BULLION HUNT BEGINS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22296, 23 June 1934, Page 19

BULLION HUNT BEGINS

ATTEMPT TO SALVAGE CRUISER A link with one of the most remarkable tragi-comedies of the Great War, when a Russian cruiser was sunk in five minutes by jthe notorious German raider, the Emden, in sight of hundreds of people who were going about their business in the beautiful island of Penang, is recalled by the attempts now being made by a Japanese firm to salvage the Yemtscliug. Extraordinary stories were told at the time—October, 1914, shortly before the Emden met her fate —about the surprise character of the raid. The Russian man-o’-war was at anchor, with other warships. Suddenly the German ship came on the scene, and under the very nose of the enemy sent a torpedo and fired several guns at the Yemtschug. Within five minutes the Russian was down, and hundreds of human beings were floating in the shark-infested harbour. Most of the officers from the Yemtschug, it is said, were off duty in Georgetown, the capital of the island. A rich Singapore Chinese, Tan Koon Jin, has now received an option from the Straits Settlements Government, and he has placed the contract for the salvage operation with a Japanese firm. Investigations were begun last August, and the work is now being conducted by four divers and a staff of 20 —all Japanese—-who have brought a special vessel to the harbour and a great quantity of salvage tackle. It is not known definitely whether the ill-fated cruiser carried a large quantity of bullion in her hold, but it is more than likely that she did, in view of the nature of her mission. A preliminary investigation shows that the Yemtschug lies in 13 fathoms. It will be necessary, it is stated, to dynamite and break up the ship, into pieces weighing 10 to 15 tons. The operations are expected to last six months if the usual leather now experienced on the northern coasts off Malaya continues. In the event of bullion being discovered, the company will share the proceeds with the Straits Government,