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

q most Unfortunate cruising ground for
the Victoria II was in this part of the
sea that She met with her serious acci.
dent iii January, 1892.
THE NEWS SENT TO THE QUEEN.
All official telegmms in regard to the
loss OF the ship are sent at once to the
Queen at Windsor Castle. AS soon as Her
Majesty received Rear-a admiral Mark.
hams dispatch, which was Immediately
forwarded TO her, she gave orders for
the postponement of the state ball that
was to have taken place at Buckingham
Palace tonight.
GLADSTONE GREATLY SHOCKED.
Mr.. Gladstone was greatly shocked
when he was informed of the sinking of
the Victoria, and the great loss of life
that had attended the laundering of the
vessel.
TRTBuTE TO TRYoN.
The Prime Minister informed the
House Of Commons of the accident and
paid a most glowing tribute to the worth
of Nice.admiral Tryon, who, he says,
was one Of the ablest and most esteemed
officers in the service of Her Majesty.
vIcE-ADMrRAL TRYoN.
WAsHtNGToN, June 23.--Slr George
Tryon, thevice-admiral who went down
in his flagship, the Victoria, is one Of
the best known Of the British naval
officers. Commander Chadwick, now in
charge Of the naval Intelligence Office
here, was well acquainted with him
during his residence in London as
United States naval attachc, and he
speaks in terms of high praise of the
admiral's character and ability us nava
officer
He was man Of vast experience, his
service beginning in the days before
steam WAS prominent feature i'll nava,
architecture, and running through all
of the various phases Of development
that We're marked by the substitution of
steam Tor sail power, of iron for wood
hulls; of steel for iron; of turrets for
broadsides, and of armor for thin
sheathing. He was a man who had
earned the highest honors within the
gift of the British nation.
His name first appears on the naval
list awaykback in the days OF the Crimean
war, where he served in the naval
brigade before Sebastrpol, during the
winter of 1S53.54, in the trenches,
where he was wounded. He was pres
ent at all of the operations before acpas-
| tOpol and at the capture of kinburn.
| He received medals for distinction and
was specially mentioned in dispatches
| for services as director OF transportation
during the Ahyssinian war in 1868.
lie was private secretary to the first
lord of the admiralty from 1S71-74, re-
ceived various orders of knighthood and
received approval of the government for
the manner in which he discharged his
| duties on the coast Of Tunis and in the
| SfaX commission of Inquiry in 1881
| He became acting permanent secretary
to the admiralty in 1882, and permanent
secretary in the following year. In 1884
| he became commander.in,c chief on the
| Australian station, and after brief at.
tempt at parliamentary care he was
made admiral, superintendent of naval
reserves, in 1888. He commanded one OF
the opposing fleets in the naval
manmuvrcs in tsss-S0 90, and was made
der.n-chief of the Mediterra-
mean forces August Goth, 1891.
LONDON, June 23.--It is known thai
463 lives were lost by the sinking of the
Victoria by the Camperdown in the
Mediterranean, yesterday. Those who
escaped were on deck at the time of the
collision and by springing overheard
ard swimming escaped being sucked
down by the mighty ironclad.
AN IDEAL BArTLEsHIP.
The British ironclad Victoria was re,
garded as an ideal modern battleship
People who saw the beautiful and
stately Blake, flagship of the British
squadron at the naval review, thought
that she was a great ship, but she was
OF secondary Importance when com,
pared with the ;ll-fated Victoria, fol
while the Blake was large armored
cruiser, the Victoria was "A full-tledged
batteship, nearly 1900 tons larger than
the Blake.
The Victoria has about the same rela.
ton to the Blake that our own now bat,
tleships Indiana and Massachusetts have
to the armored cruiser New York. In
deed, the Victoria was about the same
dimensions as the Indiana, but the lat
ter being Of newer design is moro
formidable craft than the English ship
which had her sister in the Sanspareil.
HOW THE COLLISION OCCURRED.
According to the meager reports, it i:
impossible to locate the blame. 1t ap
pears, however, that the Victoria S steer
ing gear failed and the immense vesse
became unmanageabe justas the mighty
Camperdown, with her formidable ran
Cleaying the water, came bearing down
on her.
Too late the officers of the Camper
down noticed the condition OF the
Victoria, and before her course could bt
changed her powerful ram, impclled BY
the impact of 10000 tons of steel struCl
the hGavily-armured side OF her consoTt
The lS-inch armOr seemed to be plerCel
almost as easily as inch boards and
great black hole yawncd in tht
Victoria's side, into which the st;
rushed with frightful velocity.
WENT TO THE BOTTOM.
All was confusion and tumult on boil
vessels. Tie GampCrtluwn recOiled from
the shock and her engines hcng re
versed, backed off some distance from
her victim. On board the Victoria, a
soon rs the officers saw there Was DANCE
of their ship laundering, orders wer
given to close the water-tight bulk
heads, in order to Keep the water'n tin
compartment into which the Camper
down had showed her ram.
The sailors tried to obey the order
but the ship was making water too fas
to allow of the closing OF the bulkheads
and while the men were still trying L
shut them the vessel, with her immens
guns and heavy top hamper, mrne,
over and plunged to the bottom, carry
ing down with her over 400 of those o.
board.
When the immense ship went dow
the suction was tremendous. A grea
number of men had jumped ovcrboar,