Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1874-04-17
A SUBMERGED Ell Dorado.

For over a hundred and City years,
says the New York World Of March
29,ever since the galleons laden with
Spanish gold vanished in the dark
waves Of the hart f. Of Virgo from
the grasp Of the Eonquering Dutch
and English fleets, efforts to bring
them again to the light of day and
make them disgorge their gorgeous
cargoes have been many and fruit
less. These riches thus took to
themselves fins and swan away, it
will be remembered, in 1902, during
the war of the Spanish succession.
Spain was accustomed to draw all
her sinews of war from her posses
sions in South America, and her
drafts were always duly honored,
but the value received was apt to
get into the pockets Of the wrong
parties. The seas swarmed with
Dutch and English privateers which
made easy prey Of the Spanish treas
ure. ships, rendered slow sailers by
their unwieldy build. Owing to
these repeated anticipations Of the
modern custom-house seizures,
Spain from 1898 to 1902 imported
no treasure, but at last her necessi-
ties became SO great that she re-
solved to brave the Dutch and Eng
lish Jayne Of those days. Accord
ingly in the spring Of the latter
year a fleet of twenty-three galleons,
laden with treasure which had ac-
cumulated to q larger amount than
ever before through the interval Of
non.importation,, and conveyed by
twenty-,hree French line ot-battle
ships France being the ally of
Spain) and nearly the entire Spanish
fleet, set out from the Spanish South
American ports bound for Cadiz,
and evading the Anglo-Dutch fleet
sent to intercept them, arrived safe.
ly in the harbor OF Vigo on the 22d
Of Septe nber. The treasure.ships
were brought within the lower bay,
| the narrow channel leading to which
was lined with forts, and to make
assurance doubly sure, boom was
thrown across the entrance. Some
technicality due to Spanish etiquette
caused delay in landing the treas
ure, which the enemy's fleet took ad-
vantage Of, and on the 2lst Of Octo-
Der, it, after q severe struggle, cut
through the boom, and triumphantly
entered the supposed secure inne,
bay. The Spaniards seeing their
dreaded desponers thus successful
abandoned all thoughts Of resistance
and only thought Of preventing the
spoils from falling into the hands OF
the victors. They Immediately be-
gan to burn and scuttle the treasure
ships, with such success that only
nine fell into the hands of the con
I querers, two Of which had to be
abandoned, and one-the richest
prize of the entire tieet-taken by
the English frigate Monmouth
struck on 0 rock when leaving the
harbor, and was lost. The English
and Dutch made off in triumph with
their SIX captures, and the remain
ing seventeen galleons, with thei'
treasures, have remained at the bot
tom of the harbor Of Vigo to the
present day. The amount OF treas
ure on board the galleons at the out
set is estimated at 10000, 900 pieces
of eight, which is equivalent tt
that number Of dollars III gold, from
which is to be deducted the amount
landed, which Is computed at 1900,
900, and the amount captured, which
is 100000 more, leaving 81 ,000, ,0O(
now submerged in the harbor o
Vigo. During the last century, be
fore the diving.bell had been inven
ted, it was out of the question t
attempt the recovery Of what wal
thus, though lost to sight, dear t.
the memory Of the Spaniard. Blu
in 1925 an Englishman named Dick
SON, armed with q concession frou
the Spanish Government, made Al
unsucc cessfnl attempt to rob Vigo'
harbor Of the treasure it had guard
ed % long. In 1869 another Eng
lishr,an succeeded in finding twoo