| A few useful(I hope) details on the Victoria.
HMS Victoria
Sans Pareil-class battleship (1f/2m). L/B/D: 340 × 70 × 29 (103.6m × 21.3m × 8.8m). Tons: 11,020 disp. Comp.: 430-583. Arm.: 2 × 16.25, 1 × 10, 12 × 6, 12 × 6pdr; 6 × 14TT. Armor: 18 belt. 3 deck. Hull: steel. Mach.: triple-expansion steam, 7,500 ihp, 2 screws; 15.3 kts. Built: Sir W. G. Armstrong, Whitworth & Co., Ltd., Newcastle-on-Tyne, Eng.; 1890.
The Sans Pareil-class was the first class of battleships built after the Admiral-class barbette ships, which included HMS Camperdown. The last single-turret ships built for the Royal Navy—and as such representing a step backward from the earlier class—they were the first to be driven by triple-expansion engines. Victoria was commissioned as flagship of the Mediterranean fleet, to replace Camperdown, and remained on that station the whole of her brief career. On June 22, 1893, en route from Beirut to Tripoli, the fleet was steaming north-northeast in parallel columns six cables (1,200 yards) apart. For reasons never adequately explained, Vice Admiral Sir George Tryon ordered the two divisions to turn 16 points towards each other. Although there seemed to be some concern over the outcome of the maneuver—which sent the ships towards each other at a combined speed of 10 to 12 knots—no one questioned the order. Camperdown's ram struck Victoria just abaft the anchors 12 feet below the waterline, making a breach nearly 28 feet long. Although Victoria was turned towards shore in an attempt to reach shallow water, the inrush of water was so great that she quickly went down by the bows, taking with her 22 officers and 336 men.
__________________ Oh, you hate your job? Why didn't you say so? There's a support group for that. It's called EVERYBODY, and they meet in the pub. |