MONEY IN SUNKEN HULLS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 249, 20 April 1912, Page 10

MONEY IN SUNKEN HULLS

Evidently fortune hunters these days want something easier than delving at the bottoms of ttie oceans, lakes, etc., for sunken treasure, ships. Tbev have undoubtedly become aware that the sea has its own system of retaining whatever it took the trouble to relegate to Davy Jones' locker, and as the years go by one hears less and less of companies organised and private parties spending their money and time on ventures witih such remote prospects. But still there are man? persons who believe m the eventual discovery of the hiding place of one or more of these treasure hulls, and occasionally we hear of a hopeful who has become possessc-d of "dope" tending to 'be an exact chart of the location of a famous sunken bulion ship and not long after we hear of 'him again as returning from a fruitless search for these riches.

There are very few authentic treasure ships which still lie at. the bottom of the ocean and 'which the more hopeful treasure /hunters believe will some day be discovered. Xot the least of these is the L Orient, sunk off the African coast somewhere, and reported to have stowed .way m her chests some three million uolutis m gold and jewel#. Ancient Spanish records are authority for a large number of vessels lost with S:i™;r s ■ of «° w - siivpr «»<• jewels, but there is a very slight chance that any of them will ever be discovered. However, expeditions in search of these treasure ships often prove pleasant and healthy excursions for some enthusiastic hunters of riches. sunl-e?" ha V II,V , 1,6 sai(l, ' l,owev er, that sunken vessels do not yield profit, especially in these days, when, with the impioved methods of salvage, it is an easy matter to raise a ship that is sunk, even n very deep water, if the muckers have knowledge of the exact location of the hull It is said that nearly 2000 vessels aie lost each year, and estimating the combined loss of vessels and. caries the .-JSC

fitJw ; thCT T forc - that the only protained T ™i ™ overin ß w,la t is conta ned sunken ships i s that employed by the up-to-date salvage companies. A gieat percentage of the marine losses is suflered on the chain of Great Lakes. ' n Hummer passes hut there are in numeral,le shipwrecks on these treacherous hikes At the time of writing there rV'.Ti '■V" l#r j " St ontsMe "le harbor of nmiiilo, the Richard son, which sank in 'i .iralo <i couple of vpfirs whim 1 ■ four miles of the •Her cargo of Max va i u . v | )]fi ■ *l!' tempting sums were offered to ft.TTTf if the >' ™«M recover iZ hi " C ' ,irß °' thc Iviw,e be- »■« ' "t many thousands of dolUis. In,t so i; ,r all efforts have availed the wm-kers nothing and cosf t,n, doubly. I.Montreal Standard. Pm ™"