Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1877-11-16
SEEKING SUXkKS MILLIoxs.-An expedition

SEEKING SUSKES MILuoNs.-An expedition
almost as wonderful as the search for the
Golden Fleece, and in Imagination carving
us back to the days when the daring nayiea-
tors 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 for S6.000,0 900 in treasure
which now lies deep beneath the waves of the
Spanish main. More than 60 years ago the
three-deeker Spanish man-ot-war, the San
Pedro Alcantara, set sail a. convoy to
number OF provision laden vessels designed
for the fleet then engaged in the Caribbean
sea in suhjugating to Spanish rule the States
on the Spanish main. Thirteen hundred
men accompanied the vessel. and in her treas
ure chest was 5000 900 in silver When
the Alcantara reached Venezuela fierce rev.
oluiion was in progress, and the citizens of
Carlcas, fearing for their property, trans
icrred TO the vessel an enormous amount of
treasure, OF which the gold alone was worth
81 ,O00 900, while the priests of the
various temples and churches also placed on
board several heavy chests loaded with gold
and silver altar plate and gold coin. Sailing
thence to Margarita Island. the troops de-
and buried four revolted towns and took on
board the vessel enormous spoils Excited |
by success, the soldiers and sailors drank |
deep that night, and when a drunken watch |
dropped torch into an open cask of brandy |
nothing cculd be done to check the progress |
of the flames. The boats were easily low
cred, for tne sea was calm, hut the excited |
crowd fought 50 terribly for places that they |
were capszed and sunk and few of the | 800 |
men on board escaped. The flames soon
reached the powder magazine, which was
Immediately below the treasure chests,
terrific explosion tore the stern ofthe Alcan-
tara TO pieces and the forward part of the
ship quietly sank meath the waves Such is
the history of the vessel ana its treasures
We come now to the efforts that have been
made to recover some OF this vast wealth
from the sea.
In lslG, Capt. Goodrich Of Newburyport,
Mass, with diving bell, recovered $50,
600; in 1915 Baltimore company secured
5000 900; in lsjG Capt Nicholas Town
brought up SOS, ,0O0, and in 1855 Can't.
Whpple found 100000. All the above
sums were in silver coin. Other efforts have
also been made from time to time, but with
little or no success. The commander of the
present expedition is Capt |. Ii. Folingsby,
who has made a contract with the Venezue-
Ian Government, by which he gives FIVE per
cent. Of all treasure he may discover for the
exclusive privilege Of dredging, dragging and
living Tor the sunkcn wealth for period of
SIX years. lie proposes to make his search
IN different manner from that employed
BY his predecessors. lie believes that the
strong boxes were not broken open by tho
explosion, but only tossed to a distance, and
lie intends to prosecute his operations at
ONE distance from the wreck, dredging ev-
ry inch of the bottom and thoroughly test
ng all methods of search. lie has appli-
noes to search 500 square feet OF ground
Der day, and as sanguine of making a rich
haul. So far as known less than $500, 600
las hitherto been recovered, and there is
very reason to believe that from 81 ,000,-
DO0 to s 5000 900 still lies on the bottom of
he sea