The age-herald., 1898-05-09
DISASTROUS WARsHIPs.
Times of Peace Are Not Without Their seri-
 ous Accidents.

Times of Peace Are Not Without Their Seri-
 ous Accidents.
 From the Chicago Inter Ocean.
 It is remarkable fact that some of the gravest disasters to naval vessels have oc- cured in times of peace. The sinking of the British ship Victoria by the Camper down was one of the worst of this class of accidents. The British fleet, under com- mand of Admiral Sir George Tryon, was executing a series of intricate maneuvers off Tripoli on June 22, 1893, when by some misunderstanding of signals the Camper down came into collision with the flagship Victoria The latter was cut down and sank in a few moments. carrying with her 336 men and twenty-three officers, includ- ing Admiral Tryon.
 The capslzing of the Royal George Is probably the most disastrous flagship acci- dent on record. It was the flagship of Rear Admiral Richard Kempenfedt. The ship was anchored off Spithead at the mouth of the Thames. pipe below the water lino needed some repairs, and as it was so sim pie an affair the ship was not docked In order to get at the pipe the ship was ''heeled,' or listed to one side by running one broadside of guns from one side over to the other. The Royal George was a line of battle ship and the pride of the British
 
 cers and men were on board. together with any number of their visiting friends. to say nothing of a swarm of tradespeople. Soon after she was "heeled'' a stiff land breeze sprung up and the great ship capsized. Nearly 800 people were drowned.
 The battleship Eastern Monarch anchored off Spithead on June 2, 1859. She had just reached home port after a voyage from India and had on board not only her own officers and crew, but great number of in- valids from the army and navy stationed in India. She had in all over 300 men and officers on board. Many had been absent from home for years. There was great re- joicing that night within sight of the shores of old England. During the merriment lamp was upset, and the ship burned to the waters edge, with great loss of life
 A similar accident destroyed r. M. :. Co., lith on the night of December 22, 1875, just three days before Christmas. She was a training ship, and had aboard over fifty officers, men and boys, mostly boys. She had just returned from long cruise and lay in the Thames. The boys were antici- pating the Christmas festivities and in their pranks upset lamp in the oil room. The ship was a total loss, but this time the los sof life was comparatively small
 The boys on the sailing frigate Eurydice were not so fortunate. She was homeward bound from the Bermudas. About 300 off, cers, men and boys, were on board, and she came up along the Isle of Wight, with ev- cry sail drawing and her ports open. Off Ventnor, the famous watering place on the Isle of Wight the boys manned the rigging and cheered and cheered to those on the beach. squall struck the old frigate, over she went, and nearly every person on board was drowned right before the eyes of hundreds. of persons within hailing dis tance on shore.
 Ten years before Ericsson built the monf- tor Captain Cowper Cowles, of the British navy invented what he called turret ship It was not until some years later that the lord high admiral accepted the captains plans and ordered a turret ship built. H. M. s. Captain was launched in 1869 and seemed to be T |" 'odooed" ship from the start. She full-rigged iron ship. armored, and steam as an auxiliary power. Hi rks were intended to be let down, ing the two tIlrrets when the ship N ared for action.
 On Septembs ', 1870, she was sailing in the Bay of Biscay A squall sprung up and struck the top-heavy ship full abeam. She ''heeled" over and never righted. Of the 49O persons on board only eighteen were saved. When the court martial sat to try some one for negligence in losing the shin the only person they could try was James May, a gunner Every other officer was lost.
 The Victoria, with 700 persons aboard. capsized in the Thames on May N. 1881, and over 300 were drowned. In the mer- chantman service hundreds of ships and thousands of lives have been lost right in port. when the ship is supposed above all other times to be safe.