Year: 1875




Bray Head Ireland which resulted in the sinking of tn,
British iron clad Vanguard taken from the DublI
papers of September 81


On Wednesday, shortly before midday, six Of TN,
-cads which all through the week attracted
such hosts of visitors weighed anchor the Kngstown
Roads steamed in the direction OF their new desti
nation Queenstown harbor. Two hours afterward the
Vanguard OF the finest of these leviathsns was run
into and sent to the bottom by her consort the Iron
Duke The details of this great naval catastrophe which
will create intense excitement throughout the Empire
are few and sparse the officers and men OF both vessels
preserving reticen silence which battles the most eagei
inquirer AS If to make confusion confounded
while all accounts concur in representing the accident
having taken place mt ten minutes to in the after
of Wednesday, the official telegram of the Admt
rally fixes the event at twelve hours later However
after colang accounts obtained from the best authori
ties the following appears TO be the most probable
count of the ships left their anchorage
at about halfpast eleven and steamed toward Queens
town Scarcely had they left when they were envel
oped in very dense fog AZ quarter TO one O'Clock in
roads the Off Bray Head. The lookout OF the
Vanguard which was then going only five or six knots
an hour suddenly saw through the fog


MERCHANT SHIP RIGHT AHRAD.


To AVOID a collision with this vessel the Vanguard
ported her helm The result OF this manoeuvrc "a
present the broadsde of the ship to the bow Of the
Iron Duke, then about n cables length behind The
Vanpards officer must have thought there was time to
get out OF the Iron Dukes way, but he mistaken
for suddenly the Vanguard people saw through the fog
the jibboom of the Iron Duke not fifty yards Off
Both captains gave the word to reverse engines and
back, but 1t too late and the Iron Duke
ran into her consort with tremendous force,





and dashing in her side almost from keel 10 bull
warks. The bows of these vessels are, we need
scarcely say, provided with iron rams' for the ex-
press purpose OF sinking an opposing vessel by single
blow, and the event showed that the Iron Duke was
only too well fitted for her deadly task Her iron beak
ground to powder the armored broadside Of the Van
guard and In second


THE WATER POURED THROUGH THE oRIPIcE,
the engine fires extnguished and the vessel began
rapidly to fill There were some 450 human beings on
board the Vanguard and the waters rushed into the
hold their situation a terrible There
time to even think OF saving property and II Is under
stood that not single article valuable otherwise
belonging to the ship rescued from the wreck IN
fact, officers and men arrived upon the deck
of the Iron Duke possessed only of the
clothes in which they Stood and whatever
jcwelry vauables they may have had about
their persons before the occurrence. There was no
erty and nobody thought OF doing So all being intent
upon sef-preservation The utmost discipline and
GOODNESS prevailed although hope is said to have de-
serted the crew. but they looked what seemed in
evitable fate sernly in the face and the stronger
endeavored to support and cheer their weaker ship
Iron Duke by fur the powerful OF the two and
the fearful effect of her crushing weight upon the
broadside OF her consor may be imagined. The first
named vessel suffered Insignificant damages her bow
spirit and fore gear head gear as 1t is called hay
ing only been carried away; while


VANGUARD sUccUMBED


with guns, ammunition accoutrements, large stands or
small arms and IN TACT, with all the appointments OF
first class -of-war whose construction cost nearly
$500, 900. The sunken vessel has been occupied Tor
several years the guardship at Kngstown No lives
been lost and the escaped unhurt with the
exception OF three who received some contusions
during their transit the Duke. The walls OF a
ite dog, who alone met watery grave, were heard
above the general din


At the time Of the collision 1t appeared that owing to
the density of fog Duke and Vanguard at
all events were not proceeding at a speed Of more
than i've or six knots an hour On leaving the man of
war roads in Dublin Bay the squadron steered
north of the Ksh Light in order to get into the
deep track and aterward the ships headed south
ward On nearing Wicklow Head the lookout on board
the Vanguard perceived large merchant vessel loom
ing short distance ahead and in order avoid
ming into her the order was given TO put the helm hard
a-port Captain Dawkins, Of the Vanguard on the
bridge amidshps when the catastrophe occurred, and
being in state OF much anxiety carefully
coursing" the ship At first sight of the extent OF the
damage DONE believed impossible that the vessel
could long remain aoat The water rushed in through
the aperture, and with kissing, seething sound,
forced its way through the ship in all directions Cap
tain Dawkns, like experienced sailor instantly had


EVERY MAN AT HIS POST,


with percmptory Instructions remain standing by
their duty to the last The result the maintenance
OF the most excellent order. With calmness and regu-
arity the boats lowered and proper preparations
were made transferring the according
to seniority Of station In the meantime the Iron Duke,
which had become hidden in the fog after the collision
again appeared sight, and also lowered her boats and
OF course her officers and men assisted TO the utmost
extent. The first batch of ordered TO descend to
the boats composed of the lower rank-the last to
leave the i'll fated ship were Captain Dawkins
and Commander Landy. Naturally enough the
interval of time between the collidng OF the vessels
and the sinking OF the Vanguard nearly
all occupied transferring the by the boats
the Iron Duke No time was left to any one for saving
property. vauables clothes-a had TO be abandoned,
in cases af course, with great reluctance Many
of the unfortunate had considerable Of money
in their lockers In instance remarkable lustra-
ton of affection was given by one OF tho tars. When
every had been got safely away the poor fellow dis
covered that


THE sHP's DOG WAS LEFT BEHIND.


just then the bowling OF the animal could be heard as
the poured into the Vanguard leaving the pet OF
the crew no means of escape. Jacks feelings we're
touched. He had always loved the dog as a second
self, and 1t with the utmost difficulty he was
prevented going, ut the imminent risk OF hif
life the of the dog. Though thankful,
sailors know how to be- for their miraculous escape
nf tba Nun0 moi urQd mi wit
ings of the utmost reluctance they left their old
house, whose sinking they witnessed with sadness.
When OF the dreadful occurrence brought to
Kingstown yesterday by the Iron Duke the utmost
sternation occasioned, and everyone seemed
anxious to get to the scene of the disaster. An un-
usually rough, chopping sea, however, danpcned the
general ardor in this respect The trip most
pleasant one, and beyond the natural curiosity
Immediately after the the place where such
a magnificent ship had gone down very little be
mast heads the water the royal masts being
housed The Vanguard went down in eighteen fathoms
OF water, the Kish light bearing by northwest,
eight miles from the place where she at present lies


ADMIRAL TARLEToN


Is returning from Queenstown in the Hawk tender with
number OF divers board, and will ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
the Of the wreck for the purpose OF testing what
be done toward raising the sunkcn vessel IL Is un
derstood that of the hands connected with the
gine board the Vanguard had the presence VI
mind To let the steam from the boilers anu gene
rators thereby preventing inevitable explosion that
would have resulted In great loss OF life The victoria
revenue cutter, Commander Joseph McCullen, lett the
harbor next evening anchor in close proximity TO the
Iron Duke her services should be required The
officers OF the Vanguard have lost all their property in
cuding their plate which is valued a ESQ II Is
rumOred that there were three chests oil money ON
board tor the purpose OF paying OIL the men ut Queens
town. but this statement has not been authenticated


THE NEWS IN JAMESTOWN


When the earliest of the catastrophe reached