SUNKEN TREASURE.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1299, 30 November 1911, Page 4

SUNKEN TREASURE.

SUCCESSFUL SALVING OF THE LIJTINE. The latest attempts at salving the treasure in H.M.S. Lutine, a 36-gnn frigate, which was wrecked off the island of Vlieiand ou October 9, 1709, appear to have met with considerable success. Tho frigate was on her way to Hamburg freighted with gold and silver bars and coin of tho total value of .£1,200,000, of which iEHO.OOO was for the payment, of the King's troops, then stationed on tho island of Texel, the balance being to relieve the merchants of Hamburg, who were financially embarrassed owing to the depression of tho money market caused by tho wars. Various attempts have been made to recover the treasure, and up to the present over .£IOO,OOO has been taken from the wreck. ' The sand both outside and inside ihe vessel has been removed, and the divers can walk along her lower hold forward. Amidships there aro about 150 tons of iron ballast, aft of which wero cannonballs to the depth of five or six feet. The vessel's magazine was situated in the between-decks, and when her after part collapsed, the cannon-balls, timber, powder, etc., fell on to the gold and silver bars, burying them. It was found necessary to use dynamite in the removal of the cannon-balls, and in the middle of September several charges were used with excellent results, two tiers of cannon-balls being removed. As each tier is taken away more and more coins aro found, indicating that the treasure lies under this mass of iron, which, owing to the action of the salt water, has become solid.