The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-08-05

aIUnouSn tne work IS gong on now IN a
more scientific fashion than usual, with
better equipment than most similar quests,
the story attached is of the good old type
that Is well known to all readers.
This time it is the steamer Rescue, be-
longing to the company named, and
manned by large party of that COM
pany's expert divers and worknen, that is
at work in Delaware bay. 1t started from
New York in June, and will doubtless re-
main through the summer, exploring the
depths of the bay, unless the $40, 900, 600
or so which is sought for shall be found
sooner.
Money is necessary for the prosecution
Of the search for money, as it is for almost
everything else, and in this case it is-pro-
vided by a syndicate formed in Phila-
delphia by the late DR.. Seth Pancoest.
The objective point is the recovery of
treasure that was sunk in the year 179S off
Cape Henlepen, in the sloop Braak. This
was originally Dutch vessel. The French
captured her, and the British government
in turn took her from the French and en-
ployed her as a sloop-of-war. Early in
1898 she captured q Spanish vessel laden
with great treasure, and within q month
was overset by a sudden squall when about
to cast anchor in Delaware bay.
The British government made one or
two attempts TO recover the treasure, but
in those days the appliances used were far
from efficacious. 1t is said that they used
tackle, attaching one end of rope to the
sunken vessel and loading the other end
with stone. A number Of these ropes
would be placed in position and then the
stone would be thrown over. in the hope
that by sinking it would pull the vessel
up. It didn't. The search party, however,
have been encouraged by finding heap of
broken stone, some sixty by four by eight
feet in size. They haven't found the
wreck.
After the unsuccessful attempts men
toned the American government prohib-
tied any further efforts and none are
known to have been made until within a
few years. DR.. Pancoast then obtained,
through a submarine company already
formed, the right from the government to
seek for the treasure, and in two years he
sank some S12, 900 in futile efforts to locate
1T. Undiscouraged, he formed the syndi-
cate which survives him, and now the very
best methods and the most slzillful men
IN the business are employed in what is
likely to be final effort, whether it be
successful or not. Uncle Sam is to get 10
per cent. of what is recovered, besides all
the guns and munitions of war that may
come to the surface
A similar search was carried on at inter
walls for many years in the harbor of New
York. The British frigate Hussar was
wrecked off Port Morris in the Revolution
ary war, and it appeared from the records
that she had something over million dol
lars in specie on boaEd when she sank 1t is
now believed that this treasure has been
found and taken away, though nobody
knows Except the flnders) who recovered
it. At all events, the Merritt company 10
Gated the wreck and recovered few trifes,
such as cannon balls and the like, without
finding the money
1t is necessary, as a general thing, to
have pirate vessel in one of these stories
of lost treasure. Without the pirates there
does not seem to be the proper glamour to
the romance. Pirates and all are included
In the series of alleged facts that recently
led party to Trinidad Island on such a
quest as those described. 1t was secret
expedition and was accidentally discovered
by the scientific party sent out by the Brit
ish government to witness the last total
cciApSe Ol tne sun. luis eApeuiUlOn, pass
ing near the coast of Brazil, saw on the
little island mot the West Indian Trini- |
dad a number of tents. 1t being supposed |
that shipwrecked people were on shore
for the island is not inhahted-a boat was |
sent from the government vessel to the |
rescue landing was made with great |
difficulty, for the surf is high and the |
shore is rocky, and the people were found |
to be digging for pirates gold. Their |
story was that in 1879 a band of TWEEN !
ty pirates looted a church in Peru and |
carried off million pounds worth Of gold |
and silver.
1t Is noticeable that pirates always used |
10 capture their booty in round numbers
Nobody ever heard OF $4,000 dollars or
pounds, for instance, in this connection.
These twenty were wrecked on Trinidad |