LUSITANIA TREASURE HUNT

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 219, 16 January 1917, Page 6

LUSITANIA TREASURE HUNT

PROPERTY OF ENORMOUS VALUE IN THE LOST SHIP. Secret plans are being niadc„ both in England and the United States to recover the treasure which went down in the Lusitania. It is believed that the money, jewels and other, valuables are worth at least £1,000,000, and apparently all this vast treasure is free to anyone who can raise it. Even the possibility of salving the Lusitania herself is being considered, but no definite plans for this bold enterprise can be made until divers hat c examined hen condition, probably next spring. The position of the ship eight miles off the Old Head of Ivinsale has been charted with great exactitude, and she lies 270 feet down. Such a depth a few years ago would have rendered salvage work practically unthinkable, but modern diving apparatus has made it possible for divers to work at that and. even greater depth for considerable periods of time at a stretch. This was demonstrated in the raising of the United States submarine F-4, which sank outside Honolulu harbour on March 25, 1915, and was refloated and towed into harbour on August 29 of the same year. She lay on a slope of the ocean bed with her bow 2SS feet oclow the surface and her stern 306 teet: yet divers worked in fair comfort .jt these depths, and thereby established u world’s record. The Lusitania's depth of 270 feet does not present the difficulties that the E-l did. although there is one disadvantage in the temperature of the water, that off Honolulu being much warmer than off the coast of Ireland. The 270 feet depth is said to be the maximum, and proper allowance should be made for her height on. beam, depend ing on whether she is lying fairly upeight or ou her side. Her beam is over eighty feet and her height approximately the same. This, it was contended, would considerably reduce the depth at which it would be necessary for the divers to work. If lying fairly upright there would be no difficulty in retrieving the contents of the strong room, which is near Hie purser’s office on one of the upper decks. The belongings of the wealthy passengers would present even less difficulty, as they would be higher up on the promenade decks. The holds wherein are the passengers ’ baggage arc on a level with the letter deck, which is above the vessel’s water line, 31 feet above the keel. Lying on hen side would offer perhaps even more advantages of operation, as access would •be easv to various parts of the vessel, even to the cargo holds