The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-06-27
An Order not Understood on the
nperdown Caused the Vic
toria Disaster.
The Doomed Vessel Goes Down
While Trying to Make for
Shore.
Struggling Men Ground Up by tho Revolv.
Ing screws-stsnm Adds Its Horrors
to tho Affair.


the Evening World contains n special cable
from Tripoli, Syria, giving full details Of
the sinking OF the flagship yototin, of the
British Mediterranean squadron. Abont
three O'Clock last Thursday afternoon the
English fee. .~as aphted making directly
for the harbor Of Tripoli. Five big iron
clnds, the Victoria, the Campo down. tbs
Edinbuf Rh, the Nile and the SGnspnreil wore
drawn up in full 'front.'. Ths Victoria was
In the center. the Camperdown on the left
and the Edinburgh on the right. When
within five mi!es Of the shore Vice Admiral
Sir George Iryon signallcd TO turn and
form in donble line. When the order was
given the distance between the ships WIS
lsss than two cables length, and the execu-
tion Of the order was ext eney difficult for
the Victoria and the Camperdown. Ad-
mi al Markham, Of the Cnmperdown, zig
nailed that he did not understand it. Tbs
other vessels had not hesi.ated, but also
began TO turn. The brief delay. however.
had been fatal. The Victoria had nearly
turned and the Camperdown in SWING
ing around bore down upon her.
Both ndmirals were quick to act
and swung their vessels so as to receive at
the smallest angle the blow which both Of
fcers saw was inevitable, and the Camper
down began reversing her screws. The
ram of the CaInperdown struck the Vietoria
just in font of the armoYed buIkhead aud
plunged into the thin plates Of hsr star
board side. The other vessels were moving
to get into double line and bearing down
upon the sntangled ships, and a catastrophe
involving ali the ironclads was imminent.
Only the GOODNESS and prompt action of the
other commanders prevented general dis
agter.
II seems that Admiral Tryon did not re-
alize the extent OF the damage to the VIC
toria. for when the other ahlps siRnalIed
offers OF boats he replied that he did not
need them. The Victoria began to forge
straight for shore under full steam. The
disoi .line was perfect. The admiral and
officers remained steadfast upon the bridge
and within five minutes after the blow q
diving suit was brought on deck and
diver WAS getting into it TO obey the order
to 90 below and find ont ths extent Of the
damage.
About ten minutes after the blow the
Victoria having got something like two
miles nearer shore all at once leaned way
over 10 starboard and with great roll and
plunge buried her bow beneath the calm
surface of the sea. 1t WAS almost insten-
teneons. There was only a chance for
few wild cries and the Victoria was almost
half submerged, bow foremost, with the
swiftly revolving screws high in the air.
Those on the deck were thrown immedi-
ately into the wRter. The men forward and
below had no time to rush to the deck and
there WAS but little more time for those in
the officers quarters. The huge hull was
drawing on the water 80 it went down and
several hundred men. hurled suddenly into
the water fully dressed. had to battle
against the increasing suction.
In moment more q new peril more hor-
rible descended upon thoss in tho water.
As the vessel sank the screws Game nearer
and nearer TO the water and descended into
the midst of the struggling human beings.
The poor creatures battled in vain against
the suction. They were drawn down and
thrown against the swiftly revolving blades.
Then came scene which made the officers
on the decks of the other warships of the
feat turn away sick with horror. Screams
and shrisks arose, aud in the white foam
appeared reddened arms and legs and
wreuched and to IN bodies. All within reach
of the vortex lost their presence OF mind.
Men who knew how to swim csased swim
ming and fought. One man who was saved
sRys he saw in the great vortex at least fifty
OF his fellows fighting with each other and
with inevitable death.
In moment or go the vortex began to
close up. and the ship was beneath the
water. Then there was a mu1flsd sound of
thundcr, the waters were tossed up and
steam burst from them. Again shrieks and
screams burst from the swimmers The
boilers had exploded and the swimmers
were beating the waves of scalding wate,.
With the first under-plungs OF the Vio-
to ia all boats were called away from the
other ships and came atrainiug over the
calm sea to save tbs strugglers. Tho boats
soon picked up the fortunats ones who had
got out of reach of the terrible vortex.
Admiral Tryop stuck to the bridge
aud refused to leave II. just
before tho Victoria made the
under-pluuge he saw what was about TO
happeu and issued the order for each man
to save himself, bat that order never got
beyond the bridge. There were many aots
The peril OF those in ths water WAS in
creased by the fact that ths sea was in
tested with sharks
1t is the duty of marines when collision
occurs 10 Immediately close all watertight
mpartments. When the Camperdown
struck the Victoria the marines all went
below for duty snd as result of 120 ma
rines on the Victoria ninety nine were lost.
LONDON, juno 26.-It transpirss that
Admiral Markham was on board the
Camperdown and in charge of the maneu-
yets at the time that vessel sank the Vioto-
ria. He Is therefore held respnnsible for
the disaster and it has been definitely de.
cided to try him by court t-mRrtial.
Renlyinp TO questions in the commons to-
day 1T. Hon. Ukay Shuttleworth, secretary
to the admiralty, said. so far ns now ascer-
tanned the loss numbered 36O. comprising
twanty-two officers ami 1913 men. The
saved number 2S7. including twsnty-six
ofiicers and 26l men.