The San Francisco call., 1904-03-07

ID the RtO. L mace the discovery or
her location myself. after diving
around in different spot off the point.
| have always believed she was lying
off there near those rocks, and now l
have proved it. We have brought UP
pieces of timber from the wreck that
bear the name of the ship in plain let
terS.
The ship is lying on her side,
wedged between two great rocks.
There is such heavy list that it is
hard work walking on deck, which is
covered with mud and very slippery.
Now, if we are to succeed in our
enterprise we must have the best pos
sible facilities for our work. l worked
for time with a launch called the
GaZelle, but that was too small, and |
have just got a new and larger boat.
l intend to fit up this craft with all
the latest appliances for wrecking in
cluding electric lights for submarine
work and the very best air pumps and
the like. 1t is too soon to tell whether
we shall need to pump sand out of
the hold. My work up to the present
time has been confined to making such
exploration of the deck as we could
and to bringing up the few loose
articles found on it, Our facilities
were too limited to permit us to do
more, but we know where the Rio is
and have marked her position. Those
buoys you saw out there are anchored
down on each side of the wreck, not
fastened to the ships masts."
COLLINS PARTNERS.
Collins showed some uncertainty as
to his rights in the matter of salving
the Rio or her cargo and said he was
in doubt as to the attitude of the Gov
ernment toward such an enterprise.
He had visited several marine insur-
ance offices, he declared, but could
get no information. as to any claims
upon the ship or cargo that might be
made by the companies. His new boat
is in charge of Captain John Ross, a
well-known water front man, who was
formerly in the employ of the White
law Wrecking Company and thus has
some experience in similar work.
Collins other partners in the un-
dertaking include a diver named
Eloise and other persons of small capi-
tai. Collins himself gave as little in
formation about them as possible, say
ing:
THE public is welcome to all it can
learn about this thing. but 1 do not
intend to make our plans known"
POSSIBLE PROFITS.
If Collins has really discovered the
Rio, as he firmly believes. he and his
partners are doubtless in a way to
make a handsome stake. The rights
Of sslvors in such a case were stated
last night to The Call by Charles Page
of Page, McCutchen & Knight, attor-
neys Mr. Page is well known as an
authority upon maritime law, and his
connection with the litigation over the
Rio as counsel for the ship owners
especially qualities him to speak on
the case in point. He said:
whoever finds the Rio will be en-
titled to salvage on so much Of the
ship and her cargo as he may be able
to recover The legal title to both ship
and cargo remains in the owners as
before the wreck, except as effected by
insurance. If the insurance companies
paid a total loss on either ship or
cargo then they are holders of the legal
title to the ship, If saved or the cargo,
if raised. Ny recollection is that the
snip was EoI insured at Ill, Wllle the
cargo was insured and paid for by the
companies as a total loss.
"If 1 am correct in this then the
salvors would look to the Pacific Mail
Steamship Company for salvage on so
much of the ship al might be recov-
cred and to the owners of the cargo. IL
anything of value is raised from the
hold. The courts would act as arbiter
on all questions of value and after
awarding the salNors their expenses
would allow them liberal share of the
value OF their recovery"
The possibilities of salvage on the
cargo of silks, rice, tea and opium car
ried by the Rio on her fatal voyage
are. Of course. small after three years
under water. The wreckers, however
are counting on the recovery Of the
bullion which they believe to have been
in the ship when she went down. I'm
mediately after the wreck the amount
of this was stated to have been $780,
900. The Pacific Mail officials have
denied that any specie was aboard the
Rio on her last voyage. but a large
part of the public has steadfastly re-
fused to accept this denial. and Collins
and his fellow wreckers are working In
hopes of recovering a fortune in coin
which, they are sure, now lies at the
bottom of the Golden Gate.