The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1911-03-15
MAY LIFT RICHES
FROM OCEAN BED
Scotch Navigator Has Completed
Device To Sweep Water Of
Sunken Treasure
BY ROBERT WILSON.

NORFOLK, Va, March 15.-The
sunkeu treasure on the bottom OF the
sea, in quantity SO vast that Rockefel-
ler's fortune shrinks to 30-cent dimen-
sions by comparison. may soon be any
body's for the picking up with the aid
OF marine device recently perfected by
Capt. Charles Williamson, Scotch
navigator, salver and ship builder OF
this port.
The device, q folding, flexible metal
tube with a widened chamber at the
bottom and capable OF being dropped
to any depth by the addition OF tube
units at the top, Is the result OF life
time of work and inventive genius.
Not to attempt too technical an ex-
PLANTATION, the tube is constructed OF a
series of steel annular rings connected
with close fitting armor-plate hinges
riveted side to side and folding In
ward. The outside is fitted with a skin
of heavy, waterproof canvas.
Capt. Williamson has a trial section
OF tube in operation from a barge In
Hampton roads. Recently his little
granddaughter and her school chums
climbed into the bo'n's chair and were
had doll party on the green floor OF
Chesapeake bay. For amusement they
watched the fishes bump their noses
against the thick port lights or the
chamber.
At once the mind flashes to the
sunken treasures OF the seas. Sunken
treasure is not dream. Buried treas
ure is often product of fertile imag-
ination. but the sunken ransoms OF
jewels and gold on the ocean bottoms
are as accurately located as the banks
on Wall-st. The photographic Office at
Washington publishes charts showing
the positions of thousands OF sunken
ships, many OF their waterlogged
hulks containing vast boards OF treas
ure. Anybody can get these charts
by application. Other governments
publish similar charts.
The mapped coasts of the world are
black with dots representing sunken
wrecks filed with wealth; wealth that
Is indestructible, too. Golden orna-
ments that sunk with Athenian ships,
ingots destined for the treasury OF
Pharaoh, the submerged cities OF the
Caribbean civilization, the wrecks OF
the Spanish armada caravels laden
with new world gold. galleons burden
ed with the tributes Of empires, clip
per ships, the prizes of free-booters
and privateers come to woc-their
treasures are still intact, guarded only
by skeletons.
But 1t Is not to,recovering lost treas
ures, or finding deep sea pearls or
washing placer gold from the rich silt
In the mouths of Alaskan rivers that
Capt. Williams sober mind turns. He
Is practical mariner and knows what
wealth Of salvage lies on the bottom
OF every busy bay in America and
Europe-the anchors and chains and
tackle that can be recovered and turn
ed into cash; the watersoaked logs on
the bottoms OF inland rivers; the pos
sibilities his apparatus gives for build
Ing bridges across deep water.
Practically all the invention con-
nected with the tube was completed
five years ago. The captain has spent
the time since taking out hundreds of
American and foreign patents to pro-
tect himself thoroughly before an
nouncing his invention. This Is the
first newspaper description Of the de-
vice he has allowed to be printed.