The Irish standard., 1898-11-19

cept the fact as conclusive evidence
against it's present existence. 1t is
difficult matter to fix the position of
any ship exactly on chart. Compass
deviation, or trif1ing errors in the ad-
justment of a sextant, may easily make
difference of several miles. Then,
again, these islands are probably the
most unfrequented portion of the
earth's surface. don't know of a spot
SO seldom visited as the Ladrones; the
government itself only communicates
with them four times year. Now,
that galleon would have been ap-
preaching from almost due east, maxi
ing for Guajan-Port San Luis d Apra.
The prevailing winds, being no'theas'
to cas-, would drift the coral frag-
ments over to west t'ard, forming shoal
lagoon and breaking an entrance to
1t on the lee side. In that case, ship
under fair headway would either drive
firmly on to the first bold ledge or
shove herself over the ridge into the
lagoon. So that, reasoning from pure
theory, the chances are against her
having sunk along the more precipit-
Gus face. which may go straight down
thousand fathoms or more. The same
prevailing no'theasterly wind and
waves which break and scatter the
coral grit to leeward would have
tendency to crumble the deposit on a
hulk in the same direction, leaving one
side, or one end, more or less exposed.
If Nuestra Sonora de Sevilla was head
ing about west when she struck, with
the intention of just clearing Cocos
reef at the south end Of Guajan, and IL
she lodged firmly in that position when
she sank, her for'ard part would be
pretty we'll sealed in with coral, but
the high poop, where most of the specie
was carried, might not have more
than an inch or two of incrustation.
theoretically, the possibilities of re-
covering any of that money amount to
this: If the Santa Rosa reef exists to-
day as it did in 1863, If that galleon
drove upon 1t as have been figuring
out, II man were provided with div
ing apparatus which would enable him
to make a careful and protracted ex-
animation of the ledge under water,
also pick and cartridges to work with.
and if 1t were possible to preserve alb
sclute secrecy as to his operations, or
to transport the stuff without exciting
suspicion, there's just about one chance
IN thousand that he might get as far
as civilized country with it. AS for
taking any Of the natives into his con-
fidence-well, the old navigators
named them Ladrones' when the
islands were discovered. That means
thieves in English, and from my ex-
perience there last voyage I should say
the hereditary taint is not yet extinct.
They're peaceable lot generally, but
you can't depend upon them. In 1883
and 1890 the Kanakas at Yap murdered
every Spaniard in the place, just after
that affair in which the German war;
ship Hits tried to grab the Carolines
for the kaiser"
That's pretty formidable lot of
ifs should say. How many people
do you suppose know anything about
this particular wreck?"
"That depends how often Padre
Julian has talked Of 1t In his cups.
When he found that he must have said
something to me about the affair dur
Ing one OF his irresponsible periods, he
attempted to pass it off as yarn; then
he shut up on the subject like clam.
doubt his having an idea that it would
be possible to recover anything from
the galleon, or that he thinks the mat
ter anything more than church Sc
cret which his regulations would for
bid him to reveal. In that case. posi-
bly, two other priests besides himself
may know Of the facts; but 1t isn't
likely that they have disturbed the old