The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1896-02-15
LOSS OF THE LUTINE.
MORE THAN ST ,ooo, 600 WENT TO The
BOTTOM OF The SEA-


Soon Died--of the Vast Treasure $780,
600 Has Been Observation-Disclosures Op
eratious Under Way 10 Secure the Rest.
There IL an oaken chair in the Office Of
Lloyds', in London, the great maritime
firm, which has strange and romantic
history. 1t was made from the rudder
Of the kings ship Lutine. which, in
1893, was wrecked in the North sea,
with the largest amount of goldbpn board
that ever went TO the bottom. The sec
retary Of Lloyds' recently gave to the
public an interesting account Of this
wreck and of the numerous attempts TO
find her lost treasure. The Lutine was
SO gun frigate, captured from the French
In 1898.
"In the autumn Of 1899 il was neces-
sary TO send large amount Of specie
across the North sea, and, as usual, ap
plication was made to the admiralty for
kings ship. This method Of conveyance
was thought the best guarantee for hon
esty, the best assurance against capture
by foreign foes. Although some money
is supposed TO have been transmitted by
the Lutine to pay British troops then
serving in Holland. the bulk OF the
treasure was forwarded for purely com
mercial reasons.
"London merchants trading with
north Germany in those days were in
the habit Of sending their goods and
then drawing bills for their value upon
Hamburg and other houses at so many
months ahead. By the time the bills fell
due the goods had been sold for cash.
which was paid into the banks to meet
engagements. But protracted frost in
the early part of 1899 had so long seal
| ed the Elbo that the merchandise had
been detained ice bound and could not
| be landed or disposed Of in time.
| 1.-The London traders, TO save their
credit and escape the expense of protest,
| providing new bills and other probable
| commercial disasters, resolved TO send
/ cash across TO cover their drafts as they
came TO maturity. So grave was the
crisis. so great the sum TO be embarked.
that q kings ship was asked, and near
" every banking firm in Lombard street
dispatched member in charge of its
own cash contribution.
Moreover. as many legal questions
might arise, AL experienced notary-his
name is preserved. Mr.. Schabrach-was
secured to accompany the party and ad-
wise in any difficulty. The precious car
go was insured principally at Lloyds'
Various ideas, aud nothing quite
authoritative. prevail as 10 the exact
amount ON board the Lutine. Some say
the specie, which was in coins Of all
sorts, gold and silver, guineas, golden
| piasters, double louis dor, Slciltar
goldpieces, silver piasters and dollars
also in gold and silver narss reached |
total value of upward of a million.
"In October Of that year the Lutin
was ordered round 10 Yarmouth TO TAX
treasure ON board and proceed to tin
Elbe Her captain was one Lancelo
| Skynner, R. n. .an officer of distinction
and no doubt his mission was much L
his taste. The short voyage was likel,
to bring him considerable profit, for i
was the rule TO pay naval captains
commission Of l per cent on the tota
value embarked
"On the evening Of the 9th Of October
the Lutine lay in Yarmouth roads will
merry party on board. The captain
no doubt in excellent spirits, had giver
grand ball to the leading people in ant
| about Yarmouth. The last of the guestl
had hardly gone ashore when peremp
tory orders came fIom the admiralty
that the Lutine should forthwith go Il
sea. She sailed in the early morning O
the 9Th, and from that time very LITTLE
was heard of her.
lit is, however, known that she steer
: ed a straight course for Cuxhaven, a
the mouth of the Elbe, wind strcnl
from north northwest, and greatly II
favor After landing passengers ant
treasure the Lutine was 10 convoy flee
of merchantmen To the Baltic.
"Soon after midnight, going free ant
under full press Of sail. she struck ON tn
outer bank Of the island of Vlielan
tFlyland), the next to the Texel an
: one of the ring of isiapds that hem tn
, mouth of the Zuyder Zee. She mus
have been slightly out of the course, an
it is said that there was a strong lee It'd
running. During the night she wen
: down with oil ON board. Another king
ship, the Arrow, Captain Portlock, wa
a in company, but she could give no help
nor the 'scoots or fishing boats of tn
coast, and when day broke there was u
Lutine. Only two survivors were pickle
up by Dutch lugger at daylight cling
: ing to the wreckage, one Of whom die
j almost Immediately, and the other. MI
Schabrach, the notary, very soon aftei
Q ward died. but not until he had told tl
: little he knew.
Repeated efforts have been made
recover the money. In the year imm'
diately following, when the whole thin
was fresh and before the sand had silte
or drifted over the wreck, the Dutcnme
Q fished MP some e55, 600. Then more sy'
tematic and some really costly effort
: were made, and by 1879 another ESQ
!, 900 was recovered.
1.-The present operations were begu
9 in 1892 by an English engineer. Nj
u Fletcher, who had been engaged ON I'll
Q Dutch coast in raising asunken dredge
He became interested in the Lutine, an
u associating himself with another EN-
uent engineer. Mr.. Rinipple, they hay
approached the business IN a novel wa.
Their idea is to clear the ship of sam
but TO incloso her in central area
~ dock faced by sandbags, which will pr
vent further sitting. while they ransa'
!. the interior Of the wreck by divers. Th
= area is 200 feet in diameter, from whi'
the sand will he removed by powerf
suction dredgers. - New Orloa