Savannah morning news., 1886-06-30
TREASURE TRovE.
The Historical Romance Disclosed
by the Filing of Bill in Equity.
Fron. tAe PANadelpAta Ne,os.

by the Filing Off Bill in Equity.
From the PAuadeEpAfa Neaos.
Hampton l.. Carson yesterday filed a
bill in equity on behalf of 4. q. Ceilings
against John j. Boyle and the Vigo Bay
Treasure Company. The bill itself is of a
somewhat commonplace character, being
brought merely to compel Boyle to de-
liver to the plaintiff 10000 shares of stock
OF the Treasure Company under an agree
ment by which be agreed to make such
delivery in consideration of Ceilings tax
ing OFF of his hands contract TO raise
100000 for the prosecution OF the COM
pany's business.
The company's business is of q de-
cidedly romantic character. During the
war OF the Spanish succession, at the end
OF the seventeenth century, when France
and Spain were contending with England,
Austria and Holland over the question of
whether Louis XIV. or King Charles of
Austria should name the successor to the
spanish throne, a memorable naval en-
gagement took place in Vigo Bay, which
is y little land-lOcked harbOr on the north
ern coast of spain. For several years the
English fleet and priVateers bad deferred
the shipment of the usual annual car
goes of precious colonial produce from
the Spanish colonies to the
mother country. Finally, in 1902.
the necessities OF the Spanish exchequer
demanded relief in some Way, and the
protection OF French fleet was secured
to escort thirty heavily laden galleOns
from Havana to Cadiz. Before the fleet
and convoy reached the Spanish coast Sir
Cloudesiey Shovel, the English Admiral,
learned of their approach and set his
sharpest watches. The Spaniards OBJ
served his movements, and succeeded in
conveying a warning to the approaching
fleet by means OF some ighteenth-ceatury
Priscilla. The destination was accord
ingly changed from Cadiz TO Vigo. The
Englishman, however. was not TO be 80
easily thwarted.
The fleet got by him, but he went after
1t. They beat him into the harbor, and
the French fleet was stationed at the en-
trance, while the galeOns proceeded to
unload. Before the unloading process had
gone on very long the Englishman arrived.
The engagement began at once between
the two fleets, and the anxious Spaniards
saw the ships Of their allies being rapidly
sunk or disabled. When the English feet
finally forced Its way into the harbOr the
Spaniards determined that if they could
not themselves enjoy the riches of
the galleOns, at least they should
not fall into the clutches of the English.
Seven had been unlOaded. The English
captured six, but the remaining seven
teen were sunk in 43 feet OF water Div
ing bells being unknown to the simple
mariners of those days, Sir ClOudesley
sailed off, content with the loot he had
secured. afterwards discovering that the
treasure taken from single one of the
galieons was worth $3, 100000. All of this
was made into coins, on which the word
'Nigo" was stamped below the head of |
good Queen Anne.
Historians and antiquarians occasion |
aliv referred to the sunken treasure, but |
it remained undisturbed, save once in the |
present century, when the Englishman |
who raised the ships sunk in the harbOr /
of SebastopOl sent divers down into the |
waters of VigO bay, and afterward re-
ported that the treasure there could not /
be less than $25 000.000. Finally the Span
lsh government gave a concession to a
Connecticut concern to recover the trea-
sure upon the condition that it should pay /
a royalty of 2j per cent. The COnnectl-
cut company subsequently transferred
the concession to the Vigo Bay Treasure
and the Spanish government
ratified the transfer. The officers of the
latter company estimate the amount OF
the treasure at $37, co., 900.
They find that the galleOns have sunk
very little IN the hard bottom on which
they rest, but that they are covered over
with about nine feet Of mud and fine sand
which has drifted down from the neigh
boring mountains. They have exactly
located twelve OF the galleOns and brought
up thirty cords Of magnificent mahogany
besides lot OF brass cannons. They are
not discouraged at having failed to reach
The treasure yet, because old reports pre-
served in the government library at
Madrid show that the treasure was
always carried in chests built Just over
the kelsOn, with the cargo piled above.
The future Of the enterprise is decidedly
speculative, however, and Counselor Car
son claims the interference of the court
to compel the delivery of the stock itself
instead OF money damages for its non-de-
livery, on the ground that ''it may prove
or IL may be Of great value, de-
pending entirely upon the amount and
character of the treasure recovered"