Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-02-26

Argyll by gathering in the treasure OF
that great ship of the Armada. the
Admiral Of Florence. sunk in Loeb
Duan. on the Scottish coast. and from
which the duke was preparing to fill
his depleted Golfers. 1t is also said
that the same three Yankees have
lifted" the gold sunk in the British
shin Lutine off the coast of Holland
thus getting ahead of the British gov
eminent, which had made a contract
with LloydS for the recovery of the
treasure. Three men from Philadel-
phia are said to have done the little
trick" and to have become millionaires
by their treasure hunting. The rumor
has now almost ceased to be rumor
merely. for people of standing declare
that they have information which can
be relied upon to the effect that the re-
markable story is true.
The Selling of these sunken millions
from under the noses of the Duke OF
Argyll and the British government
makes a story in which Robert Louis
Stevenson would have delighted, and
illustrates the Yankee characteristic
Of being "wideawake." The treasure
shipped in the Lutine hundred years
ago to aid Europe in her struggle
against Napoleon. and the gold. silver
and precious stones with which Philip
of Spain loaded the great Admiral OF
Florence when she set sail with the
Armada for the conquest OF England
over three hundred years ago are be-
lieved to be now, in part or IN whole.
either in Philadelphia or on their way
there. The ports they have reached is
far, far from the ports for which they
were intended. and the uses To when
the treasure will be put will be far re-
moved from the ones for which they
were designed.
The United states seems destined by
fate to be Nemesis to Spain. Having
seized upon her colonial empire. W"
now rifle even the treasure chests OF
her invincible Armada TO make 4
Philadelphia holiday The gold Of the
Lutine will never set squadron IN
the field" but at Newport and Atlantic
City its expenditure may contribute 10
the gayety of nations.
When the ships of the Armada which
British shot and British storms mad
left afoat went fleeing from Drake and
Howard around the northern end Of
Scotland there fed with them the great
treasure ship Admiral of Florence.
Cruising down along the wild ScotuSh
coast the mighty Admiral was wrecked
on the coast of Argyllshire and sunk
in not deep water in Loon Duan. an
inlet on that stormbeaten shore. A
hundred years ago the then Duke OF
Argyll began work on the wreck with
the intention of recovering her treas
ure But when he was informed that
the Crown would claim any and all
that he might find he stopped the work
ne had begun and said of the treasure.
Let it lie there" A hundred years
passed and there came a new Duke of
Argyll and new laws regarding treas
ure trove.
The Duke of Argyll who now reiGns
in the place of his fathers is the
brother-in-law of King Edward and
his estates spread over many thousand
acres, but he is poor-so poor that ne
had to let his ancestral castle OF
Inverary and curtail his living eN-
penses generally. Then it was that ne
thought of the treasure of the Admiral
Of Florence and determined to recoup
the fortunes of his ancient house by
gathering the gold and precious stones
from beneath the waves OF Loon Duah'
He began to make elaborate prep
arations for exploring the wreck ana
his intentions in the matter were pup-
lished widely in the newspapers ana
formed the theme of gossip in club ana
drawing room.
At the same time it became widely
known that the British government
after nearly a century of negotiation
with Holland, finally acquired az!
rights in the wreck or the suhheli
Iutine and made contract Win
Ilovds to recover the treasure Whltil
WAS in her when she went down All
the details of the location and hiStor!
Of these two famous sunken treasure
ships were published far and Wlde ana
the knowledge regarding them became
public property
rheu three men, smoking their cigars
after dinner in u club in Phlladelphla,
talked of the golden Admiral Oh
Florence and the no less gotten
Imtine. AS they talked nfoJ-
cct gradually shaped itself, ana ~
before many days. a swift steam
Yacht bound for European waters
n9ssed out by the capes Of Delaware
with the three men board. Meantime
the Duke of Argyll and Iloyds We're
preparing to get TO work. heN
We're waiting LOT nice. ldli' SUNNI
weather but the men from Phlladel-
phia waited for nothing. one month
ago a trim. American-bullt yacht
steamed into the harbor of Bouloghe'
The name on her stern was the John
silver and the paint Of the lettering
vas hardly dry. for it was Il new name
the cid one. perhaps. being too Well
known. In the light of subsequent
cents the name is significant. for
John Silver was the name of the
wicked pirate in SteVenSons story OF
Treasure Island. He it was who used
to sing of
Fifteen men on the dead mans chest,
70. ho' and bottle of rum.
Three Yankees came ashore from the
John Silver. They had money and
they used it freely. The yacht never
was questioned by the port authorities
and John Silver. or another. the name
did not matter. The day after their
arrival they were met by three other
men, one of whom was recognized IS
diver from Brest. Several great boxes
We're taken on board and the seamen
Of the port learned in some way that
ha NJ h1I nl.,l, f.,p