Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1877-11-15
Alefau0rIa 6ax&tte
THURSDAY EVENG., NOVEMBER 10.
Sunken Treasure.

An expedition almost as wonderful as the
search for the Golden Fleece. and in magma
tiou carrying US back to the days when the dar.
ing navigators of Spain set sail for unknown
countries in quest of boundless wealth, is now
fitting out in New York city, and will next
month begin search tor Sc .0O0, 900 in treasure
which now lies deep beneath the waves OF the
Spanish main. More than sixty years ago tn
tbree.decker Spanish manof-war, the San Pe'
dro Alcantara, set sail as convoy TO o number
of provision laden vessels designed for the fleet
then engaged in the Caribbean sea 10 subjugat-
ing to Spanish rule the States on the Spanish
main. Thirteen hundred men accompanied the
vessel, and 10 her treasure chest was So, OO0, 900
in silver. When the Alcantara reached Vene-
zuela fierce revolution was in progress, and
the citizens of Caracas. fearing for their prop
erty, transferred to the vessel an enormous
amount of treasure, of which the gold alone vas
worth over 81 100000, while the priests of the
various temples and churches also placed 90
board several heavy chests loaded with gold
and silver altar plate and coin. Sailing thence
to Margarita Island the troops dcbarked and
defeated the Venezuclans, sacked and burned
four revolted towns and took on board the yes.
eel enormous spoils. Excited by success tho
soldiers and sailors drank deep that night, and
when drunken watch dropped torch into an
open cask of brandy nothing could be done to
check the progress of the flames. The boats
were easily lowered for the sea was calm, but
the excited crowd fought so terribly for places
that they were eapsized and sunk, and lew ol
the 1900 men on board escaped. The flames
soon reached the powder magazine, which was
Immediately below the treasure chest, terrific
explosion tore the stern Of the Alcantara to
ko orr of bn
ly sank beneath the waves. Such is the history
of the vessel and its treasures; VIC como now to
the efforts that have been made to recover some
of this vast wealth from the sea
In 1916, Capt Goodrich, Of Ncwburyport.
Mass, with diving bell, recovered S3oO0O;
in 1S45 Baltimore company secured $500, 600;
in 1856 Captain Nicholas Town brought UP
SIS, 900, and in 1858 Capt Whipplc found
S3O,OOO All The above sums were in silver
coin. Other efforts have also been made from
time to time, but with little or 10 success. Tho
commander of the present expedition is Capt.
I. II. Follingsby, who has made contract
with the Venezuelan Government, by which
ho gives five per cent of all treasure ne may
discover for the exclusive privilege OF dredging,
dragging, and diving for the sunken wealth Tor
period Of six years. lie proposes to make his
search in different manner from that employ
ed by his predecessors. He believes that the
strong boxes were not broken open by the cx
plosiou, but only tossed to distance and he
intends to prosecute his operations at some dis
tance from the wreck, dredging every ioch Of
the bottom and thoroughly testing all methods
of search. lie has appliances to search 800
square feet Of ground per day, and is sangunc
of making rich haul. So far as Known less
than $5O0,OOO has hitherto been recovered, and
there is every reason to believe that from $4,-
UUO,O 900 to s3.oO0O00 still lies on the bottom Of
the sea.-BoSton Journal.