Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1893-07-05
POINTED FOR SHORE.
The Victoria Goes to Bottom While Seek
ing Safety


describing in detail the sinking of the
British ship Victoria:
About o'clock last Thursday afternoon the
English fleet came in sight of FL Nina, the port
and town of Tripoli. 1t was coming from the
northeast and making directly for the harbor.
The five big iron clads-Victoria, Camperdown,
Edinburgh, Nile and Sans Pareil-were drawn
up in full front. The Victoria was in the center,
the Camperdown was on her left and the Edln-
burgh on her right. When they were within five
miles of shore Vice-Admiral Sir George Tryon
signaled to turn and form in double line. This
meant that the Victoria and CamperdOWn were
to go ahead a little and describe turn-the Vic
toria turning to the leftand the Camperdownturn-
ing to the right-then they would advance side
by side in the direction from which they had
come, the others would swing into double COL
umn order and advance two by two behind the
leaders When the order was given the distance
between the ships was less than two cables
length. The execution of the order easy
enough for ships further away from center, but
extremely difficult for the Victoria and the
Camperdown. In turning their bows would
pass within a few fathoms of each other, even If
the movement were executed with the greatest
precision.
Whether because Admiral Markham Of the
CamperdoWn could not believe this movement
was to be tried when the ships were so close to-
gether, or because he thought Admired Tryon
had miscalculated the distance, he did not set
about executing Admiral Tryon's order, but
signaled that he did not understand 1t. The
Victoria and the other vessels had not heSitated.
The Victoria began to turn at once, and she still
held to the signal. The Camperdown no longer
hesitated but also began to turn. The brief de-
lay, however, had been fatal. The Victoria had
nearly turned, and the Camperdown, swinging
around, bore down upon her.
Both admirals were quick to act Admiral
Tryon swung the Victoria so IS to receive at the
smallest angle the blow which both officers saw
was inevitable, and Admiral Markham did the
same for the Camperdown, besides reversing
her screws. The tWelve"fOOt ram Of the Camper
down. struck the hull of the Victoria Just in
front of her armored bulkhead and plunged into
the thin plates of her starboard side. The
armor end at the bulkhead and the forward
part of the Victoria above the water line
mere cardboard to the great iron wedge. There
was smashing of wood and iron plates, and
the ram and eight feet Of the bow of the Camper
down crashed twenty feet into the Victoria.
The CamperdOwn was halted by the heavy
armor of the Victoria, and, as her screws were
reversed, she at once began. to back away. AS
all the other vessels were moving to get into
double line behind the two leaders they were
bearing down upon the entangled ships, and
catastrophe involving all the ironcladS was
imminent Only the coOlnsss and prompt action
OF the other commanders prevented general
disaster.
The Victoria's bow was now pointed full
towards the shore. 1t seems that Admiral Tryon
did not realize the extent of the damage to the
Victoria. AsDO accident Of exactly the kind has
happened before, he could not know what the
effect OF the hole in the compartment was to be.
No doubt he thought that the compartment was
damaged and the others would keep his ship
atioat, so when the other ships signaled offers Of
boats he replied that he did not need them, and
the Victoria began to forge straight for the shore
under full steam 1t is one of the rules of the
British navy that if a ship is in danger Of sink
Ing and shore is not far away she must be got
into shallow water SO that if she goes down She
may be raised again. So Admiral Tryon was
making for the shore and was widening the dis
lance between the Victoria and other ships
When the Camperdown's ram struck the Vic
toria, Admiral Tyron the navigating office two
signal officers and the men at the wheel were
upon the bridge, either in full view or in the
chart house Most of the crew was on the for
ward deck lounging about trying to keep cool
under the blazing sun. With the crash they
rushed into the battery and far aft AS possible
but when the two vessels separated all returned
to their places. Discipline was perfect The ad.
mlral and officers remained steadfast upon the
brldge, setting an example. So good was the
discipline that within five minutes after the blow
diving suit had been brought on deck and a
diver was getting into it to obey al order to 90
below and find out the extent of the damage
The untangling and getting under full head
way had taken some little time About ten
minutes after the blow the Victoria, having got
something like two miles nearer shore, all at
once leaned away over to starboard and with a
great roll and plunge buried her bow beneath
the calm surface OF the sea. 1t was almost in
Simultaneous. There was only chance for few
wild cries and the Victoria was half submerged
bow foremost, with her swiftly revolving screws
Wh1rlfng clear of the water high in the air
Those on 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
for those in the officers quarters. They heard
the shouts and warning cries, and rushed to the
almost perpendicular deck. Commander JeIIico,
lying in his berth sick with fever started ND and
dashed to the decks in paiamas to find himself
immediately struggling in the water. A lieu
tenant swan up to him, put his arm around
hin; and despite the handicap of supporting a
helpless man was able to get away from the side
of the sinking ship.
The huge huh was drawing on the water as it
went down, and several hundred men hurled
suddenly into the water fully dressed had to
do battle against the increasing suction. Then
moment more and a new peril came The
great engine, deep in the heart of the hull and
inclOSed in water-tight compartments was still
throbblng at full speed, and the great steel
phlanges OF the twin screws were Whrlng
round up in the air AS the Victoria sank the
screws came nearer and nearer to the water and
descended into the midst of struggling human
beings.
were low enough to begin to whirl in the water
again the suction had increased until there was
a deepening vortex, like a maelstrom At the
bottom of this maelstrom the screws were re-
volving like circular knives. The poor crea
lures had battled in vain against the suction
They were drawn down and thrown against the
blades. linen came scene which made the
officers on the decks of the other war ships turn
away with horror. Screams and shrieks arose
and In the white foam appeared redeemed arms
and legs and Wrenched and torn bodies Head
less trunks were tossed out of the vortex to
nnger moment on the surface and sink out of
sight All within reach of that vortex lost
how
to swim ceased swimming and fought with the
waters. Men clutched each other in frenzy and
struck each other Off. A deep cone of whirlino
water, with the swift knives chopping huma3
bodies at the bottom of it, was a horror to
daunt the bravest. One man who was saved
says that he saw in this great vortex at least
fifty of his fellows fighting with each other and
with inevitable death. In a moment or so the
knives disappeared and the vortex began to
close up.
Then there was muff1ed sound of thunder
the waters were tossed up and steam burst from
them. Again shrieks and screams burst from
the swimmers. The boilers had exploded. the
sea had rushed into the furnaces and the swim
mers were beating waves of scalding wafer
Thus in less than ten minutes death in these
awful forms attacked the officers and crew of tbe
v1ctorIa-death by drowning, death by the
kn1te-I1ke screws and death by sCalding water
With the first under plunge of the Victoria ali
the boats were sent away from all the other
ships and came steering over the calm sea TO
save the strugglers. These boats were soon
picking up those fortunate ones who had cot ont
OF the reach of the terrible vortex. So long as
the vortex was there the boats dared not venture
near but they did lift from the scalding water
several wretched sailors who were HORRIBLY
burned. 1t is thought that more than half of
those drowned got out of the ship but were
caught In the vortex or scalded to death Adj
mlral Tryon refused to leave the bridge. Inst
before the Victoria made her under plunge he
saw what was about to happen and issued an
order for each man to save himself Int tho or
rot hnyrr u