THE WRECKED TASMANIA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 15175, 14 December 1912, Page 8

THE WRECKED TASMANIA.

ATTEMPTS AT SALVAGE.

POSITION AT PRESENT.

fI»T TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.]

Gisborne, Friday. Regarding a statement that the General Grant party intended making an attempt to secure some jewellery lost by the wreck of the steamer Tasmania off Table Cape, Mahia, in 1897, it is explained that a quantity of jewellery belonging to one of the passengers, Mr. Rothschild, went down with the vessel. The wreck was purchased by a Gisborne syndicate (except the jewellery), and salvage was attempted. The syndicate, however, sold half their interests to those forming an outside company which proposed to refloat the steamer, but the company was not successfully formed and tho venture fell through, the interests reverting to the Gisborne syndicate, to whom the wreck 6till belongs.

A representative of a local paper was informed today that no arrangements had been made with the local syndicate to permit of any further attempt at salvage on the part of the General Grant party or any other syndicate. The Tasmania lies in about 17 fathoms of water, and was

actually reached oil three occasions by. a

Gisborae gentleman financially interested in the venture, who succeeded in. bringing to the surface a number of relics. On the third occasion he made an attempt to salvage the jewellery, but found the passageway leading to the cabin obstructed with debris and, owing to the absence of illuminating apparatus, he was unable to reach the valuables.