, but did not recover any
thing of Importance,
Il cannot express the deep grief anC
sorrow felt in consequence Of this lament
ablehcatastrophe by myself, the captains
the officers and the men of the Mediter
ranean squadron-sorrow that is very ma
terial!y enhanced by the great and ir
repara6le loss which the, navy and th'
beloved commander, Sir George Tryon
whose kindness Of heart, no Less than hi
signal ability in the profession of which
he was such q distinguished ornament
had endeared him 10 all who served in hi!
command. A, MARKHAM
Rear-Admiral."
CAPTAIN BouRKE's STATEMENT.
Maurice A. Bourke, captain of the Vic
torla, sends to the admiralty a letter datet
IL. NJ. b, Nile, June %. After technioa
preface detailing the vessels' course anC
the manpuyring just prior to the accident
be says:
''At 1927 the admiral ordered the sigma
to be holsted for the first division to altel
course III points to port and the second di
vision TO alter course l6 points to star board
the leaders together, the rest In succession
Ihe 1agship's, helm was lput hard to star
board and ! directed Lanyon, midship
man, to observe closely the distance Of tf,
Camperdown, / reported to the conIman
der that it would be too close, and asked
permission ia. reverse the port screw.
This was done, and Just before the col
lision both engines were going at full
speed astern, The ship had turned lively,
or thirteen points when the CamperdowI
struck the Victoria on the starboard boy
about len feet abaft the aDchor From
, information given by Chief Petty Office
May, who was in his mess right forward,