Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1893-07-27
THE VICTORIA COURT MARTIAL.
Further Testimony concerning the fatai
Collision with the Camperdowu-

Further Testimony Concerning the fatai
Collision with the Camperdowu-
yALrrrA, malta, July 20.--The court
natal appointed to examine Into the
loss of the hattbeship Victoria met again
to-day.
which ran into and sank the Victoria, was
re.examined to-day. He testified that he
felt he was obeying orders without know
ing clearly how Vice Admiral Tryon IN
tended the evolution to be Effected. 10
have hesitated would have been to disobey.
His general feeling was that il was safest
to cOnfide in the ability OF Vice-Admlral
Tryon. He had on previous occasions
obeyed the Vice-Admiral's signals during
eyolutions without knowing the object OF
the mannuyre He could not, however,
specify instances when ne had done this.
Midshipman Ogilyie Of the Camperdown
testified that he was stationed at the star
| board telegraph at the time OF the colll
| sion. He was certain that he placed the
index full speed astern as he had been
\ ordered TO do.
Seaman Henwood was next examined.
| He declared that Rear Admiral Markham
| ordered him to signal to the engine room
three-quarters and not full speed astern.
| This he did.
Engineer Carter corroborated the testi-
mony of Henwood,
lieutenant Hamilton and Lieutenant
| Barr of the Gamperdown, confirmed Rear
| Admiral Markham's statement as 70 his
| doubts of Admiral Tryon's intentions.
| Lieutenant Barr added:
II heard Admiral Markham say, The
maneuvre is impossible, and then later,
They mean it, tombstone; we shall have
to do It, Admiral Mark ham also asked me
my opinion of the maneuyre and ! agreed
| with him thai 1t was impossible"
| Lieutenant Barr admitted that the Cam
perdoYn could turn within QUO yards by
| using her screws, but to do so, he said, she
would have been Obliged TO so contrary to
the signalled orders.
Adm raj Markham obtained permission
to call Captain Brackenbury of the Edin-
burgh; Captain Vnnder-Meulen OF the In
flexible, and Captain William Acland, that
they might confirm his Interpretation OF
the signal.
Captain Acland testified that Markham's
Interpretation was correct, but admitted
that he would not have felt himself tusti-
he'd, had he been leading the port division,
in acting upon this Interpretation before
obtaining more information,
| 1t is interesting TO note that the survivors
of the Victoria did not show any effects
(other than their wounds) of their narrow
escapes until several days after the disas-
ter.
DR.. Ellis of the Victoria, who himself
, |
third and fourth day after the wreck the
survivors began to show signs Of the peril
and strain they had undergone. They
began to look pale and worn and listless
and showed loss of appetite. The reaction
had come and in some individual instance
there was, and still is, great depression Of
spirits and shakiness Of nerve.
, Another curious thing is that many-it
,, not all-of the survivors have lost gooc
many pounds in weight since the wreck
Staff Captain Smith weighed himself las
night and discovered that he had lost sever
, pounds. DR.. Ellis had lost 10 pounds
!. Another officer who didn't think he hac
! lost anything weighed and found himself
! to his surprise, eight pounds short. 1--WE
midshipnlen found they had lost respec
a lively FIVE pounds and nine pounds.
DR.. Ellis said his chest measurement
q was two inches less than when he lef
= Malta. month ago. He did not discove
it until his tailor here was measuring hin
a for suit day or two ago. II seems tina
. Ellis for day or two after he was savet
: had difficulty in breathing.
!. The narrow escapes from death are tn
:, rule rather than the exception. The cond
y tons were such that almost every one
- life was endangered for other reasons tina
merely being cast in the water. Thos
reasons We're the upward rush Of spars an
things that killed, while they saved many
it and the lamentable absence of rescuin
boats during the earlier moments follow
v ing the disappearance of the flagship.
n The fact is that thrilling incidents are S
i numerous that one hearing them relate
g cannot remember to repeat them.