The Osceola times., 1878-03-02
TREASURE HUNTING,
Brinsins IL Up from the Bottom of the

1t will be remembered that the
steamer Japan, of the Pacific mail COM
pany, was burned off the coast of China
In December, 1874. The scene of the
accident was one hundred and thirty-five
miles east OF Hsng Kong, and fifty miles
from Swatow. The nearest land was
Breaker Point. twenty miles away, and
the depth where the wreck sank was
twenty.th fathoms. The Japan had
on board about $3.50, 900 In specie, and
the underwriters at Hong Kong immedi.
ately gave notice of their intention to
attempt the recovery OF the coin.
They engaged for this undertaking
Capt. John p. Roberts, of New York,
who formerly commanded the Under
writer in the New York and Liverpool
packet line, but has been in China
for the last fifteen years, and largely
engaged in wrecking enterprises. A
schooner and small steamer were
bought and equipped with the necessary
apparatus, and in January, 1875, Captain
Roberts began sweeping the oceans bed
in search Of the wreck. In the month
Of March he found one of the paddle
wheels, but it was not until the end of
July that he discovered the wreck,
eleven miles southwest of the position of
the wheel.
From this time te the 10Th of Septem.
Der work has pushed forward for the
opening of the treasure tank and remov.
ing of the money. The southwest mon
soon blows from March to September,
and it is only during the prevalence OF
this wind that the divers are able to
work. On the 18th the monsoon ceased
and operations were abandoned, and on
the morning of that day Captain Roberts
believed that the whole enterprise would
end there. and the Japan and her treas
ure be allowed to rest undisturbed for.
eNrmore. But on his last plunge
for the season the diver man.
aged to push his hand through a
hole in the tank and secured lump re-.
sembling piece OF coal. The lump or
examination proved to consist of twenty
four American trade dollars, burned and
oxydized SO much that they required a
great deal of securing to reveal their
true character. But they were worth
much more than S24; they were valua-
BILE a. an encouragement to the under.
writer's to continue. The wreckers re.
tired to Hong Kong for six months of
the northeast monsoon, and resumed
operations in the following spring. Since
then there has been no serious obstacles
to the prosecution of the enterprise, and
and during tide summers of 1876 and 1877
about $l75, 900 of treasure has been re-.
covered, 1t is thought that the balance
Of the money will be secured in 1878. 1t
is the first wrecking operation ever con-
Quoted in the opea ocean at 80 great a
depth, and the instances where divers
have descended 30 far even in still waters
are comparatively few.
The coin is mostly in good condition,
though nearly all Of it is black and
heavily oxydized. Some near the surface
OF the tank was partially melted by the
heat Of the burning steamer, and many
of the boxes are charred ana broken
Some of the dollars are bright as new
when brongh to the. surface, but they
speedily turn black when exposed to
the air. No attempt has been made to
secure anything except the coin, but on
one occasion line was passed around a
case OF timed HOLSTERS by way of expert.
ment. The lebster was fresh and sweet
as when first put up, and the Chinese
found it good eating The gilt eagle
that ornamented the stern Of the japan
lies on on the dark sand of the bottom.
and the captain thinks that when his
work on the treasure is ended, be
will take this bird in as trophy. But
be is now too busy with silver eagles to
take any trouble about q gilded one
I China cor. New York Times.