TREASURE IN A SEA CAVE SOUTH OF N.Z.

Greymouth Evening Star, 13 June 1950, Page 5

TREASURE IN A SEA CAVE SOUTH OF N.Z.

BRISBANE, This Day (Rec 1 p.m.) —Among the temporary members of the salvage crew now engaged in lightering cargo from. the wrecked British freighter Marietta Dal off Moreton Island is a Sydney businessman, Mr H. Marfleet, who hopes to recover about £soojooo worth of gold from a ship wrecked south of New Zealand over 80 years ago. Mr Marfleet intends to study the methods used in salvaging the more inaccessible part of the Marietta Dal’s cargo as an aid to his search for the treasure, which is stated to be in a deep sea cave under a cliff on Auckland Island, 285 miles south of Invercargill. While on her maiden voyage from Boston to London via Melbourne in 1866, the barque General Grant (1200 tons) was driven ashore on Auckland

Island. Waves carried the wreck 250 feet inside a huge cave, where she settled in 16 fathoms.

Mr Marfleet possesses notes written by William Sanquilly, who was the last man to leave the wreck and who was in charge of the cargo. Under the captain’s instructions Sanquilly had the special consignment marked as spelter (copper ore) to deceive certain ex-convicts and possible pirates among the crew and passengers. Actually the consignment contained gold, then valued at £120,000. Fifteen people escaped from the wreck in two boats. There have been several unsuccessful attempts at salvage.