TREASURE TROVE-

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1384, 9 March 1912, Page 6

TREASURE TROVE-

THE WRECK OF THE GENERAL GRANT. Si T«le«rail>.—Sueelal Oerr«i»»nieatJ Auckland, March 7. There is in Auckland • just now the steamer Wairoa, of 95 tons gross register, which has been purchased from Macklow Brothers by Mr. E. C. May, an American business man, who is financing an expedition to Aucklanl Island with the object of recovering treasure and cargo- which went down in the sailing ship General Grant in 1864. In a few days tho Wairoa will leave Auckland for Dunedin to bo fitted out, and as little time as possible will be lost in starting on the expedition. Tho' proposition may appear to eavour of romance, but Mr. May assured a representative of the "Star" this morning that it is puroly a coolly calculated matter of dollars. u "About twelve months ago," he eaid, "Captain Sorensen, who woe formerly in. the employ of the Auckland .:Harbour Board, ana has been interesting himself id the prospects of salving the Genera] Grant cargo for 35 years, was introduced to me in New York,- and as a result of what he told mo I calculated that there was good profit in the venture, more : es-

ptcially u the cost of conducting the expedition will be less than in any other case of which I know,, and I have, been engaged in this sort of business , all my life. Captain Sorensen and I.arrived in Now Zealand in October last,.and we have einco boen making our preparations., Ho wil) act as the diver." ■ . It was ascertained'that about 18 men will.be taken oj> the Wairoa, which will be in command of Captain Perriam, and all the necessary machinery has been- made in Australia. ■ ■ ■ . "There havo been seven, previous expeditions from New; Zealand," said Mr. May, "but they' havo ill. worked from the- sea, side of the cave into which' tho General Grant was driven after her foundering. To bo successful, the salvaging should bo done from landward, and that is what I propose doing.? Questioned as to the value of tho cargo Mr. Hay said that it was insured for ■filCj.OflO. and he purchased full rights from the insurance companies. "I have positive information," ho said, "that there was about -£500,000 worth of bullion on-■ tho vessel, and outside this the cargo will bo worth about £100,000. There were 2G balk of wool, d largo number of hides and pelts, 720 pieces of Myal wood, and other things. Some- people have'told me'thnt it' will bo spoilt, but I think I know better, than that." . There were only 15 survivors of the General..Grant, and from.what they staged it- is firmly believed .that a'large'amount of gold was being taken to England br some; 68 miners v.-lio were .returning- from tho Australian poldfield?. If. correct, this supposition adds to the value of the sunken treasure. At any rate, if it is recovered it should well repay the onterprisfr of the promoters in risking between .EiJ,OOO and £15,000 !on the undertaking. The Waifoa will proceed to Port Ro c s Harbour, near to tho scene of the wreak, which is about 2!- hours run from New Zealand; Auckland -Island is uninhabited. The only signs of life thereon are Wild cattle;, which havo been running. there during the past fifty yenrs. Tho island is about 25 miles in length, and averages from two to twelve miles in width.