Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1884-11-24
miscellaneous.
Eunken Treasure.

! A Philadelphia paper states that some
hopeful persons in that quarter, propose
to make an effort to recover the specie.
plate. bullion. and other valuable articles
il is thought were sunk in Vigo Bay.
Spain, about the middle of the last centu-
~. English historians contemporaneous
with the event. state that the Spanish
treasure fleet. richly ladened, on its annu-
al return from South America and Next
co, was attacked by an English fleet,
chased into Vigo Bay. and there sunk with
all its treasure. The present attempt to
recover this is not the first. About sixty
years ago, during the speculative mania
| in England, strong company was formed
with skillful divers, and all other necessa-
ry facilities. who visited the Bay. and
made faithful investigation OF the sunken
ships. They reported that there was no
| treasure to be found there, and that the
| historians, probably Hume or Smollett,
must have been misled by the sensational
stories of the day-such stories always
Astounding in time of war. Mr.. Hale
published. in his Boston Daily Advertiser.
soon after, very full abstract, a column
or so. of the report of those employed in
| this search. which appears to have been
! thoroughly made, giving interesting par
ticulars as to the condition of the sunkeR
galleons 1t might be we'll for those en-
gagged in the present undertaking to read
Mr. Hale's abstract, before investing too
heavily. They profess, to have had
survey lately made of the condition of the
sunken ships, who report that, although
the mud is four feet over their decks, the
scheme to raise them is perfectly practica-
BILE.
An interesting article could be written
on the subject of sunken ships freigted
with plate and specie. One of the most
important in modern times, was the Span
sh galleon sunk in 1915 or '16, on the
coast of Central America. | forget her
name and that of the port near which she
sunk, and in this seguestered village, with
no public or decent private library, names
and dates cannot be given with desirable
precision think the British Annual Reg
lister for the above years have a full ac-
count. However, at that time the hold of
Spain on her South American possessions
was rapidly declining. and | think that
this was about the last treasure ship that
left her colonies. She was filled with
priests flying from their homes, who had
gathered up an Incredible amount of
church plate and specie. Just before start
ing for Spain she was accidentally de-
stroyed by an explosion, with an awful
loss OF life. A company was formed in
Baltimore, some 20 years ago, for recov-
ering this valuable freight, but they have
had only partial success. Other compa-
MES have attempted it.
The British trigate Huzzar, of 80 guns,
-, Ill go
near New York, in the winter of 1880. |
She was reputed to have had an immense
amount of specie on board. destined to
pay off the British troops then in that city,
Several unsuccessful attempts have been
made to recover this, A company was
formed for this purpose in New York, in
1928, or Whereabouts, but they finally gave
it up as impracticable; another one now
exists for the purpose. A few years ago
a motion was made in Congress for an APP
preparation to assist in raising this frigate,
In discussing the subject. some thought
the British government might right
fully claim it, if recovered. 1t was
referred to special committee, who made
an Interesting report. and recommended
the appropriation, but nothing further was
done about it.
Several years ago an attempt was made
to raise an old vessel that had been sunk
in the Hudson, with which mysterious
history was connected. Credulous peo-
pie were sure it was Capt. Kidd's. There
is no end to the beliefs and superstitons
in the towns on the Atlantic coast. about
the career of the famous freebooter. But
the old historian. Peter Force, exploded
the whole affair about the Hudson ship,
in the National lntelligencer, when the at
tempt to raise it was made.
The only important success in raising
sunken treasure. was the brilliant achieve
ment of Sir VIM. Phipps in 1857. After
cruising about for a long time, when on
the point of giving it up, he discovered
among the rocks near the Banks of Bahia
ma. the object of his search, a Spanish
plate ship that had been under water "A
years. Out of this galleon he took gold
and silver to the amount of $500, 900 stir
ling. King James II. was a partner in
the company that fitted out Capt. Phipps,
and was so well pleased with the result,
that he knighted the captain. and made
him Colonial Governor of Massachusetts.
But he was much better qualified to COM
mand ship OF war than to be governor of
a colony. His manners were rough and
brutal. He once knocked down the col
lector OF the port, For this and other
offences, he was recalled to England
where he died a few months after. His
residence in Boston, long considered the
handsomest in town, stood at the corner
of Salem and Charter streets.