The Shasta courier., 1871-06-10
SH ASIA COURIER.
THE TREASURE oFTHE SEA.
From the New York Times, Nav II

From the New York Times, May II.
A vessel will sail from New York in a
few days, bound upon romantic and
highly-interesting expedition It's object
will be to pluck, not "bright honour from
the pale-faced moon," but golden ingots
and doubloons and other treasure that for
two generations have been quietly living at
the bottom of the sea. How this wealth
came there may be briefly told. 1t once
foated on board the flag ship of a Spanish
Armada. Like the other Spanish Armada
that once threatened Albion, it came to
grief In February, 1915, there sailed
from Cadiz feet of one hundred sail,
which was destined to give death blow
to the young and audacious South Ameri-
can Republics. The flagship, the San
Pedro de Alcantara, carried besides the
Admiral, the Paymaster of the forces, and
gold and silver coin to the amount of 49,.
100000. After arriving at Puerto Santo,
June 10, and fighting number of unsuc-
cessful engagements-for the troops of
FERDINAND VII, were opposed by those
OF Bolivar and other fiery patriots
Morillo determined to abandon the attempt
to subjugate Venezuela and her sister re.
pubics, and to return with his troops to
Spain. Before sailing, he issued proc
lamation inviting royalists who wished to
60 back to Europe to take quarters on
the fag-ship. Hundreds, it is said, accept
ed, and for fortnig ght the boats of the
squadron were busted in taking treasure
and passengers to the San Pedro de Alcan.
tara. Converts and churches were des-
poiled of their jewels, plate, and other
riches-the pearl fisheries of Masdala
having largely swelled the amount-until,
on the eve of departure, the value of many
millions of dollars was added to the already
precious freight of the flag ship. On the
morning of the day appointed for weigh
ing anchor, the vessel then lying in Cumana
Bay, three and half miles from the
island of Coche, terrible accident hap
pened. A fire broke out in the spirit
room, and, feeding on highly infammable
material, spread with fearful rapidity.
The sevcnty-tour guns Of the huge craft
were all loaded and shotted, so that the
others oil the fleet either dared not. or were
forbidden to come to the rescue. In the
mad rush and confusion, an awful blundcr
was committed. + he after magazine was
not flooded; and while the crew were bat
ting desperately with the flames, that
magazine exploded The ships stern was
torn completely of, thousand souls were
hurled into eternity, and down went the
San Pedro de Alcantara in ten fathoms
Of water
There she has remained ever since.
Various attempts have been made to regain
the treasure, with but partial and limited
success The lowest estimate of the value
of indestructible wealth lying there under
the purple tide of the caribbean Sea, is
five millions of dollars; the highest est-
mate of the value of what has been fshed
up is but three hundred thousand This
has mainly consisted of silver dollars,
and not single gold piece has yet been
recovered. The Spanish Government
abandoned the ship, and the Government
of Venezuela, in 1921, bestowed the right
of search and reclamation upon Pedro
Obrigon, native banker and patriot, who
had aided the revolution. Records and
documents in Madrid and in Caracas also
attest to the prodigious worth of the sub
merged treasure, and Obrigon anticipated
slendid results from his privilege. He
was, nevertheless, constrained t, let it at
various times to different companies for
royalty of one-quarter of what they should
obtain. First, French company tried
and failed. They had Indifferent appara-
tus, and the Superintendent in charge
finally went mad. In 1912, Obrigop made
a contract with party of spectators in
Boston. They managed to get up some
$40, 600, but their submarine armor was
bad, they could not get inside the ship,
aud they, too, gave up in despair. In
1852, Obrigon died, and his privilege re-
yerted to the Venezuelan Government.
They permitted Capt. Tower, of Cohasset,
Mass, to make an experiment. which he
did with very rude machinery, and in three
months hooked up some $4,000 Two
other attempts, one by New York sea
captain, and another by two California
miners, complete the record of the various
enterprises for wrestling the wealth OF the
San Pedro de Alcantara from the rapacious
NAV of the sea.
The next expedition is undertaken by
the "American Submarine Company" of
which Gen. Burnside is President. A
gentleman reputed to be the most expert
enced submarine diver in the United
States, Mr- George W. Fuller, is Superin-
tendent. The vessel alluded TO, the Nellie
Gay, is provided with apparatus of the
most approved character, and such, it is
believed, as will thoroughly fulfil the de-