The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-02-15

mitted by the Lutine to pay British
troops then serving in Holland, the bulk
Of the treasury was forwarded for purely
commercial 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 1893 had so
long sealed the Elbe that the merchan-
dice had been detained ice bound aid
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, 30 great the sum to be embarked,
that kings ship was asked, and nearly
every banking firm in Lombard street
dispatched a member in charge of its
own cash contribution.
Moreover, as many legal questions
might arise, an 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, and nothing quite au
thoritative, prevail as to the exact am
cunt on board the Lutine. Some say
the specie, which was in coins of all
sorts, gold and silver, guineas, golden
piasters, double louis dor, Sicilian, gold
pieces, silver piasters and dollars, also
in gold and silver bars, reached total
value of upward of million.
"In October Of that year the Lutine
was ordered round to Yarmouth to take
treasure on board and proceed to the
Elbe. Her captain was one Lancelot
Skynner, r. N, an officer of distinction,
and no doubt his mission was much to
his taste. The short voyage was likely
to bring him considerable profit, for it
was the rule to pay naval captains
commission of l per cent on the total
value embarked.
ION the evening of the 9TH of October
the Lutine lay in Yarmouth roads with
merry party on board. The captain no
doubt in excellent spirits. had given
grand ball to the leading people in and
about Yarmouth. The last of the guests
had hardly gone ashore when peremp.
tory orders came from the admiralty
that the Lutine should forthwith go to
sea. She sailed in the early morning of
the 9th, and from that time very little
was heard of her.
ut is, however, known that she steer
ed straight course for Cuxhaven. at
the mouth Of the Elbe. wind strong from
north northwest. and greatly in favor.
After landing passengers and treasure
the Lutine was to convoy feet of mer-
chantmen to the Baltic.
"Soon after midnight, going free and
under full press of sail, she struck on
the outer bank Of the island of Vlieland
| (Flyland) the next to the Texel and one
of the ring of islards that hem the
mouth of the Zuyder Zee She must
have been slightly out of the course,
and it is said that there was a strong
lee tide running. During the night she
went down with all on board. Another
kings ship. the Arrow. Captain Port
lock, was in company. but she could
give no help, nor the SCOTS or fishing
boats OF the coast. and when day broke
there was no Lutine. Only two survi-
vors were picked up by a Dutch lugger
at daylight clinging to the wreckage,
one of whom died almost Immediately,
and the other. Mr.. Schabrach, the no.
tary, very soon afterward died, but not
until he had told the little he knew.
Repeated efforts have been made to
recover the money, In the year imme-
diately following, when the whole thing
was fresh and before the sand had silt
ed or drifted over the wreck, the Dutch
men fshed up some e55.OOO. Then
more systematic and some really costly
efforts were made, and by 1879 an
other $4,000 had been recovered.
"The present operations we're begun
in 1892 by an English engineer, Mr..
Fletcher, who had been engaged on the
Dutch coast in raising sunken dredger.
He became interested in the Lutine,
and associating himself with another
eminent engineer, Mr.. Rinipple, they
have approached the business in a nov.
ell way. Their idea is to clear the ship
of sand, but to inclose her in central
area or dock faced by sandbags, which
will prevent further sitting, while they
ransack the interior of the wreck by
divers. This area is 200 feet in diameter,
from which the sand will be removed by
powerful suction dredgers.-Neac Or
leans Times Democrat.
MILLIONS OF VALENTINES.