SALVAGE OF N.Z. WRECKS

Press, Volume LXXXVIII, Issue 26633, 19 January 1952, Page 7

SALVAGE OF N.Z. WRECKS

PLANS OF BRITISH FIRM SYDNEY, January 18. The treasure salvage expedition which is now raising the valuable copper and cargo from the 31-vear-old wreck of the steamer Cumberland. intends to spend two years in New Zealand waters as part of a five-year programme before returning to England. Members of the crew of the former Admiralty barge Foremost 17 have admitted this much without giving any indication as to which wrecks in New Zealand waters are marked down for investigation. It is believed that now the expedition has found the Cumberland, financial success is assured, and the parent firm of Risdon Beazley. Ltd., is free to plan further operations. It will take the crew of Foremost 17 about six months in average weather to clear the metal ingots, worth £300,000, from the holds of the Cumberland which is lying 318 ft deep in the open sea. The director of operations, Mr Rodney Paul, has discouraged any attempt to give publicity to the work, and he has not yet permitted newspaper men aboard Foremost 17. He says, however. that the expedition is interested in “sure things,” rather than in “wild goose chases wrapped up in legends.” The Niagara In the former category, it is believed, is the liner Niagara, from the wreck of which, north of Auckland, an expedition under Captain J. P. Williams nine years ago recovered bullion worth £2.396,000. It is known that treasure worth several hundred thousand pounds is still in the wreck, which lies 120 ft deeper than the Cumberland.

Captain Williams is connected with the Risdon Beazley Company, and is believed to have told the firm that with modern equipment and hard work the greater part of this second fortune could be reclaimed. Expedition members are also interested in the story of the sailing ship, General Grant, which sank in a cavern between the rocky cliffs of Auckland Island 100 years ago. with a cargo of gold from Australian diggings reputed to be valued at £4.500 000. Members suggest that if the wreck could be found, grab gear could be landed on the island and a hole blasted into the cavern from above. The expedition leaders, however, are dubious about operations so far south, as Foremost 17 has insufficient freeboard for reallv heavy weather. Two other projects may be regarded as further from the “wild goose” category, though neither is a “sure thing.” Australian Wrecks Exactly 10 years ago. when Japanese aircraft raided Darwin, the American destroyer Peary sank with all hands. She was making for open water at the time, but was still in the harbour, vet American naval experts, Australian and native pearl divers, and several small salvage expeditions have failed to locate the wreck. The reason for the interest in her whereabouts is the report that she carried 1 000.000 dollars in gold. The other case is that of a de Havilland Drover aircraft, which crashed off Lae in New Guinea last year with bullion valued at more than £lOO.OOO aboard. Tn both cases everything would depend upon the efficiency of the Foremost 17's sub-sea location gear, which has already been used successfully for the Cumberland. The most satisfactory phase of the operations was the speed with which the expedition, using modern methods of sub-sea location, fixed the position of the wreck. At least one other expedition spent much time and money before abandoning the search for the Cumberland, but the men of Foremost 17 found her in less than an hour.

The method of working has been to inspect the wreck by means of a diving bell, nlace charges designed to open the shin up and then remove th° cargo by means of a giant grab. This is manipulated from the barge, according to instructions telephoned by an observer sitting in the bell, often inside the wreck itself.