Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1890-04-25
s,,NkEN TREASURE.
The Enormous Fortunes That Have Gone
Davy Jones' Locker.

me rnormous Fortunes That Have Gone To
pnvy Jones' Locker.
A company, 1t was stated, lately SCI
ont from sydney to New Zealand TO re-
cover sunken treasure from some OLD
wreck on the west coast OF the Middle
leland: but so far no returns have been
published, the operations probably not
being complete The subject of sunken
treasure reminds one of the heaps of
gold carried in the galleons ana like
packets years ago. In 1863 ship-of-
war from Rio TO Lisbon had on board
q 600 600 of crusades in diamonds and
about 100 900 'crowns turnois" In pias-
tiers, making in the whole 29,ooo,ooo
lvres tournois. so much for single
ship In 1774 two Spanish ships from
Vera Cruz and the Havana arrived with
% 600 900 Of crowns, exclusive OF mer-
chandise valued roundly at $1,000, 900
crowns. Such examples could be multi
piled. OF the cargo Of an English India
man in It'll, one item alone-a diamond
in the rough--was valued at elOo, 900,
ssgoing to be manufactured in England
on account of one of the Asiatic nabobs:"
and on the private freight OF this vessel
the policies of insurance were opened at
Lloyds at high premium, so costly
were her contents and SO doubtful her
safe arrival. AS a costly shipwreck, La
Lutine deserves notice. She was OF
thirty-two guns, commanded by Captain
SKINNER and went ashore on the bank
of the Fly Island Passage on the night
of October 0, 1899. At first she was re-
puted to have had 100000 sterling
in specie on board This was
afterwards contradicted by state
ment that the whole amounted to
about Gl4O, 600 sterling. In more mod
ern times the costliness Of shipwreck is
to be found in the destruction of the
fabric and her cargo rather than in the
treasure on board. Whatever may have
been the worth of galleon as ship,
there need be no scruple in concluding
that when brand-new her value would
be but that Of toy in comparison with
such ocean mailboats as now convey
specie and valuables. The sinking OF
an Atlantic, Indian or Australian liner
even with clean hold-would repre-
sent an immense treasure If told in dol
lars, ducats or piasters; and when is
added the cargo of such craft along
with the passengers luggage, which
would include quantity of jewelry ex
pressing many thousands of pounds
alone, some astonishing figures would
be the result. The Royal Charter is the
most notable modern instance of the
wreck of a treasure" ship She lef
Australia with 1850, 900 in her. Of thi:
sum, says Charles Dickens, in his chap
ter Cd this dreadful shipwreck in the
"Uncommercial Traveller" $500, 00'
worth were recovered at the time of the
novelist's visit to the spot where she hat
driven ashore. Meanwhile how much
gold and silver, minted and otherwise
is annually afloat? How many millions
are yearly borne over the deep to anC
from India. America, Australia Chin;
and South Africa by English steamer
alone? There should be no difficulty il
making the calculation, which, wheI
arrived at, must surely yield fine ide;
of the treasure over which the red flag
flies, and an excellent notion of thu
trust that is reposed in the British ship
master, and of the high and sterling
qualities which go to the fultillment o