The Portland daily press., 1894-11-20

erful suction pump on board the Ches-
ter, will be applied. The loosened mscea-
ial will thus be pumped to the sui.aos'
and then shot through giant Slew
The sieve will net permit the passage ol
anything as large as guinea.
That is the general plan; me Wre rtil
ers and divers will dig and pump uutIl
they have filled the sieve with BRUSH
gold or are satisfied that they have
worked over an area so large that Inc
story of story of the Huss%r's treasurer
has been proved myth.
The men who have attempted to reach
the Golfers of the Hussar since 1878 nave
failed in every instance, # they are to
be believed, but the story OF the sunken
gold has just as many believers today as
it ever had. No later than June last u
Connecticut syndicate was digging up
the bottom of the sound off Port Morris,
and many similar attempts have been
made between that point and He'll Gate.
1t is believed now that the hull OF the
wrecked war ship has been located to a
nicely, and that by examining with care
treasure story may be settled definitely
at last.
And ii 1T proves true-this story OF
British guineas-the spectators will be
richly rewarded. The Hussar was 80
gun ship, and about 200 feet long. She
arrived here in Novemb er, 1880, III com
pany with the man-of-war Mercury. 10
gether they CARED 81, 500, GOO, which was
intended to pay off the British troops ID
America. The Mercury remained here,
and the Hussar, taking ON board the
treasure of her sister ship, set sail rcr
New London
Although the pilot was not very
familiar with the channel the captain
decided to save some time by taking a
short cut in passing Hell Gate. ne
Hussar struck sunken reef, and as she
was badly damaged her commander de-
cided to run her ashore.
She had taken on board 70 prisoners oil
war from the prison ship before leaving
New York, and as her hold was filled
with stores they had been chained to the
gun deck. AS their fate wass little con-
sequence the captain did not release
them, but kept his crew at work IN an
attempt to get the Hussar to the peach
before she foundered.
Hawsers were ca FRIED ashore and fas-
tened to trees, and an attempt was made
to warp the vessel in, but before mucn
progress had been made she filled, heeled
over, tore up the trees by the roots and
sank in so feet of water, drowning hei
manacIed prisoners Some or the crew
escaped.
From that time forward stories of the
Hussar's sunken guineas led to all sorts
of attempts to acquire sudden wealth by
their recovery. A British company sept
two briggs to the spot in 1919, but the
United States government refused to
permit them to anchor over the treasure.
Later on attempts were made to blow
up the wreck with dynamite, but up. to
date-unless some lucky and secretlve
individual hid success and fortune un-
der the guise of failure-the guineas
have been undistur bed.
/ here is one story that has always
caused the treasure seekers some uneasl-
ness. It is to the effect that the Hussal
was wrecked Intentionally, and that
her treasure was carried away by men
who hatched the plot under her ensign.
Mr.. Thomas and his suction pump,
however, are new. and he at least be-
lieves that he will pump up something
more valuable than the rusty buttons
and water buckets which have rewarded
the treasure seekers vino have preceded
him.