Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-09-02
Hunting Treasure Under Channel

ing apparatus. but for some reason 1t
did not come into common use
McDuffee had simply constructed a
strong, steel case of heavy duralinium
rings, with smaller eases for the arms
and legs. and although a little water
leaked through the knee joints, he had
perfected a way of blowing 1t out with
compressed air.
A German company took McDufee's
idea, and. after working over 1t for ten
years built a practical model which
differs from It very little.
The new continuance has tremendous
advantages over the old-fashioned cam
vas suit, and. as BurnmeiSter walked
around the wreck of the Egypt at a
depth OF 800 feet. he did not have TO
depend on getting his air supply from
above through a fragile rubber pipe,
which might be torn loose or chewed
by sea monster at any moment. He
carried tube of oxygen inside his case.
sufficient to last for many hours, and
he remained in the same atmospheric
pressure as above, so that he could
descend or ascend as rapidly as he
wished IF he wished to float up TO the
surface without assistance he blew out
the water in his ballast tanks with conn
pressed air. and then rose like bird,
We have now overcome the difficult
lies caused the diver by the pressure of
The water, at least down to 1000 feet. "
he said after his innumerable deScentS
of Brest What divers need now is
better lights and better means of using
ones hands In this outfit We must
keep our hands inside our case and
work with pinchers and hooks which IS
awkward The submarine currents and
shifting sands are also troublesome,
but they will never be overcome,
The French company incurred great
expense in locating the wreck. II had
Two big tugs drag n half mile steel rope
along the bDttom Of the channel at
various places, and then, when this
rope caught on the wreck, the tugs
crossed each Others tracks winding the
rope around the wreck, But 1t broke
or slipped looSe time after time. and
the diver Gould not so doWp unless he
had the guide rope To follow.
BurnmeiStCr was equipped with a
powerful electric blowpipe for cutting
through the liners steel plates-~Jules
Verne never even dreamed of a diver
sitting on the bottom of the channel
and cutting open a treasure ship with
a tongue Of flame--and he was abSo-
uteIy confident Of success.
Then the weather became stormy,
the French company became discour
aged, and the work was abandoned
But to whom does this treasure which
is coming closer and closer to mans
reach every year, belong?
Harry Rowdoln claims that sunken
treasure belongs to any one who finds II,
but when the French company decided
10 try To salvage 1t, the officers made
am arrangement with Lloyds. @the un-
ferwriters, whereby they would take So
per cent and flOyds IS per cent
Lloyds, which insured the lost coin
and bullion for the extremely low rate
OF one shilling Q pence per 100
pounds sterling. paid the fun amount Of
| 0a4 900 pounds when the ship was
lost. and declares that 1t certainly be-
longs tn that organization.
ON the other hand, Lloyds willingly
offer any one who RECEIVERS the treasure
half OF 1t, and even this Is a tidy SUM
International law seems To be con-
fiicting on this subject, and, IN fact,
there has never been test case OF any
importance since international courts
were established English Judges would
uns ulttedly uphold Iloyds claims. but
would the courts Of another country do
the aamrP
II the wreck could be broken open,
the treasure would he easy enough 10
take out n is packed away in hoo
stout oaken chests, and these will hold
together for many years yet
And there It lies, under only 500 feet
II water. waiting only for an ingenious
man to come and take 1t,