Washington sentinel., 1899-11-11
- 49,, SENTINEL
Sunken Treasure.
SYreH.

.SYyeH.
Ofthe manifold alleged money
making schemes submitted 10 the
notice OF an omnivorous and often
gullible public, there is none which
possesses such fascination and
plausibility as that which seeks to
recover sunken treasure. 1t would
seem as If the powerful imagery OF
"Clarence's Dream" has become
ingrained into the English method
Of looking at this matter:
MethouRht | saw
Wedges of gold, great anchors, heaps OF
pearl,
Inestimable stones. unvalut jewels,
All scattered in the bottom of the sea,
The gruesome side Of the picture
appears to be dIsregaTded-how OF
this sunken wealth
Some lay in dead mems skull. and in
those holes
Where ewes did once inhabit, there we're
crept
CAS- 'twere in scDrn OF eves) rejecting
gems,
Th twoo d the shiny bottom OF the deep,
And mocked the dead bones that lay
scattered by.
Submarine treasure seekers do
not seriously consider the possibil-
i,y oil such accomplishments to the
mispla =ed wealth which strews the
sea floor. They are regarded as
quite a matter OF detail, Of no more
import to the gold, silver or specie
than is the matrix surrounding a
precious metal dug out Of the
earth. II would be interesting in
deed 10 know how much treasure
has been squandered on the ocean
floor, not only from wrecked and
sunken vessels, but also in the
futile attempts TO recover the same.
The wonder is that in these DAYS,
when any clever appeal to cupid
itY-which Is more or less cevel-
oped in all of us-[ is generally
successful the willy company pro-
moter has not sought to s Id has
gold mine in obtaining capital to
exploit these sunken treasure
ships. OF such wrecks there are
legion. Think OF the treasure re-
covered from the sunken wreck of
the Royal Charter, homeward
bound from Australia with a
freight Of successful diggers and
their hard won gold. Or take the
case of HM,S. Lutine, lost with
the pay OF an army on board, and
which has furnished spoil to the
submarine treasure seekers for
over a century. II tradition, too,
is to be believed, the sunken gal
Icons Of the Spanish Armada must
have literally strewn our western
shores with stores Of gold and sill
yer, either in coin or plate
The Marquis Of Lorne, in treat
ing Of the historic legends Of the
western Highlands, has something
very Interesting to say about one
Of these more or less apocryphal
craft, the Admiral OF Florence.
This vessel was built and fitted out
by Tuscany. and, after the failure
Of the invincIble feet to conquer
England, she drifted with other
great galleons up the North Sea
land beyond" and was ultimately
blown up, either by accident, de-
sign. or treacheryD in Loch Duan,
and that in comparatively shallow
water. In the work of the MARQUIS
OF LoTne alluded to, he mentions
that he has a map, published in
1880, and showing where the wreck
lies. MacCallum More claimed
territorial rights over the site OF
the wreck, which was supposed to
have on board much specie, 3d., lor
the use OF the feet. Highland and
Lowland clansmen seem TO have
made common cause against Mac
Callum in their efforts to tap thIs
submerged gold mine, but the ter
rtorial magnate was too strong
tor them. In 1878, the Lord High
Admiral, the Duke OF York, laid
claim co This unfound treasure
troVe but lost the day. hen the
MacCallum employed a man with
adIving bell to recover the treasure.
he succeeded in rescuing from
the sea bed some cannon, and then,
through the hostility OF the Null
islanders, he was forced to aban-
don his task. Then these nautical
bones OF contention had a rest.
But to quote from the MARQUIS
again: mot long ago a Scandi.
navian vessel cast anchor on the
spot, and IN the fiuke OF the an
chor, when drawn up, was a Span
ish doubloon." Here IS a chance
for those who would become speed
Ily rich; for ii the reputed treasure
were aboard that ship when she
sank it cannot now be far away
from the spot where she found her
last resting place on the sea bed.
But Scotland, Ireland and the
Isle Of Man are notthe only coasts
which are guided with the good red |
gold Of Spain. From Vigo TO
Cadiz lie numerous treasure ships |
sunk by the might ol the English |
BULLDOGS. Much has been recov-
cred from Vigo Bay, but none from
the plate ships sunk by Blake near
Cadiz. The two which he captured |
were wealthy ships, and enriched |
the royal mint. in spite OF 'leak- |
age" by the way, to the extent Of |
three quarters Of million. Some
day, perhaps, when the recovery
OF sunken treasure shall have pro |