, 1877-12-16
"MlLIIONS " IN IT."

Preparations for the Cruise to South Amer
leu in Scarch of the san Pedro Alcautara
Treasare-Six Millions or Dnllars III specie
on the Oceun Bed Waiting for :, Finder
Sp.ci,., Dispatch fo ne Chfct7o Tribune.
New YORK, Dec. 15.-Thc expedition to re-
cover the lost treasure Of the San Pedro Al
cantara is announced to sail from this port dur
ing the present week. An account OF the
project, and 0! thu loss of the SG,O0o,Ooo and
more of gold aud yalua5ics, was published in
The TRIBUNE a few weeks since. The
preparations have progressed rapidly, the prin
ei1al delay being caused by the delay i'll pro-
curing suitable dretlges. The Times says:
t'Tnr ycssc! purchased for thu expedition is the
schooner Peter Mitchell. She is Of about 100
tons, a1ld sailors tell marvellous stories Of
her swiftncss and seaworthiness. Tho Canadian
Government had her constructed Tor the pur-
pose of chasing intrusive Yankee fishing stnacks
away from Dominion waters When no LONGER
required to drive oil fishermen she was put into
the West India fruit trade, aud after Il short
service was purchased for her present
use. Her lines arc as beautiful as
those Of any yecht in the bay She has two
cabins, one forward Tor Capt. T. H. Fo1lingsly,
cc,1,,nan:iant OF the expedition, his clerk, tic
ycnzucan officer VINO will come aboard at
l.asuayra, and another gentleman. The other
uft for the sa;ling-naster, mate, and engineer.
The forecastc will accommodate twelve men.
The middle OF tho hold is divided by bulkieads
into spacious compartments, one to hold some
seventy tons of coal, another for stores, and Il
third for the storage Of spare anchors, buUrS,
trcdgcs, llawsers, chains, and other required stun
OIL deck is ttc engine: Ill upright ol anout
twenty horse power will, the necessary drums
for operating iredgcs aud drugs \ derrick
boom eleven inches i'll diameter and forty
eight feet il length has hcen arranged to 1e
rugged aft Just in front Of the cabin trunk: Ill
feet outward from the sides and stern Of the
vessel f,r the t1Eedgc*, so that as the schooner
is gradually hauled ahead 4 space about
ninety~tiye feet will he ti1oroaghly *
plored. Drums arg also being pla:ed ior
the forKius in lateral directions, OF czpforingg
drcdgcs constructed upon something OF the
same princiulc US the oystcr-drasss opcratcd by
towing. These drags viii he carried out by
small hoats one on ca>h side, dropped IN place,
aud hauled aboard by l. he power OF The engine.
The ordinary drctlges arc quite useless for
working at such depth as the San Pedro Will
require, consequently others, the Invention or
Capt. FoiiucsY, have had to be built; iflc
Folnssly dredse is i've 1cet III ";ltn, astad nas ad
by six arms, two OF which close
and four open its pond,rous Jaws. Its bodI is
pierced by many apcrtures, through "hlch me
greater part OF the sand intcd VIII oc "aSnco
out before it reaches the top Of the water, leay-
ing behind it only tho loose masses OF coarse
coral, fragments OF wreck, aud whatever
scattered treasure may DC c'utcned 10 oc
dumped in scow beside the vessel lor careful
examination. The weight of each dredge Is
only half Il ton, and it is capable Oh orlneln@ up
easily two tons OF material -
A submarine armor suit will be taken along to
meet possible contingencies, aud Capt. E. osiin7s-
31:it the bottom Of tie. sea- Us hc
;s an old experienced diver. But for