THE FOUNDERING OF THE 'VICTORIA.'
[To THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR."] Sin,—Some years ago, when the Channel Fleet came to Kings- town, I was taken on board one of the ships, I think it was the Achilles.' I was specially interested in seeing the water- tight compartment. I asked to be shown the working of it, and said to the man conducting me over : "I suppose you shut that compartment at once, when you are going to sea." "No, we do not," he replied, "but it can always be shut in case of danger; the heat of the engine-room would be too great for the men to live in, if that were kept shut." "Then," I said, "it seems to me of comparatively little use, because accidents at sea often happen so suddenly, there might not be time to close it." Two days after, the ships left Kingstown, and the 'Vanguard' was run down by the Iron Duke,' and sank because the compartment was not closed.
It was one of the superior " men " who went with us; the officers were all at some entertainment ; but he was a very intelligent man, and showed us everything very well. I think he belonged to the engineers' department.—I am, Sir, &c., M. J.
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