Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1866-10-12
The Wreck of the misunderstanding
for Treasure.

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The tradition which prevailed for
nearly century, that an enormous
sum of treasure is lying buried in the
wreck of the Hussar, just at the en-
trance of Long Island Sound, and
about fifty yards from the Port Morris
shore, is one with which New Workers
are familiar. The Hussar was an old |
English three-decker frigate, carrying
thirty-two guns, and in the year l1oO,
during the progress of the Revolution
ary war, she came out to New York
as one of the convoy to the Cork fleet.
According to the records OF the British
Admiralty she also acted as treasure
ship, G58O,OO0 destined ultimately
for the payment of the British troops,
having been entrusted to her for trans
mission 10 America.
On her arrival in New York she
was ordered to sail with the money
she had brought over and an addition
al G380,000, which was transferred
from the British ship Mercury, for
Boston, Some seventy or eighty
American prisoners were also shipped
on board of her to be conveyed to that
port. In passing through He'll Gate
she struck on the Pot Rock. 1t Is
supposed that the injury thus sustain
ed was not at once perceived, for in
stead of luffing about to Randalls Is
land the ship was kept on her way up
the Sound. The damage, however,
soon became alarmingly apparent,and
so hopeless seemed the prospect OF
stopping the leak or overcoming it
with the pumps, that it was determln-
ed to run the vessel ashore. But 1t
was to late even to do this and
when within about sixty or seventy
, yards off Stony Point or Port Morris,
, as it is now called, she sunk. Most OF
the crew succeeded in reaching the
shore, but all the prisoners, and it
has ever since been believed, the
treasure as well, were lost.
Many attempts have been made to
recover the dazzling amount of Brit
ish gold thus consigned, or supposed
to be consigned, to the safe keeping
of the briny deep. Only fourteen
years after its loss the British govern
ment endeavored to raise the Hussar
by means of grapples, but before any
satisfactory result was attained, they
/ were ordered off by the American
=. government. In 1919, British com
: panv made a second attempt, by
: means Of diving bells, to reach the
+ sunken treasure. The great strength
, OF the tide at that part of the Sound
: however, compelled them to abandon
5 the enterprise. Various other schemes
e have been employed, but none Of then
4 have as vet been successful. The
: company now engaged on the wreck
e commenced operations fourteen years
c ago, and have continued them every
f season since. The work is conduct
e ed with divers, clad in Captain Tay
: lor's submarine armor. There are
e generally three men thus Employed il
e the four months of the year durins
e which diving is possible, The work
{. ing expenses, independent Of the value
n of the capital sunk, amount to ahou
, 500 per week. The wreck at tht
<. present time has been cleaned of near
o ly everything usually carried by {
p man-ol-war. Twenty-six guns, tht
i compass, cabin ornaments, kitchen
If utensils, and some small sums of mon
e ey have thus been raised. All tina
If now remains is the bare hulk of tht
't ship and the sand and sediment which
1t the waves have washed into it. 1t i
(. hoped by the sanguine projectors o
IS the undertaking that they are now
y on the eve of the grand discovery.