SUNKEN MILLIONS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17685, 24 July 1919, Page 6

SUNKEN MILLIONS

NEW EBA IN TREASURE HUNTING.

Expeditions for recovering lost wealth from the sea have already lured the adventurous. And to-day (remarks the Dailv Mad) this kind of enterprise oilers greater attractions tiian ever. Treasure seekers need no longer waste their energies in search of mythical pirate hoards or legendary Spanish galleons. Many millions' worth of property have gone down during the past four and a-halt years. While wan- Lasted the Admiralty kept all salvage work in their own hands. But they have now decided to reopen it to civilian enterprise and to coniine naval plant to work on the Belgian coast. As a result private organisations such as the Liverpool Salvage Association are restaa-ting as quickly as they can. Now companies are also being formed, for the scope of opportunity is world-wide, and holds promise of riclt- reward.

Thero exists no difficulty in finding "prospects"' to get to work upon. Around such promontories as Beachy Head the seabottom is thickly laden with simken vessels. It is the tame in part of. the Mediterranean, off tho Irish coast, in the North Sea, tho Baltic, and the White Sea. Whereever a prominent "landfall" exists, by which U-boats could wait far prey, wrecks may be found in plenty. Hundreds are so deeply submerged that tho hulls cannot be raised, though theiir cargoes may be recovered. But in hundreds of other cases both ships and contents are salvablo. These jobs will be taken in hand first. They aro not only the more profitable, but also the most important nationally—we badly need the tonnage they represent So pressing did our need of merchant tonnage become during the wax that tho Admiralty assembled tho largest salvage plant ever formed. This was placed tinder tho direction of Commodore F. W. Young, 1 v.N.It., and by means of this were raised between 400 and 500 vessels, representing l a value approximately £40,000,000. To expedite salvage generally the Admiralty ia selling some of the salvage ships to private firms, keclping only sufficient to complete the work being done for Belgium, reopening her ports and inland wiaterways, blocked by the Huns.