The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1893-07-05


lounging about there TO keep cool under
the blazing sun OF the clear, calm day.
With the crash they rushed into the bat
terry, and as far aft as possible, but when
the two vessels separated all returned to
their places. Discipline was perfect. The
Admiral and officers remained steadfast
upon the bridge, setting an example. So
good was the discipline that within five
minutes after the blow diving suit had
been brought on board and diver was
getting into it to obey an order to go be-
low and find out the extent OF the dam
age.
The untangling and getting under full
headway had taken some little time.
About ten minutes after the blow the
Victoria, having got something like two
miles nearer shore from the scene OF the
collision all at once leaned away over to
the starboard, and with great roll and
plunge buried her prov beneath the sur
face of the sea.
1t was almost instantaneous. There
was only chance for a few wild cries,
and the Victoria was almost half SUBJ
merged, bow foremost, with her swiftly
, revolving screws whirling clear of the
water and high in the air. Those on the
deck were plunged Immediately into the
water. The men forward and below had
no time to rush to the deck, but found
themselves cropping for doors of rooms
filled with water and compressed air.
There was a little more time for those in
the officers quarters, They heard the
shouts and warning cries and rushed to
the almost perpendicular deck.
Commander Jellico, lying in his berth
sick with fever, started up and dashed to
the deck to find himself Immediately
struggling in water. A Lieutenant swan
up to him, put his arms around him, and
despite the handicap of supporting
helpless man, was able to get away from
the side of the sinking ship. 1t took a
strong, skillful swimmer, in full posses
sion OF his Senses to do this. The huge
hull was drawing in the water as it went
down, and several hundred men, hurled |
suddenly into the water fully dressed |
had to battle against the increasing sue
ton.
A moment more and new peril, more |
HORRIBLE descended upon them. The |
great engine, deepin the heart of the hull |
and inclosed in water-tight compartments |
was still throbbing at full speed and the |
great steel hanges OF the twin screws were |
whirling around up in the air. AS the |
vessel sank these screws came nearer and |
nearer to the water and descended into |
the midst OF the struggling human beings. |
The vessel sank slowly, and when the |
screws were low enough to begin to whirl |
in the water again they had the suction
increased until there was deep vortex |
like maelstrom. At the bottom of this
maelstrom the screws were revolving like |
circular knives. The poor creatures bat
tied in vain against the suction. They |
were drawn down and thrown against the
swift blades.
Then came a scene which made the Of
fcers on the decks of the other war ships |
of the fleet turn sick with horror. Screams
and shrieks arose, and in the white foam
appeared Redeemed arms and legs and
wrenched and torn bodies. Headess
trunks were tossed out of the vortex to
linger moment on the surface and sink
out of sight.
All within reach of that vortex lost
their presence of mind. Men who knew
how to swim easedswimming and fought
with the waters. Men clutched each
other in frenzy and struck each other off.
The deep cone Of the whirling water with
the swift knives chopping human bodies
at the bottom OF it was horror to daunt
the bravest.
One man who escaped aysthat he saw
in this vortex at least fifty of his fellows
fighting with each other and with newt
able death. In moment or so the knives
disappeared and the vortex began to
close up. The ship was beneath the sur
face Just as the whirl was Swallowed al
most to the surface.
Then there was a mufiled sound of
thunder, the waters were tossed up and a
steam burst from them. Again the
shrieks and screams burst from the swim
mers. The boilers had exploded, the sea
had rushed into the furnaces and the
swimmers were between waves OF scald-
ing water Thus in less than ten minutes
death in three awful forms attacked the |
officers and the crew of the Victoria
death by drowning, death by the knife
like screws and death by scalding water.
With the first plunge of the Victoria
all the boats we're called away from all |
the other ships and came straining over |
the calm sea to save the struggling sail
ors. These boats were soon picking up
those fortunate ones who had got out OF |
reach OF the terrible vortex. SO long as
the vortex lasted the boats dared not ven
ture near, but they did lift from the scald-
ing water several wretched sailors who
were harribly burned. tits thought that |
more than half OF those drowned got out |
OF the ship, but were caught in the vor-
tex or scalded to death by the boiling
water.
Admiral Tryon stuck on the bridge and |
refused TO leave it, Just before the Vic
toria made her underplunge he saw what
was about to happen, and issued an order
for each man to save himself, but the or