The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-07-13
THREE MILLIONS IN GOLD.
DYING FOR LONG-LOsT TREASURE
IN LON0 ISLAND SOUND.
Tbe Money that Great Britain sent in the |
FriRste Uussar to Paw her Soldiers In |
America Cook, the Successful Diver.

Tse Money tina, Great Britain sent in the
Frisste uussar to Paw her Soldiers In
America 4 Cook, the Successful Diver.
Opposite Port Morris, perhaps one hum
dred yards from shore. floats a very ordinary
sloop, securely anchored, and differing from
other sloops In that her mast instead Of having
sSiI sustains a strong hoistine apparatus, and
that she has on deck queer sort Of weather
beaten wooden shanty, the only thing about her
TO attract attention. In that shanty IL compact
little steam engine. kept very carefully and In
perfect running order and near It Is a powerful
Force pump. The sloop marks tho spot wher''
ninety-six years ago, The British fri9ato Hussar
went down with f30J0Ool in EnTlisi coin, and
the men In the sloop are STRIVING to recover tbis
great ire sure.
Yesterday morning thr,e men were benfine
ever the vessels sides, apparently holding hnes
and intently watching the waer and noar them
stood two grsy-bearded gentlemen as earnestly
watching them. The diver was down. and had
been for over half an hpur ne tnfee men
were holding. one his breathing tube. another
the stout line with which ne Is raised rom the
bottom and nftrd on DO 70, md the tbrd the
signal cord. After smother nall hour the signal
m n suddenly excl lined. " Man the rope, he
wants to come up.' and instantly two or three
stout fellows took held and began tn haul tho
diver up. soon greet bubbles formed on the
W ter. then the commntiun became grea:er,
and then Hple tred the diver. enc.sed In his ar
NOR. lhen the process of unloading MIN was
begun. hand wrench was necessary to un-
screw he helmet and shoulder plates. the other
parts OF the amor being secured Nv straps and
strong rubber bands. Tn nm shed. tn re
step ed out a wirv. pieasant-faccd gentleman
OF about forty years OF age aud lfO pounds
weight.
Mr.. sidney Cook, diver. known the world
over, who was brought from San Francisco
especially to nnd the Hussar treasure, has teen
diver since 1850. His first work WIS done IN
that year In Louisnurg, Cape Breton. A French
fricate was sunk there in 1853. Among the
things that he took from the wreck were
several barbeite guns that were loaded when
the ship went down. When recovered the loads
were drawn, and bel ween the ball and powder
were found stout bits OF wood, covered with
warn. that WAS stu fresh, and the powder hav-
Ing been spread on board and match appl ed
Immediately ignited. In the summer Of 1888 he
Golden Gate, on the Pacific coast t715,00O. and
10 the winter OF 1884,, $4,000 more, worKina To q
strong surf and wi from eight to twelve feet
Of sand covering the wreck.
Cooks arnor is known as the " Boston rig y
and consists Of an entire water-tleht suit, with
n large, roomy copper helmet, having a glass
lookout In front. Inc head piece weighs nearly
nifty pounds. Then ne has u ieaden collar OF
thirty pounds on his shoulders; a belt some
thing like an immense old-fsshioDed money
belt. but hed with shot, and weighing l5C
pounds, around his body: and two solid lead
anklets, Of twenty Ave pounds each, on his legs
He goes down with nesrls 800 pounds dead
weight , on his bis person: out SAY. says tina,
strong tide running, he has difficulty
10 keeping arm foothold. The work At Port
as mere chiln's play rs compared with bis pre-
yious exploits. lie made his first descent on the
25th ult., but the armor was not OF the righl
KIND, and he waited for new suit. which he
has just received. After he gets fairly at work
he intends to rem in under water i've and SIX
hours at a time. The bottom. he saws. Is rocky
but covered with two or three feet OF mud. Hts
plan Is first to get the exact outline " the yes
sci, placing peculiar guide marks familiar only
TO himself. Then. after he has the ground en-
closed he viii begin the real search for th'
treasure.
Under water. Mr.. Cook says. the diver cat
near every stroke of the pump. and the wheel
of steamers long before tn y can be seen NJ
heard from the deck. He can form no idea o
time, he never knows until he con es IN whethe
he has been down an hour. or three or fou
hours. lie carries down a ruDOer hose, with al
ordinary brass nozzle, ana odd ns IL NAV seen
below the surface. 10 wash the mud away from
rocks. the I. re pump on the deck of the slool
SUI plying the power. His chief difhculty - IL
getting light, IA the water Is muddy, anu efte
he gets down from forty to nitv feet IL brcoms
dark, md he mas yet found no satisfactory ar
tifcisl light
Mr.. Horace Barnes. the contractor, com
II for i've years. spending over s+OUO0, nut witt
such unsatisfactory results that he vave II up
The hrnor then wa poor, and the divers mex
peiienced, and seldom willing to stay dow
more than half an bour at u time. The suit
they used were known ns the aylor rig" an,
10 quote Mr.. Cook. Just ths kind for a Ian
diver, who wants 10 go under water and loaf 10
awhile" Now, having secured Mr.. Cook, M
Barnes seems sanpLine Of success. Mr.. Cool
has found bits Of the treasure, and thinks tina
his share after the work In done, will be enough
10 enable him 10 retire.