GOLD DUST.

Shannon News, 14 July 1925, Page 4

GOLD DUST.

TREASURE TROVE FOUND. IN LONDON'S RUBBISH BINS. A BACKYARD SPECULATOR. Spurred by the success attending the salvaging of the gold which went down in the Laurentic, speculators are seriously considering the problem of bringing to the surface the Untold treasure which has lain at the bottom of the harbour of Navarino ever since the Turkish fleet was sunk there by the Allied Fleets under Admiral Codrington early in the last century. There is a vastness and a splendour about such a project as this which stirs the imagination, to say nothing of the atmosphere of romance which surrounds it. But there are other and less remote sources of treasure trove than those which lie under the silt of distant seas. Money in Wembley Lake. Even the ornamental lake at Wemley has repaid investigation. When it was recently dredged in prepara- j tion for the opening of the Exhibition, the workmen found reasonably large quantities of money and other more or : less valuable things which had been lost by revellers. It is quite easy to understand tha' when Edwin puts his arm round gelina's waist, and she exclaims, "Oh, Mr Higgins, ain't you terrible!" and ie ornamental boat begins to rock it is as likely as not that her purse will be dropped overboard. And even though there may not have been a great deal in it. there \yere a great many Angelinas on the lake at on:time or another, - so that the total monetary deposit 'on its bed was not altogether negligible. But one need not go even .as far as Wembley in search of treasure. The wise man bides _ nearer home, an<? searches the dust-bins. His profit is such that he need no; envy the dealer in old furniture who occasionally—very occasionally—findi a ''oil of ancient banknotes between the back and the seat of a secondhand sofa or a few old coins in the secret draw of a desk. Hi's returns are not so great as this, taken individually; but though small considered as units, they are not so sporadic, and very much surer. Shreds and Patches. For these reasons Mr D. Sims, of Wick Road, in the East End of London, annually renews with great cheerfulness his contract with the, Hackney Borough Council by which, in return for' a payment of £2OO, he is permitted to search all the rubbish collected in the borough. Last year, it is true, was not as profitable as usual, because the weather was so wet. In wet weather, rags, which are the most valuable part of the refuse, get wet, weigh twice as much, and are consequently worth only half the money. And even rag.and bone dealers have, their pride; consequently they draw the line at wet rags. Jars, and-bottles are worth retrieving. Many of them go back to the firms" whence they tame, being sold in gross, cleaned, and set out on thenround again as containers of the pro-' ducts for which they were originally destined, Bones are collected and used in making glue, being sold for so much—or so little —a pound. Alarm Clocks Lost. But stranger finds than this are brought to light. Gold rings, brooches, and other articles of jewellery have been discovered, while top hats are frequent. A complete evening dress outfit; apparently the property of a waiter, was found. Knives, forks, spoons, salt-cellars and alarm clocks are numerous. One can understand an infuriated householder, in a fit of irritation, hurling his alarm clock into the dustbin, and then being afraid afterwards tp tell his wife about it, or too angry to'humiliate himself by recovering it personally. Most of the clocks merely need cleansing with paraffin to make them go again, whereupon they enter into trade once more. It would be interesting to speculate how many interludes in a dustbin fall to Ihe lot of the. average London suburban alarm clock. Purses, empty or otherwise; handbags, portmanteaux, scent bottles, toilet accessories, and gold and silver handled umbrellas all find their way into the dustbin. Perhaps the most curious discovery of all was the marriage certificate of a person of title.'