UNKNOWN

Manawatu Herald, 7 January 1904, Page 3

UNKNOWN

EXCITING SCENES IN PORTS-

MOUTH HARBOUR.

The obsolete battleship Neptune, Which was recently sold out of the Navy to a firm of ship breakers for breaking up, was being towed out of Portsmouth Harbour by two private tugs, on her wv C> IT-mhu r ' There a strong t’' l ' l iTv r ’’ ri g nn the harbour; in fact, is was about the strongest part of the tide. Suddenly the hawsers holding the Neptune broke, and the huge vessel, which is an ironclad of some 9,000 tons displacement, was mirm. Bho turned round on her keel twice in the strong current, and was rapidly carried, bows on, to the Victory. The Neptune’s ram struck Nelson’s flagship on the port quarter, making a hole six feet deep below the water line. Under the impact of the blow the Victory slightly swung round, and the Neptune cleared. She was then carried further up the harbour across the bows of the second-class battleship Hero, tender to the Excellent, gunnery establishment at Portsmouth, whose ram caught the Neptune, and the two ships became locked together. Meanwhile water rapidly made its way into the Victory, her lower decks being flooded. Signals for help were made at once, and three tugs went alongside to pump her out. The vessel commenced to settle down at the stern, and all her crew stood to quarters. It was found necessary to dock the Victory at once. She had been struck near the cockpit in which Nelson died. The moorings having been slipped, the ship was towed up harbour to a deep dock, in which she was safely placed. Bhe had a big list to port, and was taking in water fast. The Neptune had meanwhile cleared the Hero, and was towed out of harbour to Hamburg. The event caused a great sensation at Portsmouth, and crowds of people assembled to see the old flagship towed up the harbour.